Wd my passport external usb3 hdd don't have access at win10 and win11

Gregory · Nov 29, 2025

Hi.

I have the wd my passport usb3 external hdd.
But when i connected to windows 10 or windows 11 it bring me don't have access to this disk.
But at windows 7 it work normally.

I try to update the drivers from the device list but still same issue.

Any idea?

antspants · Nov 29, 2025

First thing to do would be to go into Disk Management and make sure the drive has a drive letter assigned.

Open Disk Management

Press Windows + R: This opens the Run dialog.
Type "diskmgmt.msc": Then press Enter.
Wait for Disk Management window: It may take a few seconds to load.
Alternative method: Right‑click the Start button → choose "Disk Management."

Assign a Drive Letter to an External HDD

Locate your external drive: In Disk Management, find the drive in the lower panel.
Right‑click the partition: Choose "Change Drive Letter and Paths."
Click Add or Change: If no letter is assigned, click "Add." If you want to change it, click "Change."
Select a letter: Pick from the dropdown list (avoid letters already in use).
Confirm with OK: The drive will now appear in File Explorer under that letter.

Gregory · Nov 29, 2025

Yes the hdd has letter(e:).
And the hdd appear at windows file explorer but when i press the drive don't show me any of the contects/files it has.
Simply inform me don't have access to this disk.

Again at win7 it work normally when i connected and see all the content it has the ntfs usb3 hdd.

antspants · Nov 29, 2025

Maybe a permissions issue:

Verify File System
Right‑click the drive in Disk Management > Properties > check the file system.
If it’s NTFS, Windows 10/11 may be blocking access due to permissions. If it’s exFAT or FAT32, it should be readable everywhere.
Fix Permissions
Open File Explorer, right‑click the drive > Properties > Security tab.
Click Edit > add your user account > give Full Control.
Apply changes and try again.

Try Different Ports/Cables
Check for WD Software/Encryption
If the drive was set up with WD Security/SmartWare on Windows 7, newer Windows may block it until the WD software is installed.
Download WD utilities from Western Digital’s support site if needed.

Gregory · Nov 29, 2025

It worked.

Why to this disk was ntfs i can't have access by default and other ntfs usb3 hdd have connect to this pc have access normally without must do all that??

Is there a way to have automatically access to any disk i connect to this pc and don't need to do to any new ntfs external disk that procedure?

antspants · Nov 29, 2025

Gregory said:
It worked.

Why to this disk was ntfs i can't have access by default and other ntfs usb3 hdd have connect to this pc have access normally without must do all that??

Is there a way to have automatically access to any disk i connect to this pc and don't need to do to any new ntfs external disk that procedure?

Formatting that external to NTFS using the PC you are using it on, or in Windows 11, should make it accessible again by default.
It’s because the HDD was formatted NTFS in Windows 7 not Windows 10/11

That’s my understanding, I have seen this before.

antspants · Nov 29, 2025

FYI (AI explanation)

Why Permissions Differ Between Windows 7 and Windows 11

SID mismatch: NTFS stores Security Identifiers (SIDs), not usernames. Old SIDs from Windows 7 accounts don’t match new ones in Windows 11.
Ownership differences: Windows 11 often requires you to explicitly take ownership of external drives migrated from older systems.
Removable media handling: Microsoft hardened how removable NTFS volumes are treated, so external drives may ignore or block inherited permissions.
Default security policies: Windows 11 applies stricter defaults for removable storage, which can make drives appear inaccessible until permissions are reset.
Cross‑system usage: If the drive was used across multiple PCs, orphaned or inconsistent permission entries may cause access issues.

How to Fix It

Take ownership: Right‑click the drive → Properties → Security → Advanced → Change Owner to your current account.
Reset permissions: In Advanced Security Settings, tick “Replace all child object permission entries.”
Command line option: Run icacls X:\ /reset /T (replace X with the drive letter) to reset ACLs.
Check removable storage policy: Ensure Group Policy or registry settings aren’t restricting removable storage access.
Run error checker: Use Windows’ disk check to confirm no corruption is interfering with ACLs.

Resetting permissions may remove custom restrictions you had in Windows 7.
If the drive was shared across multiple accounts, you’ll need to re‑grant access.
Removable drives may never fully enforce NTFS ACLs the same way internal disks do.

Gregory · Nov 29, 2025

Already mention this was formatted at ntfs and not by me but by factory(It was formatted when i get it from wd).
I buy it new not used. It was formatted by western digital company not by me.

Never had restiction at win7.

I use this external hdd to many systems and windows so i must make it accesable to all without needing to every time this thing.

Isn't there any way win10/11 don't ask any access to any external hdd(Even it was formatted from older windows like 7).?

antspants · Nov 29, 2025

Gregory said:
I use this external hdd to many systems…

If that was so, you would have come across this problem earlier.

Gregory said:
Isn't there win10/11 don't ask any access to any external hdd(Even it was formatted from older windows like 7).?

How is changing a setting that does this (If there is one) any faster than changing the permissions?

Format the HDD in Windows 11 and perhaps you wont have this problem anymore.
Perhaps even better, format the HDD to exFAT

garlin · Nov 29, 2025

More likely W10/W11 don't like the older versions of the WDC_SAM driver (which got flagged for security holes).

You may need this driver:
Microsoft Update Catalog

glasskuter · Nov 29, 2025

Add Take Ownership to Context Menu in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to add Take Ownership to the context menu of all files, folders, and drives for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11. This will allow you to be able to instantly take ownership of a file, folder (and all contents), or drive (and all contents) by changing the...

www.elevenforum.com

Gregory · Nov 30, 2025

At both pc's there is only 1 user and this is the admin.
And this users is the owner.

Helmut · Nov 30, 2025

The WD apps that are supplied with these drives may have been used. I suspect the locking feature of WD Discovery App or something like that.

I removed these from my WD Passport drive before using it. The formatting is as bought out of the box. Works with Windows 10 and 11 with no problems.
The Windows 11 machine has the update mentioned back in August through Windows Updates. However it worked before/after that.

Gregory · Nov 30, 2025

How at first install any app there is in hdd if you don't have access to this?
You can't
I Try all wd apps I find at the site nine of them work to let me access the hdd.
The only solution was to change the security of the hdd.
See a preview post

SlicEnDicE · Nov 30, 2025

That's what one gets for running everything as Admin... Windows 7 admin is not the same as Win10/11 admin.

When stuff is written, it should be populated with "Everyone" permissions, in order for it to work on any device.

Gregory · Nov 30, 2025

Why always mention win7????
All those I tell you at the last posts i try it at windows 10 and 11 not at 7 so stop mention win7

glasskuter · Nov 30, 2025

Gregory said:
Isn't there any way win10/11 don't ask any access to any external hdd(Even it was formatted from older windows like 7).?

On a drive owned by the system, If "Everyone" (or the specific user) does not have full access permissions in the drive properties of that drive, then the answer is NO, you can not prevent permission issues in 10/11 from happening in the future.

SlicEnDicE · Nov 30, 2025

Gregory said:
Why always mention win7????

Maybe because you mentioned that in your first post? But what do I know...maybe I imagined everything...

SlicEnDicE · Nov 30, 2025

Anyways...if you want this to work seamlessly and universally on all Windows and NTFS versions, you have to do two things.

Take ownership of the whole drive including files, folders and sub-files and folders using an account with Administrator permissions
Once you are the owner, then you have to change the owner AND the permissions of the drive, including sub-files and folders, to EVERYONE group and give full read and write acess to that group. In your permissions listing you should only see EVERYONE group, nothing else

Now your drive, when plugged in to any device, will be readable and writeable to on any device and any Windows or other OS type that understands what NTFS is.

Problem solved.

Gregory · Nov 30, 2025

At any pc i use this external-hdd i was the owner(admin) so....

How i take the ownership of one external drive/hdd?

Wd my passport external usb3 hdd don't have access at win10 and win11

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