Question:

How can I access an external HDD that was formatted by Android TV and is not recognized by File Explorer?

I have an external HDD that I used as an extra storage for my Android TV. After that, I could not see it on File Explorer, even though it shows up on CrystalDiskInfo. I do not need to recover any data from it, but I want to use it again. How can I make it visible and accessible on File Explorer? What steps should I follow?

Answer:

If you have an external hard disk drive (HDD) that you used as an extra storage for your Android TV, you may encounter a problem when you try to use it again on your computer. The HDD may not show up on File Explorer, even though it is detected by CrystalDiskInfo or other disk management tools. This is because the Android TV may have formatted the HDD in a way that is not compatible with Windows. In this article, we will show you how to make your HDD visible and accessible on File Explorer, without losing any data.

Step 1: Check the disk partition style

The first thing you need to do is to check the disk partition style of your HDD. This is the way the HDD is divided into logical sections that can store data. There are two common types of disk partition styles: Master Boot Record (MBR) and GUID Partition Table (GPT). Windows can only recognize HDDs that use MBR or GPT, but Android TV may have formatted your HDD using a different partition style, such as AOSP (Android Open Source Project).

To check the disk partition style of your HDD, follow these steps:

• Connect your HDD to your computer via a USB cable.
• Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
• Type `diskmgmt.msc` and press Enter to open the Disk Management tool.
• Locate your HDD in the list of disks. It should have a label like “Disk 1” or “Disk 2”.
• Right-click on the disk and select Properties.
• Go to the Volumes tab and look for the Partition style field.

If the partition style is MBR or GPT, then you can skip to Step 3. If the partition style is AOSP or something else, then you need to convert it to MBR or GPT in Step 2.

Step 2: Convert the disk partition style to MBR or GPT

If your HDD has a partition style that is not MBR or GPT, you need to convert it to one of these formats. This will make your HDD recognizable by Windows, but it will also erase all the data on the HDD. Therefore, you should only do this if you do not need to recover any data from the HDD, or if you have a backup of the data somewhere else.

To convert the disk partition style of your HDD to MBR or GPT, follow these steps:

• Open the Disk Management tool as in Step 1.
• Locate your HDD in the list of disks and right-click on it.
• Select Delete Volume to delete all the partitions on the HDD. This will make the HDD appear as unallocated space.
• Right-click on the unallocated space and select New Simple Volume.
• Follow the wizard to create a new partition on the HDD. You can choose the size, drive letter, and file system of the partition. The file system should be NTFS or exFAT for compatibility with Windows.
• In the last step of the wizard, you will be asked to choose the partition style. You can choose either MBR or GPT, depending on your preference and the size of your HDD. MBR can support HDDs up to 2 TB, while GPT can support HDDs larger than 2 TB.
• Click Finish to complete the process.

Step 3: Assign a drive letter to the HDD

If your HDD has a partition style that is MBR or GPT, but it still does not show up on File Explorer, it may be because it does not have a drive letter assigned to it. A drive letter is a way for Windows to identify and access different storage devices, such as C: for the system drive, D: for the optical drive, etc. Without a drive letter, your HDD will not appear on File Explorer, even though it is recognized by the system.

To assign a drive letter to your HDD, follow these steps:

• Open the Disk Management tool as in Step 1.
• Locate your HDD in the list of disks and right-click on the partition that you want to assign a drive letter to. It should have a label like “New Volume” or “Healthy”.
• Select Change Drive Letter and Paths.
• Click Add and choose a drive letter from the drop-down menu. You can use any letter that is not already in use by another device.
• Click OK to confirm.

Step 4: Format the HDD

If your HDD has a drive letter assigned to it, but it still does not show up on File Explorer, it may be because it is not formatted properly. Formatting is the process of preparing a storage device for data storage, by creating a file system that organizes the data into files and folders. Windows can only read and write data on HDDs that have a compatible file system, such as NTFS or exFAT. If your HDD has a different file system, such as EXT4 or FAT32, Windows may not be able to access it.

To format your HDD to a compatible file system, follow these steps:

• Open the Disk Management tool as in Step 1.
• Locate your HDD in the list of disks and right-click on the partition that you want to format. It should have a drive letter assigned to it.
• Select Format.
• Choose a file system from the drop-down menu. You can use either NTFS or exFAT, depending on your preference and the size of your HDD. NTFS is more secure and reliable, while exFAT is more compatible with other devices, such as Macs and Androids.
• Choose a volume label for your HDD. This is a name that will appear on File Explorer to identify your HDD.
• Check the box that says Perform a quick format. This will speed up the process by skipping the error checking and bad sector detection.
• Click OK to start the formatting.

Conclusion

By

following these steps, you should be able to access your external HDD that was formatted by Android TV and is not recognized by File Explorer. You can now use your HDD to store and transfer data between your computer and other devices. However, if you encounter any errors or problems during the process, you may need to consult a professional or contact the manufacturer of your HDD for further assistance.