My Macbook suddenly won't recognise my external hard drive

Hi there.
I am using an Intenso 2,5" MemoryStation as an external hard drive. I have a few folders with pictures on it and my TimeMachine. When I plug it in it would usually show up on my desktop and start backing up my hard disk automatically. Something has now changed.
My dad gave my Macbook a new hard disk with more storage. When he put it in, he first safety copied all my stuff onto a separate external hard drive - ie. not my own. My Macbook is working perfectly and looks and acts exactly like before. But when I plug in my external hard drive, it now doesn't show up, neither on my desktop nor in disk utility. I can see that the external hard drive is responding as a light switches on and off when I plug it in and out; I don't think it is broken as I have taken very good care of it.
I'm worried that I have formatted my external hard drive so that it will only respond to a (now old) backup of my Macbook, which I can't access from my new hard disk.
I do also have the external hard drive that my dad originally used to backup all my stuff - with the older backup. Is there a way I can have my external hard drive read the new external hard drive (with the old backup of my Macbook)? Or has anyone experienced anything like this before?
Sorry if it got a bit complicated. It is evident that I am no tech expert.
Best,
Anne Sofie

Open the Finder.
From the Finder menu bar click Finder > Preferences then select the General tab.
Make sure: External disks is selected.

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