If your internal hard disk drive (HDD) keeps disconnecting, you’ve got a potentially serious problem — and if the drive holds critically important data, we strongly recommend shutting down the affected system before taking any additional steps.
In the vast majority of cases, hard drives intermittently disconnect due to power or cable issues. However, other issues can cause this symptom:
- Firmware corruption.
- Physical damage to the hard drive.
- Electronic damage to the HDD’s printed circuit board (PCB).
- Motherboard issues.
- Corrupt drivers.
Because physical issues can cause intermittent connections, the safest course of action is to keep your computer powered off. Contact a qualified data recovery provider to discuss the next steps. Datarecovery.com provides risk-free evaluations, and we support all hard drive data recovery services with our no data, no charge guarantee: If we’re not able to successfully recover your files, there’s no charge for the attempt.
Of course, you might not need data recovery services if the hard drive doesn’t contain anything important (or if you’ve backed up the data to another device). If that’s the case, read on to learn how to troubleshoot the issue.
1. Start by checking the cables.
Usually, hard drives have intermittent power issues due to — you guessed it — intermittent power.
If you’re comfortable opening your computer, you can inspect the connections leading from the motherboard and power supply to the hard drive. Look for loose, dirty, or frayed wires and cables.
For desktop computers, you may also be able to switch the hard drive’s motherboard connection to a different SATA port. Unfortunately, you can’t really fix a faulty SATA port — but you may be able to install an expansion card to restore the lost functionality.
2. Try connecting the hard drive to another computer.
If your cables are in pristine condition, you may still have power issues. Troubleshoot by connecting the hard drive to another computer.
Remember to ground yourself before touching any component with a PCB (including your hard drive). If you can’t install the drive directly into another computer, you can pick up a cheap hard drive enclosure for under $20; we don’t recommend specific products, but it’s a good idea to purchase storage products from well-known brands.
We’d avoid manufacturers with generic names, especially if they’re marketed exclusively through online retailers like Amazon and eBay.
Related: Amazon Continues Selling Fake Flash Drives and SSDs
3. Prevent your operating system from shutting down the hard disk by adjusting the power plan.
If the hard drive works when connected to another computer, you know that you’ve got either a software or a hardware issue with your primary machine — which isn’t much, but we’re making progress towards a diagnosis.
Most computers shut down their hard drives when the operating system has remained idle for a certain amount of time. This saves energy and may extend the life of the hard drive.
However, if the hard drive’s driver is out of date or if it’s not compatible with the computer, it may have trouble “turning on” when the computer stops idling. You can check for this issue by adjusting your power plan.
On Windows computers:
- Head to the Control Panel. Select Hardware and Sound, Power Options, and Edit Plan Settings.
- Alternatively, you can simply enter Power Plan into the search bar to bring up the Edit Plan Settings dialog.
- Select Advanced Settings.
- Look for the setting that reads: Turn off hard disk after.
- Change Setting (Minutes) to Never.
- Select Apply.
If this resolves the issue, check whether you’re using the latest driver for your hard drive. Make sure that your hard drive is compatible with your motherboard (review the documentation that came with your HDD or search the manufacturer’s website for additional guidance).
4. Check for driver conflicts by performing a clean boot.
Very rarely, applications or services may cause issues with storage media drivers (drivers are software components that allow the operating system to communicate with devices).
If you’ve recently installed an application that boots when your computer starts up — and you’re confident that you didn’t notice the disconnection issues prior to the install — you can disable or uninstall that application and see whether the problem is fixed.
If you’re still having random disconnections, you can perform a clean boot (booting the computer without loading applications and services). Here’s how to do a clean boot in Windows 11:
- Press the Windows Key + R to bring up the Run dialog box.
- Enter msconfig and press OK.
- Select the Services tab and Disable All on the bottom-right side.
- Open the Startup tab and select Open Task Manager.
- Disable each Startup item.
- Restart your computer.
If the issue is resolved, you can gradually restore services and startup applications until you find the culprit. When you’ve found the application/service that’s causing the issue, reinstall it, uninstall it, or simply leave it disabled.
5. Know the signs of physical hard drive failure.
Your hard drive may be disconnecting due to bad sectors, damaged actuator heads, or for a number of other reasons. If you still have access to your data, that’s certainly good news — but you should back up the device as soon as possible.
We do not recommend operating a hard drive that shows any of the classic signs of physical damage:
- Clicking or whirring sounds.
- Excessively slow operation.
- Corrupt files.
- Failure to boot or recognize.
To learn more about the symptoms of hard drive failure, read: How Can I Tell If My Hard Drive is Broken?
Datarecovery.com provides risk-free price quotes for all hard drives, solid-state drives (SSDs), and other data storage technologies. To get started, submit a case online or call 1-800-237-4200 to speak with an expert.
