Windows 10: Why External HDD showing as Local Disk instead of USB Drive?

Hello,I have WD My Book 4TB external hard drive. I am connecting it to a router via USB to use it on local network and it says format not recognized. When I conect this same drive to laptop, it shows as local drive and I can access the data on it. While on the other hand, I have 64GB Lexar flash drive which when connected to laptop, shows as USB drive and it’s accessible via router over network. I tallied the formatting, both have same format. Only difference is, type of WD shows as local disk and type of Lexar shows as USB drive. Can someone please help me with this situation where I can hav

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External hard drive is showing up as local disk drive

Hi,



Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.



As you have mentioned that the external hard drive is showing as local disk drive instead of a USB drive, it is because the file format for the external hard drive is same as the internal hard drive and that’s why it is showing
up as a local disk drive and not a USB drive.



Also, since you are facing issues while changing the drive letter of the drive, for further clarity on the issue and to guide you accordingly, respond to the questions listed below:

1. What is the make and model of the hard drive?
   
2. Were you able to save or create a file on the hard drive previously?
   
3. What happens when you try to copy and paste the data from the hard drive?
   
4. What was the result of check disk performed on the drive?
   

Since you are receiving the access denied error, I would suggest you to check if the user has appropriate permissions to read/write data on the external hard drive. Refer the article

"Access Denied" or other errors when you access or work with files and folders in Windows, refer the section
I cannot access, change, save, or delete files and folders.



Note:
The above article applies to Windows 10 also.



Please get back to us with the above information to assist you further with the issue.



We await your response.



Regards,

Prakhar Khare

Microsoft Community – Moderator

 

External hard drive is showing up as local disk drive

Thank you for the response.

I change the letter of the drive trying to fix the error (the problem existed before that
). Also my external drive was working as an external drive and changed in sometime by itself ( ? ).

The responses from the questions that you made are:

1. MaxTor M3 Portable 1TB | Model:HX-M101TCB/GRM
2. I am still able (like before)
   to save and create files and folders inside the disk.The problem that i mention is that i was not able to create the AutoRun.inf file (access denied)
3. I can copy and paste data from my drive
4. Disk perform showed no error (but it showed as a Label name:
   "nakos" but in the same time when i open my Computer and see the drives the label is as Local Disk
   

The main problem that i have is that my external disk was appeared to my computer and to other computer too as a external disk (with the Label and the icon that i set). Now there is appeared as a Local Disk and ignore whatever
label name i enter. I have set up all the folders, sub-folders and HTML projects to work in this disk with the label that was there before and not as a Local Disk, that's why is important to me to return him in the format like before.

Thanks again

 

External disk drive not showing up

Check if the drive is assigned a drive letter.

Press Windows key + X

Click Disk Management

If you see your drive listed there, but no drive letter, right click it

Click Change Drive Letter and Paths

Click Add

Click Assign the following drive letter

Click in the Drive letter list box

Choose a drive letter - try choosing letters near the end of the alphabet

Click OK

Click OK again

If that does not work...

Press Windows key + X

Click Device Manager

Expand Disk drives

Right click the external drive

Click uninstall

Exit Device Manager, restart then check if its detected.

or

Step 1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog

Step 2. Type regedit and press Enter

Step 3. Navigate to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_Machine > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Services > USB

Step 4. If the USB key does not exist into the list, then create a new key USB under Services. Now create a new DWORD value under the key that you’ve just created

Step 5. Keep the USB key selected and right-click on the blank space at the right pane

Step 6. Select New > DWORD value from the context menu

Step 7.Rename this newly created DWORD value as DisableSelectiveSuspend

Step 8. Right-click on DisableSelectiveSuspend and select Modify

Step 9. Put 1 in Value data field and then click OK

Step 10. Reboot your PC