Search

WD hard drives use drivers that are built into the operating system (OS). It is an extremely rare for the built-in drivers to become damaged or corrupted. The most common reason the operating system fails to recognize a drive is that the drive is defective or damaged.

To update the drivers, please use the tools provided by the operating system publisher:

• Microsoft (Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7)
• Apple (Mac OSX)

If updating the built-in drivers does not resolve the issue, please follow the steps below:

1. Check if the drive is defective.
   Please see Answer ID 14920: How to check if a WD drive is damaged or defective
   
2. If the drive is damaged or defective, check the warranty to see if it is eligible for replacement (RMA)
   
   • If data needs to be recovered from the drive, please visit one of our data recovery partners.
     Please note WD does not provide data recovery services.
     
   • 
     
   • If eligible for replacement, create an RMA
   • 
     
   • If ineligible for an RMA, the drive will need to be replaced.
     Please visit the WD Online Store or a local retailer to purchase a replacement.