External hard disk does not restart after reboot

Roger VL · Mar 6, 2012

This is about Vista Premium, updated, 32bits.
I have a new Samsung G3 Station external hard disk. (USB connection and external power). When I connect it to the PC, it starts up ok. When the PC goes to sleep, so does the disk. But when the PC awakens, the disk does not. Every time, I have to unplug the USB connection and plug it in again, to get it running. Which is very annoying, since it is meant for periodic backupps with Syncback, and that program can awaken the PC but not the disk. Other disks (Medion, Maxtor) have no such problem.
The problem must lie with Vista: on other PC's (XP, Win7) the disk awakens together with the PC.
What to do?

richc46 · Mar 6, 2012

Welcome
Try running a chkdsk and see if that helps.
as in Part 8, ck both boxes.
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67612-check-disk-chkdsk.html

Roger VL · Mar 7, 2012

Many thanks, Richard.
Chkdsk found no errors on the external drive.
On the C drive, it will not start, I mean even after a reboot.
I will go into this later since i'm short on time today.
Thanks again.

richc46 · Mar 7, 2012

Sorry, but many, many times if it will not start it means HD problems. Try this test
Guide to using Memtest86+ - Geeks to Go Forums

wither 3 · Mar 7, 2012

If you go to Device Manager\Universal Serial......\USB Root Hub\Power Management, is either of the boxes checkmarked? Is it the same as in XP or Win 7?

What bothers me is that the drive has it's own power supply so, how is Vista putting the disc to sleep? In my mind, Vista only handles the USB ports.

ilikefree · Mar 7, 2012

When it shows up next go to device manager right click the drive go to proprties then policies and see if it is set correctly

Roger VL · Mar 8, 2012

Thanks, all.
Richard:
I hope there's no misunderstanding. Chkdsk won't start when I try to use it on C. Do you think that has to do with the external HDD problem? I will look into that later.
Wither3:
In Vista (where the problem is), in Device Manager\.......\USB Root Hub\power management, the box 'allow this computer to turn off this device to save power' is checked. So it is in XP; in Win7 it is unchecked. Since it works fine in both XP and Win7, I don't think the difference is an issue.
As to what bothers you: the drive has its own power supply, yes, but it only starts up if also connected to an USB port (or restarts when the USB plug is pulled out and put back in.) And it shuts down when the PC shuts down. So it seems to me that Vista can control it by way of the USB port (as do XP and Win7).
Ilikefree:
On the drive, device manager\....\policies, the box 'quick removal (default) is checked. But, can that explain the difference between Vista, and the other OS? I would think it has to do with Vista, not with the drive.

richc46 · Mar 8, 2012

Roger VL said:
Thanks, all.
Richard:
I hope there's no misunderstanding. Chkdsk won't start when I try to use it on C. Do you think that has to do with the external HDD problem? I will look into that later.

No I think it has to do with the C drive.
I suggest you check it out before you have multiple problems.

wither 3 · Mar 8, 2012

On my Vista system, the box in Power Management is not checked. It's also unchecked on my win 7 system.

You would think it makes sense to check the first item, especially in this case. Maybe you should uncheck it to see what happens.

Have you tried using one of the other USB ports? I would assume that Vista is turning off the entire USB bus. The fact that you need to unplug/replug to get Vista to recognize your device and make a connection tends to indicate a problem with the one port.

Roger VL · Mar 9, 2012

Richard: Thanks, will try to get chkdsk started.
Wither3:
In Device Manager, for the Root Hubs of the USB ports, I did uncheck the box in Power Managerment.
And yes, I had tried out the different ports.
No difference.

I went to the vendor with the disk (again) and he tried out different settings on a Vista machine (he does not have any Vistas anymore in his workshop, but happened to have one in for repairs).
On that machine: first, the result was the same as with me.
Then, he changed the general energy settings from 'balanced' to 'high performance', and presto: the external disk did behave normally.
So, I thought the problem was solved; at home, I too did change the energy settings to 'high performance'.
But, no change here: the disk still won't wake up after sleep or restart of the PC. I don't understand it.

richc46 · Mar 9, 2012

Things always happen to cause the most problems; ever think your DVD is bad?

wither 3 · Mar 9, 2012

Was the vendor using 32 bit or 64 bit Vista?

If you go into Power Options and click on, Change Plan Settings, Change Advanced Power Settings and select any of the power options, what is the USB set for?

Roger VL · Mar 13, 2012

Hello Richard,
I ran chkdsk on C (with both boxes checked), (it would only run in safe mode), no faults were found.
So I suppose the HDD is ok, of course there could be something wrong with other hardware.
I don't get what you mean with the DVD. I don't use DVD's on my PC.
Wither3,
I don't know if the vendor had 32 or 64 bits, didn't ask, I thought the problem was solved.
The 'energy settings' were set to 'High performance; in the USB ports, the box 'allow this computer to turn off this device etc.' was unchecked. I now checked it, ang tried other energy settings and USB settings. No change.
Iikefree,
Sorry, I think I forgot to react to your post. On the external HD, (policies), I had tried out the two options, no change (I don't quite know what you mean by 'correctly'.)

wither 3 · Mar 13, 2012

Since the behavior doesn't change with adjustments in Windows, it could either be in the BIOS or one of the mobo drivers. You could try updating and/or reinstalling them.

I didn't go look at my BIOS. Isn't there some settings for power management in it?

Roger VL · Mar 15, 2012

Wither3,
I had already updated some drivers. I don't know about the BIOS, I'm not much of a computer wizard.
Richard,
I now realize you probably meant the CD/DVD writer?
I wonder if this is off-topic: I now tried listening to a CD, but the PC won't react to CD's (I tried different ones.) It did work all right a few weeks ago. An external writer (USB) works fine. Do you think the problems are related?

richc46 · Mar 15, 2012

Go to search type device manager. In manager update your CD/DVD roms.

Roger VL · Mar 15, 2012

Thanks, Richard.
I did look for driver updates for the CD/DVD Roms with Device Manager. No better drivers were found.

richc46 · Mar 15, 2012

Did you see any small yellow markers, while looking around in there?

wither 3 · Mar 15, 2012

You'll have to get the model number of your motherboard and go on the manufacturer's web to see if there is a newer BIOS (or even the old one). If your system is a name brand, you can probably find it at the vendor's website just using the model of your computer.

External hard disk does not restart after reboot

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