The hard drive problem is inevitable at some point on Windows 10. This problem is coded with error 0x800701b1. And this literally means that the hard drive is missing on your Windows.
Meanwhile, the complete error message that denotes that your Windows hard driving isn’t present Error 0X800701B1 ‘A device which does not exist was specified.’
This however occurs when your Windows couldn’t copy from the hard drive, paste on the hard drive and transfer files from and to the hard drive.
So, the error 0x800701b1 means that your computer cannot read from your hard drive. The error doesn’t specify whether it’s an external or internal hard drive.
But once a drive connected to your computer couldn’t be read or accessed, the computer displays error code 0x800701b1.
Note: If this occurs from the internal hard drive you may need to remove the hard drive for examination or better still, change the hard drive. But if the hard drive error code 0x800701b1 is from an external drive you can easily carry out the following walkaround to resolve the issue.
How to Fix Error 0x800701b1 on Windows
There are a few methods available to fix an external hard drive with error code 0x800701b1 without replacing the drive. If you aren’t ready to change your drive, you can check out the following troubleshooting tip to fix the error code.
Try another USB Port
The first basic troubleshooting tip to take is to take to fix the error code 0x800701b1 is to switch the USB port you are using. With this, we will be able to figure out whether the error code is a result of a faulty USB port.
If it repeats the same error code then we can assume that the fault is from the drive and not the computer.
Unplug other Devices
Another step you want to take is to remove all other devices that are connected to your PC. Notably, if the error occurs as a result of an insufficient power issue. If it’s not a desktop computer, consider removing all the devices that are connected including your mouse dongle, and Wi-Fi if you are using the Ethernet.
Update your Hard Drive Driver
If your computer is often connected to the internet you shouldn’t have a problem updating all outdated drivers as this should be done automatically and reinstalled once it’s restarted. However, if you’ve blocked your computer from updating automatically, then, you need to do a manual update at least once in a while to stay up-to-date and stay above all glitches.
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Therefore, we take a look at how to update your Windows HDD driver below.
- Click on the “Search” box on your Windows
- Search for “Device Manager” and select it once the result is up.
- Click on the “Disk Drive” expansion button to expand it.
- Click on “Update” from the pop-up.
- Select “Search automatically for the drivers” from the pop-up to download the driver online or choose “browse my computer for drivers” to upload the driver from your drive.
- If there is an update available it will be downloaded and installed on your system. But if you are running the latest update you should see “the best drivers for your device are already installed.”
Note: If this fails to fix the error code from appearing or it still stops you from reading the HDD, then, uninstall the driver and reinstall it again.
Uninstall and Reinstall HDD Driver on Windows
Don’t resolve to this troubleshooting without attempting the troubleshooting tips above. If updating the driver didn’t work or it says you are running the best driver, then, uninstall the driver, and reinstall it again.
- Go to “Device Manager.”
- Click on “Disk Drives” expansion.
- Right-click on the “Drive.”
- Select “Uninstall Device.”
Now, repeat the process again to reinstall the driver and check whether the error has been fixed.
Note: You may be prompted to restart your computer/laptop to reinstall the hard drive.
Reduce the Size of the Files to Transfer
If you are trying to transfer from or transfer to your hard drive a file or files larger than 10GB you could run into the error code 0x800701b1 problem.
Although there is no benchmark for the size of files that can be transferred to or transferred from a drive but the higher the size of the file the high the force the drive will be subjected to copying or pasting the file.
So, if the size of the file is big try to reduce the size or move the file in a bit until it’s completed.
Change your External Hard Disk/Drive
What if your external hard drive is the reason for all this code? Or the drive has been damaged or faulty or something related? Well, this may be the right time to replace your hard drive especially if the hard drive is aged or falls consistently.
Note: Before you conclude to replace your hard drive use another HDD with the computer and see if the problem doesn’t exist. If it doesn’t, then, it’s high time you replace your drive.