“Has anyone encountered the ‘Fatal Device Hardware Error’ on Windows? My external drive stopped working and shows this error. I’ve tried basic troubleshooting like reconnecting, but no luck. Any suggestions for fixing this or recovering data would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!”
Have you checked our knowledge base articles?
(Get Support for Your SSDs and Flash Products | SanDisk)
Try this one.
Have you opened a Support Case?
If not, contact SanDisk Technical Support for assistance.
(Contact Support | SanDisk)
The “Fatal Device Hardware Error” usually indicates a serious issue with the external drive or its connection. You can try basic troubleshooting like switching USB ports, cables, or running a disk check (CHKDSK). I am also attaching the blog post for your reference.
