How To Fix D Drive Not Accessible “Access Denied” Error In Windows PC

If you have ever been greeted by the frustrating “D is not accessible, access is denied” error message, then you know the plight. There can be many reasons for this issue to occur, mainly due to permission conflicts, corrupted files etc. In fact forums like Reddit are filled with such experiences and people looking for solutions. Whether you are dealing with changing the ownership rights or advanced troubleshooting, there is a solution waiting for you.

If you are the owner of the Windows PC and still receiving the Drive is not accessible error, this can be concerning. Now, if you have wondered what to do, you have come to the right place, as we have discussed many solutions to this problem.

How to Fix D drive Not Accessible Error in Windows?

The “Access Denied” error for the D drive in Windows can be frustrating, but there are several methods to resolve it. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Method 1: Check Permissions

The most simple way to fix the Windows drive access denied error is to check and modify the drive’ permissions. As the permissions dictate who can access, modify or execute the files and folders present on drive.

Step 1: Open File Explorer and locate D drive and then right click on it, select Properties from here.

Step 2: Now, go to the Security tab, here you will see the permissions settings.

Step 3: Click on Edit to modify the permissions for different users. (Before this step, make sure your account has the full control to make changes.)

Step 4: If necessary, go to Advanced, click on Change next to Owner field, enter your username and click on Ok.

Also, checkbox, Replace owner on subcontainers and objects.

Step 5: Once you are done, click on Apply and Ok. Restart your PC to apply the changes effectively.

Method 2: Run CHKDSK

CHKDSK is a tool to scan and repair the system issues which might be causing the error on your computer. To fix the D is not accessible error using CHKDSK, follow these steps –

Step 1: Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

Step 2: Type chkdsk D: /f /r and hit Enter key.

Step 3: Wait while the scan is running as it might take some time. Once it is completed, you can restart the PC.

Method 3: Modify Registry Settings

Lets now attempt editing Registry settings by following these steps:

Step 1: Press Win+R to open Run command and then type regedit and hit Enter key.

Step 2: Here open File>Export and create a backup to be safe.

Step 3: Navigate to the key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies

Step 4: Now, locate WriteProtect and double click on it. Now set its value to 0.

Step 6: Click ok and close Registry Editor. Restart your PC to apply changes,

Method 4: Check Disk Management

Another way to fix the drive is not accessible error is to use the managing the settings in Disk Management. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Press Win+X and select Disk Management from the menu.

Step 2: Locate the D drive and check if it says unallocated or has volume issues.

Step 3: Right click on D Drive and select the ‘Change Drive Letter and paths’.

Step 4: Now, click Add or Change, select a new drive letter and click on Ok.

Step 5: Also check the Drive status, in case it shows Offline, change it to Online. If it shows Unallocated, create a new partition or format it. However, formatting will delete all the data on it, make sure you have backup.

Apply the changes and then restart your computer.

Method 5: Update Windows

Sometimes, a simple Windows update can also resolve the errors such as ‘d is not accessible access is denied’. To update Windows, follow these steps-

Open Settings>Windows Update>Check for updates. Once all of the updates are downloaded and installed, you can restart your computer.

Conclusion –

In conclusion, encountering the ‘d is not accessible access is denied’ error can be frustrating but resolvable. You can take help from the aforementioned fixes to get back your access to the drives. Once you are able to understand the underlying causes, such as permission issues, corrupted system files or misconfigured settings, a suitable solution can be applied to fix it. The troubleshooting methods will help you restore the access and you will be able to access your files and folders in the drive. We hope this article helps you and you no longer are faced with the windows drive access denied error.

Frequently Asked Questions-

Q1. How do I fix access denied on PC?

When you try to open a file or folder, it might bring up an error message which says the drive is not accessible, this can be confusing. You can try resetting your rights and permissions after asking the administrator. In case you are the administrator, you can run the above-mentioned solutions to fix the issues.

Q2. How do I fix access denied for a user?

The message “Drive is not accessible” appears for you in case the Administrator has disabled the access for other users on this computer. In the case of shared computers at home or workplaces this is commonly observed. If you wish to get access, contact your administrator.

Q3. How to fix access denied on a drive?

Unless, administrator has knowingly denied access to certain drives on your computer, you must get this error fixed on your computer. This simply can be an error which can be fixed by
tweaking Registry settings or checking disk management properties.