External Hard Disk Folders Disappeared-How To Fix This Disk Issues
External Hard Drive Files & Folders Disappeared Strangely?
Problem1: Hello, everyone! I have owned a WD external hard disk that is nearly full with precious files, mails, videos and songs. However, recently, after I have plunged this drive to my Dell computer, all the reserved files and folders just disappeared weirdly when I click them there. I really don’t know what’s going on there. Do you have any idea? How can I fix this disk duduk masalah with ease? Thanks!
Problem2: Hey, yesterday, I just tried to access my information stored inside a Toshiba external hard drive and only found many unknown files and folders that had been turned into shortcuts. And then, I tried to click these shortcuts and found nothing was opened or started. All of my left drive documents, photos and other stuffs were all disappeared like that. Are they all gone permanently? Or are they are recoverable? How about my Toshiba drive? Is it failed somehow? Thanks for any useful clue!
Hey, friends! Is there any other strange symptom of your external hard disk issue? Only analyzing from your description, it sounds like that your external hard drive contents are hidden due to viruses or the likes. No matter how weirdly these drive files and folders are missing, here are possible reasons and solutions for you to go on.
The Reasons behind This Missing Drive Folder Problem
Generally, the external hard drive or memory card contents, including common pictures, videos, documents, mails, messages and more, can disappear without any sign due to many reasons. Here, two major ones will be introduced for you in details:
1).These drive files and folders are hidden somehow.
Have you tried to hide the files or folders of your computer or removable storage device before? If you do, perhaps these external hard drive contents are also hidden somehow. That’s also why you cannot find them on your hard drive as before. To let them useful and workable again, simply show them up again. This often does no damage to your drive information and you also can easily restore all original stuffs back with ease.
2).This drive is attacked by viruses unexpectedly.
The drive contents also can be missing due to virus attacking, for the viruses also hide storage device stuffs and bring many weird shortcuts, file damages and the likes. When this really happens to you, firstly remove the hidden viruses completely and try to take the original drive data back as much as possible with data recovery software.
How to Fix This External Hard Drive Issue?
Want to fix this hard disk issue and also restore the original hard disk stuffs back? Here are detailed steps for you:
Step1. Show all hidden files & folders up.
If your external hard drive contents are only hidden by you or someone else that has used this drive recently, you are really lucky and can find all these precious stuffs back by showing them all up again, like this: Start=> Run => Type in "control folders" => View=> Mark "Show hidden files and folders" => OK.
And then, carefully check whether all your original drive information is really showed again completely.
But, if no original files and folders are shown yet, go on reading these below steps.
Step2. Scan all possible viruses out & remove them all with antivirus software.
If you cannot show everything back with the first way, your hard drive must be attacked by viruses. To fix the drive issues and also rescue the reserved drive data, run your installed antivirus software and scan this external drive to remove all dangerous viruses, marelware, spyware and the likes. Carefully follow the software suggestions to delete infected files and separate all suspicious folders.
Step3. Format this external HDD to clean it up completely.
Of curse, in case that any terrible virus will not be scanned out by the antivirus software and go on damaging your information and hard disk, also format this external HDD to clean it up completely. The formatting processes always help get rid of all possible disk threats.
Step4. Recover drive contents with external hard drive data recovery software.
Still want to get the hard drive contents back after formatting this drive to remove all possible threats? OK! It is not impossible. Simply save no new stuffs to this formatted external drive and download proper drive format recoverysoftware to scan this disk and also retrieve all recoverable files back. Also remember to choose a free or paid one according to your own needs.