External Hard Drive Recognition Problems

[Waverley73]

I recently bought a Western Digital Elements 500gb external hard drive and hooked it up to my PC using the USB2.0 connection. It hooked up fine (I'm running Windows XP) and was able to put around 20 gig of data on it.

Here's the problem. If I don't do anything with the drive for say 10 minutes my computer stops recognising it (in Explorer it changes the drive name from Elements with the little logo to just a drive that it can't recognise). If I re-boot the machine it comes up fine again. As I said - this only happens if there is no activity between my PC and the drive for around 10 minutes. If I keep Windows Explorer open looking at one of the files on the drive I don't get this problem.

This makes me think that the drive automatically goes into some sort of standby power saving mode after a period of inactivity but when I need to re-access the drive it isn't 'waking' up.

WD website and customer service is absolutley shizenhouse so I'm hoping someone here either knows how to fix this or has experienced something similar.

Cheers

 

[mr tickle]

my usb does that often also

 

[mighty mick]

I recently bought a Western Digital Elements 500gb external hard drive and hooked it up to my PC using the USB2.0 connection. It hooked up fine (I'm running Windows XP) and was able to put around 20 gig of data on it.

Here's the problem. If I don't do anything with the drive for say 10 minutes my computer stops recognising it (in Explorer it changes the drive name from Elements with the little logo to just a drive that it can't recognise). If I re-boot the machine it comes up fine again. As I said - this only happens if there is no activity between my PC and the drive for around 10 minutes. If I keep Windows Explorer open looking at one of the files on the drive I don't get this problem.

This makes me think that the drive automatically goes into some sort of standby power saving mode after a period of inactivity but when I need to re-access the drive it isn't 'waking' up.

WD website and customer service is absolutley shizenhouse so I'm hoping someone here either knows how to fix this or has experienced something similar.

Cheers

can you try it on another pc to see if its the hard drive or your pc?

if it is take it back to where you got it from for a refund.

we sell heaps dont get many if any back at all

 

[Waverley73]

can you try it on another pc to see if its the hard drive or your pc?

if it is take it back to where you got it from for a refund.

we sell heaps dont get many if any back at all

I haven't tried another PC yet but I will try a different USB connection (going to use the one that's on my motherboard instead of one from the USB card I bought a year ago).

I got it from Harvey Norman for $156 - which is very cheap for 500gb.

 

[Waverley73]

my usb does that often also

Do you find it slightly annoying?

 

[mighty mick]

I haven't tried another PC yet but I will try a different USB connection (going to use the one that's on my motherboard instead of one from the USB card I bought a year ago).

I got it from Harvey Norman for $156 - which is very cheap for 500gb.

trying another usb port that is powered from the pc could do it, i have a camcorder which when plugged into my unpowered usb hubs " the pc will let me know that it can perform better on a powered usb"

that is why i recomend buying a usb hub that comes with a power adapter.

as for hardly normal and refunds good luck.

 

[Waverley73]

trying another usb port that is powered from the pc could do it, i have a camcorder which when plugged into my unpowered usb hubs " the pc will let me know that it can perform better on a powered usb"

that is why i recomend buying a usb hub that comes with a power adapter.

as for hardly normal and refunds good luck.

I've had it plugged into the other USB port (directly into the motherboard) for over an hour now and the drive hasn't had that problem yet (normally would happen after 10 minutes so it's all looking good at the minute).

Someone on another site suggested I also go through device manager and uncheck the options under each USB Port which allows the pc to powerdown the USB port if it's not being used.

Yeah, you'd reckon HN would be crapola with the returns but I bought a camera from there around 2 years ago and decided after 3 weeks I didn't like it so I took it back and they let me exchange it for another camera and they threw in a bunch of assessories and a free extended warranty just for fun. They also said a refund would of been ok too if I wanted.

 

[mighty mick]

I've had it plugged into the other USB port (directly into the motherboard) for over an hour now and the drive hasn't had that problem yet (normally would happen after 10 minutes so it's all looking good at the minute).

Someone on another site suggested I also go through device manager and uncheck the options under each USB Port which allows the pc to powerdown the USB port if it's not being used.

Yeah, you'd reckon HN would be crapola with the returns but I bought a camera from there around 2 years ago and decided after 3 weeks I didn't like it so I took it back and they let me exchange it for another camera and they threw in a bunch of assessories and a free extended warranty just for fun. They also said a refund would of been ok too if I wanted.

.
good to hear its working might try the usb trick on my ports

 

[Waverley73]

.
good to hear its working might try the usb trick on my ports

It's the USB Root Hub's (under USB Conrollers) in device manager you need to select and then under the properties just uncheck the option which allows the PC to power them down.

A day later it's all still good.