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×InformationNeed Windows 11 help?Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
Windows 11 Support Center. -
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×InformationNeed Windows 11 help?Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
Windows 11 Support Center. -
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07-29-2025 03:24 AM
Hi all,
This laptop came with 1TB Toshiba HDD and Windows 10. Recently it automatically upgraded to windows 11. It started to be too slow and my alternative was to buy a 1TB M.2 Nvme SSD. I Used a third party software to clone the HDD to SSD. When I removed the HDD to boot with SSD it said no drive. I formatted the SSD and clean install Windows 11 with success. When I plug the HDD to the external enclosure to copy only my personal files it asked my Bitlocker Recovery key and I entered it but i cant access my files.
What must i do to access my files on the HDD because the SSD is working fine and faster
07-30-2025 08:57 AM
@Lekgolo, Welcome to HP Support Community,
Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue
If you're having trouble accessing your personal files from an HDD using an external enclosure with your HP Laptop PC 15-dw3000, here are some steps to troubleshoot the issue:
Check Connections: Ensure that the HDD is securely connected to the external enclosure and that the enclosure is properly connected to your laptop.
Test the Enclosure: Try connecting the external enclosure to a different USB port on your laptop. Also, test the enclosure with a different computer to rule out any issues with the enclosure itself.
Verify Power Supply: Make sure that the external enclosure is getting enough power, especially if it's using a USB connection for both data and power. Some enclosures require a separate power source.
Driver Updates: Update the drivers for your USB ports or the external enclosure. You can usually find driver updates on the HP Support website or through Windows Update.
Device Manager Check: Go to the Device Manager and check if the HDD is listed under "Disk Drives". If there’s an issue, it might be flagged with a yellow warning sign.
Disk Management: Open Disk Management in Windows and check if the HDD appears. If it does, but is not assigned a drive letter, you may need to assign one manually.
Access Permissions: Check if you have appropriate permissions to access the files on the HDD. You might need to take ownership of the files or folders.
File System Compatibility: Ensure that the HDD’s file system is compatible with your laptop's operating system. For example, if the HDD is formatted with a file system that Windows doesn’t support, you may need to access it using a compatible operating system.
I hope this helps.
Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps.
Take care and have a good day.
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Regards,
Garp_Senchau
I am an HP Employee