Why is My D Drive Missing? 8 Ways to Fix It!

Ever faced the “D Drive Missing” error on your Windows computer? Wondering why is your D drive not showing up? If so, you’ve come to the right place. It can be a frustrating experience when you are unable to access important files stored on the D drive. Sometimes, it’s not just the D drive – even the E or F drive might decide to play hide and seek without any warning. In this article, we’ll delve into the reasons behind this problem, explore effective solutions, and guide you on how to recover data from the missing D drive.

Part 1: Why is My D Drive Not Showing Up?

When the D drive is not showing up in File Explorer or Disk Management, there’s no need to worry. First of all, you need to confirm whether the D drive is another hard disk in your computer or a partition of your current hard disk.

If the D drive is just a partition of your current hard drive, it’s likely because the drive letter D is being used by another device (like USB drive). However, if the D drive is a separate hard drive in the computer, the “D drive missing” error may be due to various reasons. Here are some commone ones:

• Outdated or corrupted disk driver.

• Damaged file system.

• Hardware failure.

• Disconnected or loose Connection.

• The D drive is hidden.

• You accidentally delete or format the D drive.

Part 2: Recover Data from the Missing Drive D

There are various methods to fix the issue of the D drive not showing up. However, the bad news is that you may risk losing some important files stored on it. While there are many data recovery software options available in the market, Tenorshare 4DDiG stands out as the clear winner. This user-friendly tool is specifically designed to recover deleted, lost, or inaccessible files from over 2000 storage devices. No matter the reason for your data loss, it is the most reliable assistant.

Step 1: First, download and install Tenorshare 4DDiG from the official website. Then, launch the program and select the D drive to scan.

Step 2: 4DDiG offers two scanning options – Quick Scan and Deep Scan. While Deep Scan takes more time, it can detect a greater number of lost files within the D drive.

Step 3: After the scan is complete, 4DDiG automatically lists the files that are lost or deleted on the D drive. Select the files you want to restore and click the “Recover” button. Remember not to save the recovered files again on the D drive.

Part 3: How to Fix the D Drive Missing Error Easily?

Option A: Reboot Your Computer

What should you do if the D drive keeps disappearing and reappearing? Sometimes, you don’t need to overthink the problem. Simply give your computer a fresh restart and check if the ‘D drive missing’ issue is resolved. If that doesn’t work, stay calm and move on to other advanced solutions.

Option B: Check Physical Connections

If your D drive keeps disappearing and reappearing, it’s better to thoroughly check the physical connections of both internal and external drives. Sometimes, cables can be faulty. In such cases, use a new USB cable and try connecting the drive to a different USB port on your computer.

Option C: Rescan Disks

Another useful way to resolve the “D drive not showing up” issue is to manually rescan the disk. Here is how:

Step 1: Press Win + X to open the Power User menu and select “Disk Management.”

Step 2: Next, click the “Action” option on the top menu bar and select “Rescan Disk.”

Option D: Update or Reinstall Driver

If you find that your D drive is missing, outdated disk drivers can be the cause. All you need to do is to update or reinstall them. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Press Win + X and opt for “Device Manager” from the menu.

Step 2: Perform a double-click on the “Disk drives” category. Then, right-click on the problematic disk drive and choose “Update driver.”

Step 3: Choose the option to search for updated driver software automatically.

Step 4: If it still doesn’t work, consider reinstalling the affected driver.

Option E: Assign a New Drive Letter to the D Drive

As mentioned earlier, a common reason for the D drive not showing up is a drive letter conflict. You need to make sure that no other device is using the same drive letter (D) at the moment. Here is how to change your drive letter in Disk Management:

Step 1: Perform a right-click on the Start button and choose “Disk Management.”

Step 2: Locate and right-click on the drive you want to change the letter for (in this case, the D drive). Choose the “Change Drive Letter and Paths…” option from the menu.

Step 3: Click on the “Change” button to proceed.

Step 4: From the drop-down menu, select a new drive letter for your D drive. Finally, save the change by clicking on “OK.”

Option F: Repair Disk Errors

If the ‘D drive missing’ error persists, file system corruption on the drive may be the cause. Command Prompt, a built-in Windows feature, can help you scan and repair disk errors. Here is how to use it:

Step 1: Press Windows + S, type “CMD” into the search box, and click “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt.

Step 2: Type the “chkdsk d: /f /r ” commend and press Enter to run it.

Step 3: If the volume is in use, you’ll need to schedule the scan for the next system restart. Input “Y” and press Enter to confirm.

Step 4: Restart your computer and wait for the scan to complete.

Option G: Revert to a Previous Point

You can easily resolve the issue of D drive not showing up by performing a system restore. However, this method is only useful if you have previously created a restore point for your Windows PC. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Press Win + S to open the search bar. Next, type “Create a restore point” and press Enter.

Step 2: Then, click on the “System Restore” button.

Step 3: Choose a restore point from the list (make sure it’s before the D drive is missing) and hit “Next.”

Step 5: Click “Finish” and then confirm your choice.

Option H: Unhide D Drive

To fix the issue of D drive missing, you also need to confirm whether it was hidden accidentally. If so, follow these steps to reveal it:

Step 1: Press Win + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog. Type gpedit.msc and press the Enter key.

Step 2: Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer.

Step 3: Scoll down and find the option says “Hide these specified drives in My Computer.” Then, right-click on it and select “Edit.”

Step 4: Check the “Not Configured” option and click “Apply” to save the change.

Option I: Send the Drive to Manual Repair

If your hard drive is physically damaged, the above methods are basically unable to solve the issue of D drive not showing up. The only thing you can do is to send the damaged drive for manual repair. Trying to fix it at home without the right tools and skills is not recommended. If the hard drive gets more damaged, you could lose your data permanently.

Part 3: Tips for the Missing Drive D issue

Creating system restore points regularly is a good practice as it helps address various Windows system issues. However, many Windows users don’t know how to set it up or even understand what this powerful tool is. Here, we’ll share how to use the system restore tool on Windows 11/10:

Step 1: Right-click on the Start button and select “System” from the menu.

Step 2: Click on “About” in the left sidebar, then scroll down and click on “System protection.”

Step 3: Select the drive you want to create a restore point for. Then, click on the “Create” button.

Step 4: Let the process be complete.

Bottom Line

Now, you should no longer be puzzled by the question “why is my D drive not showing up?” By following the 8 solutions discussed in this article, you can troubleshoot and resolve the issue with ease. If you lost any important files due to the issue of D drive missing, give Tenorshare 4DDiG a shot. This tool can recover a wide range of file types, inlcuding photos, videos, emails, documents, and more.