Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
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To see the drives that Windows has made available, open File Explorer with Windows + E, then select This PC in the left pane. Your mounted drives appear under Devices and drives.
If a disk or partition is missing, do not immediately format or initialize it. Disk Management can show whether Windows detects the storage and why it is absent from This PC.
Open This PC
- Press Windows + E, or select the File Explorer icon on the taskbar.
- Select This PC in the navigation pane.
- Look under Devices and drives. Volumes with an assigned drive letter, such as
C:orD:, normally appear here.
This PC does not display every partition on every physical disk. EFI System, Recovery, OEM, boot, and other protected partitions are normally hidden from ordinary File Explorer access. They are visible in Disk Management instead.
Make File Explorer open to This PC automatically
- Open File Explorer.
- Select See more (
...) on the toolbar. - Select Options.
- In the Open File Explorer to list, select This PC.
- Select Apply, then OK.
Show empty removable drives
Windows can hide empty removable-drive entries, such as an optical drive with no disc or an empty USB card-reader slot. This setting does not reveal an unmounted internal partition or repair a missing disk.
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Windows 11
- Open File Explorer.
- Select See more (
...) > Options. - Open the View tab.
- Clear Hide empty drives.
- Select Apply, then OK.
- Return to This PC and press F5 to refresh it.
Windows 10
- Open File Explorer and select View > Options > Change folder and search options.
- Select the View tab.
- Clear Hide empty drives in the Computer folder.
- Select Apply, then OK.
Do not use Hidden items to reveal a missing drive
The Hidden items option controls hidden files and folders:
File Explorer > View > Show > Hidden items
It does not assign a drive letter and will not normally make an unmounted volume appear under This PC. A volume must be accessible and have a drive letter or mount point before it can appear as a usable drive.
Use Disk Management to view every detected disk and volume
Disk Management is the correct tool when you need to inspect physical disks, partitions, volume letters, and statuses—not just the drives currently visible in File Explorer.
You can open it in any of these ways:
- Right-click Start and select Disk Management.
- Search for Disk Management, then select Create and format hard disk partitions.
- Press Windows + R, enter
diskmgmt.msc, and select OK. - Open Computer Management > Storage > Disk Management.
In the lower pane, the upper-left section identifies physical disks, such as Disk 0 and Disk 1. The sections to the right show their partitions and volumes. Check the status before changing anything.
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Give a healthy volume a drive letter
If Disk Management shows the missing volume as Healthy but there is no letter beside it, assigning a letter is usually the fix.
- Right-click the volume itself in the lower pane. Do not right-click the entire disk label.
- Select Change Drive Letter and Paths.
- Select Add. If it already has a letter that you want to replace, select Change.
- Select Assign the following drive letter.
- Choose an unused letter.
- Select OK, then select Yes if Windows asks for confirmation.
- Reopen This PC or press F5.
Be careful changing letters. Do not change the letter of the Windows system drive just to reorder the list. Changing the letter of a volume used by installed programs, shortcuts, services, or configured paths can stop those items from working.
What each Disk Management status means
| Status | Meaning | Safe next step |
|---|---|---|
| Offline | Windows has detected the disk but is not using it. | Right-click the disk label, such as Disk 1, and select Online if you know the disk is safe to bring online. |
| Not Initialized | Windows does not see a usable partition structure. This is common on a new, empty disk. | Initialize it only if it is new or intentionally empty. Initialization can destroy access to existing data. |
| Unallocated | The disk contains space that is not part of a volume. | For empty space, right-click it and choose New Simple Volume. Do not do this when recovering files. |
| RAW | Windows cannot recognize a usable file system on the volume. | Format it only when the volume is empty or its data is no longer needed. Formatting erases data. |
| Healthy, no letter | Windows recognizes the volume, but File Explorer has no path to it. | Use Change Drive Letter and Paths > Add. |
| EFI, Recovery, or OEM | This is a protected system or manufacturer partition. | Leave it without a drive letter. Do not format or delete it merely to make it appear in This PC. |
Rescan an external drive
If an external drive is connected but Disk Management does not show it correctly:
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- Disconnect and reconnect the drive.
- Try another USB port and, if applicable, another cable.
- Open Disk Management.
- Select Action > Rescan Disks.
If the disk still does not appear in Disk Management, the problem is not just a File Explorer display setting. Check the enclosure, power adapter, USB hub, and Device Manager. A failing disk or a faulty enclosure may need hardware troubleshooting before Windows can access its volumes.
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List all Windows volumes with PowerShell
PowerShell can reveal volumes that do not currently have a normal drive letter. Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run:
Get-VolumeTo list physical disks, run:
Get-DiskThen inspect the partitions on a particular disk:
Get-Partition -DiskNumber <disknumber>Replace <disknumber> with the number shown by Get-Disk. These commands are useful when Disk Management is crowded or when you need to distinguish a physical disk from its individual volumes.
Assign a letter with DiskPart
DiskPart can assign a letter from an elevated Command Prompt or Terminal, but it is easier to select the wrong volume than in Disk Management. Use it only after confirming the volume number and its size.
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exitReplace <volumenumber> with the correct number and E with an unused letter. DiskPart cannot assign letters to system, boot, paging-file, OEM, or EFI volumes, and it should not be used to make protected partitions visible.
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- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
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Check whether Group Policy is hiding drives
On a work, school, or shared PC, a policy may remove drive icons from This PC. This applies mainly to Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education because the Local Group Policy Editor is not included with Windows Home.
- Press Windows + R.
- Enter
gpedit.mscand select OK. - Go to:
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer - Open Hide these specified drives in My Computer.
- To remove the restriction, select Disabled. Alternatively, enable the policy and choose Do not restrict drives if that option is available.
- Select Apply, then OK.
This policy hides icons; it does not necessarily block access through a typed path, a command window, or Disk Management. On an organization-managed computer, the administrator may reapply the setting.
Changes that can destroy data
- Do not initialize a previously used disk just because it says Not Initialized.
- Do not format a RAW volume if you need the files on it.
- Do not create a New Simple Volume over unallocated space when data recovery is the goal.
- Do not assign letters or delete EFI, Recovery, or OEM partitions merely to list them in This PC.
If the missing drive contains important files, stop before making destructive changes. First check cables and power, record the Disk Management status, and consider a data-recovery process.
FAQ
Why does a partition appear in Disk Management but not in This PC?
It may not have a drive letter or mount point, or it may be a protected EFI, Recovery, or OEM partition. For a normal healthy data volume, right-click it in Disk Management, select Change Drive Letter and Paths, and add a letter.
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Does turning on Hidden items show missing drives?
No. Hidden items displays hidden files and folders. It does not mount a volume or assign a drive letter.
Why is my USB drive missing from This PC?
Check whether it appears in Disk Management. If it does, inspect its status and assign a letter if appropriate. If it does not, reconnect it, try another USB port or cable, and use Action > Rescan Disks. The enclosure, power supply, or drive itself may be failing.
Should every partition be visible in This PC?
No. Windows normally hides EFI System, Recovery, OEM, boot, and similar system partitions. Use Disk Management or PowerShell to inspect them.
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Can I make Windows show an empty DVD drive or card-reader slot?
Yes. In File Explorer Options, open the View tab and clear Hide empty drives. The wording is Hide empty drives in the Computer folder on Windows 10.
What is the fastest command to list all volumes?
Open PowerShell and run Get-Volume. Use Get-Disk for physical disks and Get-Partition -DiskNumber <disknumber> for partitions on a specific disk.
The Bottom Line
Start with Windows + E > This PC. If a drive is missing, open diskmgmt.msc and identify its status. A healthy volume without a letter can usually be fixed by assigning one; Offline, RAW, Unallocated, Not Initialized, and protected system partitions require different handling. Never format or initialize a disk containing files you need.
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