Hard Disk seems to Power Down

[GetCarter]

I have a 1TB Western Digital Sata HDD that I use as a storage drive. I have a 500GB system drive, also by WD. They are from the same family of drives, but only the 1TB drive exhibits this problem.

What the 1TB does is it drops off my drive list in Windows 7. I can't actually tell if its powering down or not; I can't distinguish between all the vibrations in the computer. The drive is also really loud when seeking, but Western Digital told me this was 'normal.'

I tried running WD's Diagnostic Software. Twice, with the full scan. And the report came back with no problems. I also called Western Digital, and the rep said if the Diagnostics came back fine, then the drive isn't the drive isn't the problem.

I'm prepared to purchase another drive and get my backing up over with, but before I do that, what else could it be? Everything else seems to run fine. I guess it might be the motherboard or the PSU, but i'm inclined to say it's the drive itself based on some other Newegg customer reviews which describe similar symptoms.

[Steve R Jones]

Does it come back on the list after a reboot?
Have you disabled all Power Saver options?

[wh666-666]

Still shouldnt dissapear off the drive list ....


Check :
- jumper settings
- data cable (sata/ide)
- power lead
- HDD
- Motherboard


You could check the jumper settings, swap out the data cables and try a different power connector.

Then the problem lies with the motherboard or HDD so you could try the HDD in another pc, if the same happens, then its the motherboard.


Sometimes it can be an os config file. You could format and re-install windows to check this out as a final option.

[GetCarter]

I don't believe there are any relevant jumper settings. The drive doesn't even have settings for Slave/Master, but I guess that's because it's SATA?

I will try my old SATA cables from my previous computer tonight.

How would I go about checking the power lead? Is there a special procedure for that?

Also, I did visual inspections of my HDD and my MB. I guess I should do a BIOS update on the MB to see if that does anything.

[wh666-666]

Just swap over one of the power molex connectors/sata power connector for the HDD. Sometimes the odd connector will fail and have a slightly loose connection.


You can try a bios update but I dont think it will do much. Doing a jumper reset on the bios may help and is quick and easy..

[GetCarter]

Alright, I switched one of the controllers, and am waiting for the problem to recreate itself.

It occurs seemingly randomly, but when it does occur it always seems to be when i'm seeking MP3 files on the storage drive.

I noted that the SATA cable swoop through the cable management area where I also stashed the rest of the power cables. (I have a TX650 which is not modular). And I was wondering if maybe, I don't know, all the cable bunched together with electricity coursing through them is creating some kind of magnetic field interference? Or is that the sci-fi in me creeping out?

[GetCarter]

Okay i'm back.

After I tried checking all the stuff recommended in this thread, for some reason the drive just kept working and never did its funky power down.

But, it just happened again.

I'll outline what occurred in bullets:

-Was playing an MP3 stored on the storage drive.
-MP3 would start playing choppy, and eventually stop playing.
-Restarted computer.
-Computer would not boot, gave drive error (bootable media not detected I believe).
-Restarted computer, went into BIOS and disabled storage drive.
-Computer would not boot again, gave bootable media error, but worded differently (please insert correct media and try again)
-Went into BIOS, re-enabled storage drive.
-Computer would not boot, gave the first drive error.
-Turned off computer.
-Unplugged and immediately replugged SATA and power cables to both drives.
-Turned on computer, and it booted.

Now, what the hell? Apparently unplugging and replugging the physical cables fixed the problem? What the heck? Are these plugs like NES cartridges now? And I have to blow into them?

[Steve R Jones]

What is the BIOS Boot sequence set to boot from first?

[GetCarter]

What is the BIOS Boot sequence set to boot from first?

The boot sequence starts with my optical drive, then my 500gb system drive, followed by the 1tb storage.

It just did it again. My OS is still fine, but the damn drive just dropped off detection. It is SATA so I figured i'd try unplugging and replugging it. No go.

I wonder now if it's the PSU.

[wh666-666]

Sounds more like a dying drive im afraid.

[kent1146]

If the problem affects both drives, as you described in your odd boot sequence, then I suspect that the issue is a failing SATA controller on your motherboard. If it was a problem with a faulty PSU, then you would most likely be able to hear the drives spinning up/down around the time of failures. If you are in a position where you cannot clearly hear these sounds, then I recommend that you position your computer in a way that you can hear this (e.g. move the computer to desk-level, with the case off).

[GetCarter]

Well **** on me. It could really be either of those two things. Dying drive or SATA controller. Happened again today, after about 20 days I guess.

Chkdsk kicked in after I restarted, and I noticed I actually lost some files. They were MP3s; gone, after I restarted. Chkdsk had to remove them because they were corrupt apparently.

Does this narrow the problem down at all?

[Soul Assassin]

A bad drive and bad controller will exhibit similar problems in terms of file corruption and loss. If the drive is passing SMART (or WD diagnostics) it's probably fine. I don't suppose you can have another PC to plug the drive into. You could invest in a USB enclosure and put the drive in that and see if you continue to have problems. That would take the SATA controller out of the loop.

[GetCarter]

A bad drive and bad controller will exhibit similar problems in terms of file corruption and loss. If the drive is passing SMART (or WD diagnostics) it's probably fine. I don't suppose you can have another PC to plug the drive into. You could invest in a USB enclosure and put the drive in that and see if you continue to have problems. That would take the SATA controller out of the loop.

Both drives are passing SMART and WD Diagnostics' thorough tests. I forget what they are called, but the tests that take longer. The same 'fix' I was using a month ago worked. (Start up the computer with each drive unplugged, and then plug them all back in).

I have a laptop, could test the drives out that way. How much do enclosures run for anyway?

Also, kent mentioned my boot sequence was odd. Is it really odd? I mean, master/slave isn't used with SATA, but in the BIOS there is a sequence listed.

So mine is set as:

1) DVD/Optical
2) Main System Drive
3) Storage Drive

My optical is first so I could install my OS, and I just never changed it around after.

The funny thing is this. With IDE drives, you have to set the Master/Slave right? Well, if you try to boot the master without the slave connected, the master would start up fine. But if you try to start up the slave without the master, it wouldn't work.

Well somehow, my SATA drives have this kind of dynamic going on--I can't start the computer without both of them plugged in. I try to start my system drive without my storage? Says to insert proper boot media. Same message if I have the storage drive plugged in without the system drive. Removing the appropriate drive in the 'boot sequence' does not change the result either.

edit:
I'll run the DLG again on the storage drive in about 45 minutes. I have to go to a shift, so i'll just leave the damned thing on.

[Soul Assassin]

Both drives are passing SMART and WD Diagnostics' thorough tests. I forget what they are called, but the tests that take longer. The same 'fix' I was using a month ago worked. (Start up the computer with each drive unplugged, and then plug them all back in).

I have a laptop, could test the drives out that way. How much do enclosures run for anyway?

About $20. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817388017

Also, kent mentioned my boot sequence was odd. Is it really odd? I mean, master/slave isn't used with SATA, but in the BIOS there is a sequence listed.

That's how my boot sequence is, what's so odd about it?

The funny thing is this. With IDE drives, you have to set the Master/Slave right? Well, if you try to boot the master without the slave connected, the master would start up fine. But if you try to start up the slave without the master, it wouldn't work.

Well somehow, my SATA drives have this kind of dynamic going on--I can't start the computer without both of them plugged in. I try to start my system drive without my storage? Says to insert proper boot media. Same message if I have the storage drive plugged in without the system drive. Removing the appropriate drive in the 'boot sequence' does not change the result either.

That sounds like a pretty serious problem and points to a mobo/controller issue more than a hdd issue.

It might be worth the $20 to verify the drive itself isn't the issue in an enclosure. Worse comes to worse at least you have an enclosure to setup an external hd in the future.