I occasionally disconnect my external SSD without safely ejecting it because the eject option is sometimes unavailable. My laptop still detects the drive in Device Manager, but it no longer appears in File Explorer. In Disk Management, it is listed as "Unknown" and "Not Initialized." Could unplugging it without ejecting have caused this, and what should I do to check the drive or recover access without risking the data on it?
1 Answer
If this is a SanDisk drive, install the SanDisk Dashboard utility and check the Status tab. It should report the SSD’s health, connection status, and any warnings. That information can help determine whether the drive needs troubleshooting or a warranty replacement. Avoid initializing or formatting the disk if you need the files on it, since those actions could make recovery more difficult.
Is SanDisk Dashboard the utility you mean? I want to make sure I’m checking the correct program before changing anything.