Windows 10: External Hard Drive Unable to Open Files

Discus and support External Hard Drive Unable to Open Files in Windows 10 Software and Apps to solve the problem; Hello, I really need help. I am looking through my external hard drive and am unable to open the files. They are mostly pictures and videos. It says... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Software and Apps' started by noreen650, Dec 21, 2021.

  1. noreen650 Win User

    External Hard Drive Unable to Open Files


    Hello, I really need help. I am looking through my external hard drive and am unable to open the files. They are mostly pictures and videos. It says "It looks like we don't support this file format". I saw that my PNG pictures open however I am not able to open any JPG or .MOV files. I've tried quite a few things and I wanted to know if there is an easy way to solve this without anything getting ruined or my computer getting messed up. Thank you very much.

    :)
     
    noreen650, Dec 21, 2021
    #1
  2. Remon Ont Win User

    External Hard Drive

    Hi John,

    We suggest that you try the troubleshooting steps below:

    • Open your External Hard Drive file in File Explorer.
    • Type the name of the file you want to search on the search box and click Enter.
    The file will show up in Search Results and you will be able to move it to the correct folder.

    Let us know if you need further help.
     
    Remon Ont, Dec 21, 2021
    #2
  3. saving and viewing files on an external hard drive

    Hi Sam,

    We appreciate you for being part of Windows 10.

    Yes, you may format the external hard drive. Follow the below steps.


    • Connect the external hard drive to Windows 10 computer.

    • Press Windows + E keys on the keyboard to the keyboard to open the file explorer.

    • Locate the external hard drive on left navigation pane in File explorer.

    • Right click on the external hard drive and click on
      Format
      .

    • Click Start and follow on screen instructions to format the hard drive.
    I hope the above information helps. Kindly let us know if you need any further assistance with Windows. We are glad to assist you.

    Thank you.
     
    Kiran Kishore, Dec 21, 2021
    #3
  4. External Hard Drive Unable to Open Files

    Seagate External Hard Drive

    Hi Barbara,

    Hardware failure or corruption within your system files are some of the possible reasons why you are experiencing an issue with accessing your external hard drive. For us to provide an accurate solution, we would need you to answer the following questions:

    • Which build, version and edition of Windows 10?
    • Are you experiencing the same issue when you are trying to access the external hard drive using another PC?
    • What troubleshooting steps have you done so far?

    In the meantime, we suggest running the automated troubleshooter for hardware. Follow these steps to do so:

    • Open the Control Panel.
    • Using the search box at the upper right corner of the window, type troubleshooting.
    • From the search results, click on Troubleshooting.
    • Click on Hardware and Sound and then choose Hardware and Devices.
    • Once done, restart your computer and then check if the same issue persists.

    We are looking forward to your response.
     
    Darleen Pen, Dec 21, 2021
    #4
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External Hard Drive Unable to Open Files

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