Look for errors in the hardware (look for problems in the physical drive or drive connector). It usually does that when there is a physical error so try connecting the drive to a different computer to see if there are any problems.
Unfortunately, you'll have to take that risk. Your crush may not be interested in you the same way you are in them. If that's the case, respect your crush's feelings...
Formatting a drive or a partition on a drive will totally erase anything and everything stored on it. So, if you have a virus on your external HDD, formatting it...
Try putting mint Colgate toothpaste on it, just a tiny dab. Gently wipe the excess toothpaste off with a paper towel. You can see some different methods in the article...
