Removable hd problem

[Sinbad]

So I have this adata ch11 external hd.
When I plug it in my laptop it works fine... On my desktop (both running windows 7 pro 64 bit) the blue light flashes a lot but I don't immediately see the drive in explorer. A few minutes later I'll see it but with no volume label or size details or anything, and clicking on it hangs explorer.
Unplugging the drive unhangs explorer straight away.

Plugged into a couple of different ports on a powered hub on the desktop, same results. Removed driver, reinstalled, same result.

Any ideas?

Desktop runs MSE, laptop running mcafee.

 

[sajunky]

Firmware lockup I guess. Warranty?
If expired, open enclosure and try connecting directly to SATA controller, but not using Windows, it would attempt to write. If your drive is recognised in BIOS (with proper LBA and name), boot disk utility and see you can still access sectors on the drive.

 

[PotShot-RSA]

Does this happen on the rear ports of the PC as well? Sometimes the wires to the front ports cause too much of a voltage drop.
If it does does the same on the back ports, does the motherboard have the Intel P35 chipset? Some brands that used this chipset did not provide enough power to drive all USB HDDs.
If the USB HDD has a power input jack, try using the power supply from the HUB to power the HDD directly (used to work for me).
You can also try using a add-in PCI(e) card that provides USB ports.

 

[skimread]

Is this a 2.5 inch harddrive that is connected to USB only?
If so desktop is probably not giving it enough juice through USB . Use an external drive with its own power adapter.

 

[Sinbad]

Firmware lockup I guess. Warranty?
If expired, open enclosure and try connecting directly to SATA controller, but not using Windows, it would attempt to write. If your drive is recognised in BIOS (with proper LBA and name), boot disk utility and see you can still access sectors on the drive.

As I said it works fine on my laptop.

 

[Sinbad]

Does this happen on the rear ports of the PC as well? Sometimes the wires to the front ports cause too much of a voltage drop.
If it does does the same on the back ports, does the motherboard have the Intel P35 chipset? Some brands that used this chipset did not provide enough power to drive all USB HDDs.
If the USB HDD has a power input jack, try using the power supply from the HUB to power the HDD directly (used to work for me).
You can also try using a add-in PCI(e) card that provides USB ports.

Have not tried rear ports, they're not easy to get to hence the powered hub. This drive has worked in this hub in the past. Mobo is a P55 if I remember right.

 

[Aquadyne]

I have had this same issue a while back..

Try the following utility

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html

What you will aim to do is identify the device and remove any previous detection..

What I did, due to lack of patience and wanting to clean up my system - is remove ALL detected devices, but that is risky if you don't have all your drivers or at least not connected to the Internet.

 

[chrisc]

You could plug in a good quality USB extension cable or a hub with a cable from a rear port and bring this to the front. I did this when some 2.5" drives would not work on front USB ports. It sounds like your laptop's port is better designed than the one on the PC

 

[Sinbad]

You could plug in a good quality USB extension cable or a hub with a cable from a rear port and bring this to the front. I did this when some 2.5" drives would not work on front USB ports. It sounds like your laptop's port is better designed than the one on the PC

The hub is plugged into a rear port

 

[chrisc]

Oh, what a bummer. I read in post #6 that the rear port was not accessible. It is possible that the adaptor board in the case is faulty. I have had one or two like this, work perfectly here and then take it to the customer and it won't work, it just flashes like you described. If this is the case, all you can do is take it back, if it still under warranty.

Maybe before you rush to the shop, check it directly into a rear port!

 

[Sinbad]

Oh, what a bummer. I read in post #6 that the rear port was not accessible. It is possible that the adaptor board in the case is faulty. I have had one or two like this, work perfectly here and then take it to the customer and it won't work, it just flashes like you described. If this is the case, all you can do is take it back, if it still under warranty.

Accessible as in easy to get to to plug and unplug stuff, which is why I put in a hub pc is under a desk.

Drive has a 2 year warranty and is a month old, so may try that...
Tried it in a second laptop though, 100%

 

[Aquadyne]

Did you try my advice?

 

[chrisc]

Did you try my advice?

I used that utility when someone brought in a HDD which would just stop by itself on his PC but was 100% on mine. On his PC it would be there one minute and disappear the next. I eventually changed the PSU for an identical model and the problem went away. Not before many hours fiddling though.

 

[Aquadyne]

Sometimes the drive setup gets roostered up in the registry and needs to be removed and successful detection needs to be made.

You could also go to the Device Manager and remove all settings under USB Devices and then re-detect them, but this is problematic if you have a Usb connected mouse & keyboard. Also if you do the same thing whilst booting into Safe Mode, you will see many more devices..

 

[Sinbad]

Did you try my advice?

I will later, thanks.
Not home right now.

I already tried uninstalling drivers and removing all references to the device from the registry though...

 

[sajunky]

As I said it works fine on my laptop.

Sorry, it was late night, I missed this.
1. It works on laptop.
2. It doesn't work on self-powered hub on PC, but it did before.
It is possible that hard drive draws more power than it was before. I don't say it is normal. Does it make any unusual noise?
Before judging that something is wrong with the drive, I would take it back to the laptop and check whether is still is working here. Also check for any disconnections if moving cable around. It should be done when reading copying file from the drive. Put something heavy on the drive to prevent drive movements. Alternatively check with other connection cable.
Also test with laptop whether drive works when connected through the same hub.