On this page, you will learn 4 methods to fix external hard disk keep disconnecting and reconnecting. And for your data security, there is a way for quick and secure disk replacement.
This problem has been occurring since tonight. All was fine, but suddenly my external hard drive started disconnecting itself a few minutes after it was plugged in, and then reconnected to the PC with the "Driver Error" message. Why my external hard drive keeps disconnecting and reconnecting? Can I fix it? Should I keep using this disk?
If your external hard disk keeps connecting and disconnecting, you're likely dealing with one of the most frustrating hardware issues that can disrupt your workflow, compromise data integrity, and even lead to potential data loss. This issue can stem from several causes, both physical and logical. Here's a breakdown:
Now that you understand the culprits of external SSD keeps disconnecting and reconnecting, let's get down to how to fix it.
If your USB drive or Seagate external hard drive keeps disconnecting and reconnecting, don't panic. Here's a step-by-step troubleshooting guide.
If you need to replace your external hard drive directly without data loss, try the professional disk cloning software.
One of the easiest troubleshooting steps is switching the USB port. Sometimes the problem lies not with the drive, but the port itself. Try connecting your external hard disk to a different USB port on your machine, preferably one directly attached to the motherboard (usually on the back of a desktop tower).
Power-saving settings in Windows can also disable USB devices to conserve power, especially in laptops. This could be why your external drive keeps disconnecting on Windows 10 or NVMe SSD keeps disconnecting.
Step 1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager. Then, expand the Universal Serial Bus controllers section.
Step 2. Right-click on each USB Root Hub or Generic USB Hub and choose Properties.
Step 3. Go to the Power Management tab, uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. Click OK to apply.
Additionally, go to:
This prevents your system from cutting power to your external hard drive during idle time, disabling unwanted disconnections.
An outdated or corrupted disk driver can cause poor USB communication, which may lead to your external hard disk keep disconnecting.
Step 1. Open Device Manager to find and expand the Disk Drives section.
Step 2. Locate your external hard drive, right-click it, and select Update driver.
Step 3. Then, choose Search automatically for drivers software to follow the on-screen instructions to update the disk drive.
If updating doesn't work, choose the Uninstall device option, disconnect the drive, and then reconnect it to reinstall the disk driver.
File system errors or bad sectors can also cause your external drive disconnecting randomly, especially if your external hard disk keeps disconnecting during data-intensive operations. In such a case, you can use CHKDSK to check and fix the USB hard drive keeps disconnecting problem:
Step 1. Press Windows + R, type cmd, press Enter, and then select to run as admin.
Step 2. Type chkdsk E: /f /r /x (replace E: with your drive letter), and type Y to confirm disk scan in the next boot.
Step 3. Press Enter and wait for the scan to complete.
If all else fails and your external hard disk keeps disconnecting and reconnecting, it's time to consider replacing the drive before it is completely failed. However, you don't need to risk data loss or start from scratch. With tools like AOMEI Cloner, you can safely clone your data and switch to a new drive seamlessly.
AOMEI Cloner offers a powerful, user-friendly solution for disk migration and backup. Some of its top features include:
Here is how to use AOMEI Cloner to clone your external hard drive:
Step 1. Connect both the old external drives and new disk to your computer. Then, download and install AOMEI Cloner on your PC.
Step 2. Launch the software, then click on Clone, and select Disk Clone. For only transferring Windows to new drive, please pick the System Clone option instead.
Step 3. Select your source disk (the old external drive), and choose your destination disk (the new drive).
Step 4. Tick Sector By Sector Clone if you want an exact copy, and enable SSD Alignment if cloning to an SSD.
Step 5. Click Start Clone and wait for the process to complete.
#1. How do I tell if my external hard drive is going bad?
Some warning signs when an external hard drive goes bad include or an SSD is failing include:
#2. Why does my external hard drive keep stopping?
It could be due to:
#3. Why does my external hard drive keep freezing my computer?
This might happen if the drive has:
You can run CHKDSK or clone the drive using AOMEI Cloner can help minimize your data loss.
This post focuses on 4 solutions to the external hard disk keep disconnecting error. After you've successfully resolved the issue, it is highly recommended to replace your disk to avoid data loss. With the AOMEI Cloner software, you are able to clone external hard drive with simple clicks, so you can transfer data from one disk to another without reinstalling Windows or installed apps.