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Seagate 3TB USB drive not seen at boot.

Discussion in 'Legacy Windows' started by Buddyboy, 2013/10/17.

  1. 2013/10/17
    Buddyboy

    Buddyboy Inactive Thread Starter

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    I am running Windows 8 Pro. I have a 3TB Seagate USB desk drive which does not show when I boot up. I can unplug the USB then plug it back in again, at which time it shows on my "Computer" drive list. My motherboard is Gigabyte Z87X-UD5H ATX LGA1150 Z87 DDR3 3PCI-E16 3PCI-E1 HDMI CROSSFIREX/SLI SATA3 USB3 Motherboard. Is there a reason for this, a setting adjustment I can make?
     
  2. 2013/10/23
    Buddyboy

    Buddyboy Inactive Thread Starter

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    Still hoping for suggestions. I have a yellow exclamation mark against the device in device manager. The troubleshooter cannot fix it. There is no better driver available.
     

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  4. 2013/10/23
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Check for updated USB or chipset drivers from the motherboard manufacturer.
     
  5. 2013/10/26
    Buddyboy

    Buddyboy Inactive Thread Starter

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    Thanks, TonyT. Using Device Manager I checked for new drivers and found none listed. However, I went to the motherboard manufacturer's web site and there were a slew recently added. I have updated them all. Unfortunately the issue remains. The drive is invisible at the time of booting, only being picked up and listed if I unplug it and plug it back in again. I have tried different USB ports. The drive is pristine, as is the USB cable. If it was the drive, the USB port, the power supply or the cable, I don't think it would be recognized and function perfectly every time after a reconnect.
     
  6. 2013/10/26
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    When it is working, is it actually working as a 3.0 device? I mean, can you move or copy files at 3.0 speeds? Most motherboards with usb 3.0 ports have just a couple 3.0 ports colored blue and the rest of the usb ports are usb 2.0. Be sure it's connected to a real 3.0 port.
     
  7. 2013/10/27
    Buddyboy

    Buddyboy Inactive Thread Starter

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    Yes, it is connected to a USB 3 port. I can see this issue might slow things down but my problem is the drive does not show at boot up. I have another 1TB Touro portable drive also connected through another USB port and that shows no problem.
     
  8. 2013/10/28
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Is there data on the drive? There's a setting in Folder Options to hide empty drives.
     
  9. 2013/10/28
    Buddyboy

    Buddyboy Inactive Thread Starter

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    I found that drive setting and yes, there is data on the drive albeit just a few megabytes, just a few files.
     
  10. 2013/10/28
    lj50 Lifetime Subscription

    lj50 SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    How is it listed in Disk Management. Mine shows G:\ WD Unlocker drive it does not show in the Device Manager but shows in disk management as unallocated space. When I unlock the G:\ drive with a password then mine show in both disk Management as H:\ and in the Device Manager as WD Drive Management Services.
     
    Last edited: 2013/10/28
    lj50,
    #9
  11. 2013/10/28
    Buddyboy

    Buddyboy Inactive Thread Starter

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    I have never set a password for the drive and have never been asked for one. As for how it shows, a picture speaks volumes.
    Here is what it looks like in Disk Manager after boot:
    [​IMG]
    Here is what it looks like in Disk Manager after disconnecting and reconnecting:
    [​IMG]
    Here is what it looks like in Device Manager after boot:
    [​IMG]
    Here is what it looks like in Device Manager after disconnecting and reconnecting the drive:
    [​IMG]
     
  12. 2013/10/28
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Good pics to show us.
    Did the drive come with any seagate utilities on it? Reason I ask is that I always always always blow away the partition(s) that come on external drives and then create new ones.
     
  13. 2013/10/29
    Buddyboy

    Buddyboy Inactive Thread Starter

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    Thanks for your perseverance, Tony. Yes, it came with a full suite of software, including Memeo utilities and Seagate Dashboard. None of it seems to cure the issues.
     
  14. 2013/10/30
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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  15. 2013/10/31
    Buddyboy

    Buddyboy Inactive Thread Starter

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    Thanks Tony. I had a good read through all of where the link took me. When I go to Device Manager and check the USB port where the drive is connected, it shows an exclamation mark and an error code 10 under properties.

    [​IMG]

    What the articles you referred me to suggest is that a Code 10 points to a driver error. As suggested, I updated the driver through the Device Manager facility and also checking at the manufacturer's web site. There is no other driver available. I uninstalled the driver and reconnected the device. After boot it is still not seen. The driver details shown when I click on properties:

    [​IMG]

    As always, it appears if I disconnect it from the USB then reconnect it. My system is fully up to date through Windows Update.
     
    Last edited: 2013/10/31
  16. 2013/10/31
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    from the Seagate page above:
    Your motherboard site has links to MS patches for USB and Windows 8:
    http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4483&dl=1#driver

    You should also use advanced power mgmt to NOT allow Windows to sleep the device or usb port.
     
  17. 2013/11/01
    Buddyboy

    Buddyboy Inactive Thread Starter

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    Thanks, Tony. Much earlier on I visited the Gigabyte page for Windows 8 64 bit and updated all available drivers from there. That did not solve the problem.

    For the device power management, I have it set to never sleep. As for the USB power management, I haven't figured out how to access that but I would not have thought that would affect seeing the drive at startup.

    As an aside, we had a power cut today. Last thing yesterday I downloaded and installed the latest software from Seagate for their Dashboard programme, specially published for Windows 8 64 bit. It made no difference at the time, but today when I did a fully cold boot after the power cut the Seagate drive lit up and was recognized. I rebooted again just to be sure and alas it was not recognized. I thought perhaps the key was booting from a totally off state rather than via a restart. I tested that and, no, it does not see the drive. I have no idea why it saw it just the one time. Everything now says the drive is working properly with no errors showing in Device Manager or Disk Management, except it still does not appear at boot.

    Edit: I did find the power management option for each USB device. Each was set to allow Windows to shut it off to save power. I disabled that setting on all USBs, rebooted, still no Seagate drive showing. :confused:
     
    Last edited: 2013/11/01
  18. 2013/11/01
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Do you have much data on it? I ask because you can copy it elsewhere and use disk mgmt to delete the partition(s). Then create a new partition(s). Then use the icon in system tray to "safely remove the drive ". Then reboot and connect the drive after windows is finished booting. The disk should get recognized immediately. Next, keep it connected and restart the comp.

    If after a restart the drive is not recognized then I believe that Windows is not "safely disconnecting it" when Windows shuts down.
     
  19. 2013/11/02
    Buddyboy

    Buddyboy Inactive Thread Starter

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    Tony: I followed your instructions to the letter. I restarted after completion of the process (safely removing and unplugging the drive), restarted, added it, saw it, then restarted. No change, it still was not seen at boot.

    Re the Windows not safely disconnecting it, I earlier found two settings, one that required a safe disconnect and the other not requiring it. I have it set to not being required. Nonetheless I still used the safe disconnect re this latest attempt.
     
  20. 2013/11/03
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    I would return the drive and get a different one.
     
  21. 2013/11/03
    Buddyboy

    Buddyboy Inactive Thread Starter

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    Thanks Tony. You have been generous with your attention beyond belief. Unfortunately I have had the drive for about 20 months so the warranty is long gone. I will just have to make the most of its current capabilities. Know you have one appreciative user out here grateful to be able to access WindowsBBS.com :)
     

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