Windows Vista Issue with external hard drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter KingOfChaos
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KingOfChaos

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I recently bought a western digital 1TB hard drive which I had to
reformat before I could use. Everything works good now, except for one
thing. Sometimes the computer doesn't want to restart while the new
drive is plugged in. If I remove it from the USB port prior to
restarting, it will restart just fine.

It shuts down and turns on without an issue. This only happens when I
restart the system with it plugged in. So while it's not a big issue,
it is an annoyance.

Any clue why it's doing this?


--
KingOfChaos
 
Re: Issue with external hard drive

"KingOfChaos" <KingOfChaos.36g167@no-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:KingOfChaos.36g167@no-mx.forums.net...
>
> I recently bought a western digital 1TB hard drive which I had to
> reformat before I could use. Everything works good now, except for one
> thing. Sometimes the computer doesn't want to restart while the new
> drive is plugged in. If I remove it from the USB port prior to
> restarting, it will restart just fine.
>
> It shuts down and turns on without an issue. This only happens when I
> restart the system with it plugged in. So while it's not a big issue,
> it is an annoyance.

It's just a hunch, but try going into the BIOS, and look for an option to
allow/disallow USB devices from starting up the computer.

I have a laser printer that makes the computer restart as soon as I turn it
off, unless I do this, so it's not quite the same problem.

ss.
 
Re: Issue with external hard drive

I had this problem until I made some changes in my bios. One of my changes
was to disable legacy support on any USB ports. I may have made some other
changes as well, but can't recall (don't want to reboot just to check).


"KingOfChaos" <KingOfChaos.36g167@no-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:KingOfChaos.36g167@no-mx.forums.net...
>
> I recently bought a western digital 1TB hard drive which I had to
> reformat before I could use. Everything works good now, except for one
> thing. Sometimes the computer doesn't want to restart while the new
> drive is plugged in. If I remove it from the USB port prior to
> restarting, it will restart just fine.
>
> It shuts down and turns on without an issue. This only happens when I
> restart the system with it plugged in. So while it's not a big issue,
> it is an annoyance.
>
> Any clue why it's doing this?
>
>
> --
> KingOfChaos
 
Re: Issue with external hard drive


Gary Mount;650697 Wrote:
> I had this problem until I made some changes in my bios. One of my
> changes
> was to disable legacy support on any USB ports. I may have made some
> other
> changes as well, but can't recall (don't want to reboot just to check).
>
>
> "KingOfChaos" <KingOfChaos.36g167@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net> wrote in
> message
> news:KingOfChaos.36g167@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net...> > >
> > >
> > > I recently bought a western digital 1TB hard drive which I had to
> > > reformat before I could use. Everything works good now, except for
> > one
> > > thing. Sometimes the computer doesn't want to restart while the new
> > > drive is plugged in. If I remove it from the USB port prior to
> > > restarting, it will restart just fine.
> > >
> > > It shuts down and turns on without an issue. This only happens when
> > I
> > > restart the system with it plugged in. So while it's not a big
> > issue,
> > > it is an annoyance.
> > >
> > > Any clue why it's doing this?
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > KingOfChaos > >

I'll look into it. I just don't understand why it works after I take
the hard drive off and then plug it back in and restart. It's like
Windows is being stupid.


--
KingOfChaos
 
Re: Issue with external hard drive


Okay, apparently my logitech G15 keyboard doesn't initialize until after
the BIOS screen has past, preventing me from entering the setup for
BIOS. Now I need to find another keyboard just to fix this problem.

Would changing the port the HDD is on matter any?


--
KingOfChaos
 
Re: Issue with external hard drive

From what you describe, no OS has even had a chance to start yet as you
can't get past the post, just before the computer tries to run an OS.
So this has nothing to do with Windows.

"KingOfChaos" <KingOfChaos.36g847@no-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:KingOfChaos.36g847@no-mx.forums.net...
>
> Gary Mount;650697 Wrote:
>> I had this problem until I made some changes in my bios. One of my
>> changes
>> was to disable legacy support on any USB ports. I may have made some
>> other
>> changes as well, but can't recall (don't want to reboot just to check).
>>
>>
>> "KingOfChaos" <KingOfChaos.36g167@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net> wrote in
>> message
>> news:KingOfChaos.36g167@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net...> > >
>> > >
>> > > I recently bought a western digital 1TB hard drive which I had to
>> > > reformat before I could use. Everything works good now, except for
>> > one
>> > > thing. Sometimes the computer doesn't want to restart while the new
>> > > drive is plugged in. If I remove it from the USB port prior to
>> > > restarting, it will restart just fine.
>> > >
>> > > It shuts down and turns on without an issue. This only happens when
>> > I
>> > > restart the system with it plugged in. So while it's not a big
>> > issue,
>> > > it is an annoyance.
>> > >
>> > > Any clue why it's doing this?
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > --
>> > > KingOfChaos > >
>
> I'll look into it. I just don't understand why it works after I take
> the hard drive off and then plug it back in and restart. It's like
> Windows is being stupid.
>
>
> --
> KingOfChaos
 
Re: Issue with external hard drive


Nope, didn't work. I guess until I can get a keyboard that initializes
faster, I will be forced to turn off the hard drive when I just want to
restart.


--
KingOfChaos
 
Re: Issue with external hard drive

I use two keyboards at the same time, one is a very old one that has a
converter connected to its very large plug so I can plug it into my ps2
port, and my other keyboard is a Microsoft Wireless Entertainment 8000
Keyboard mouse combo.
More than half the time when my computer starts up, whether from Hibernate
or restarting, it only gets as far as "checking nvram", and then does
nothing. If I have the wireless keyboard unplugged from the USB port, I
don't have any problems starting the computer.

"KingOfChaos" <KingOfChaos.36g9i0@no-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:KingOfChaos.36g9i0@no-mx.forums.net...
>
> Okay, apparently my logitech G15 keyboard doesn't initialize until after
> the BIOS screen has past, preventing me from entering the setup for
> BIOS. Now I need to find another keyboard just to fix this problem.
>
> Would changing the port the HDD is on matter any?
>
>
> --
> KingOfChaos
 
Re: Issue with external hard drive


Gary Mount;650767 Wrote:
> I use two keyboards at the same time, one is a very old one that has a
> converter connected to its very large plug so I can plug it into my ps2
> port, and my other keyboard is a Microsoft Wireless Entertainment 8000
> Keyboard mouse combo.
> More than half the time when my computer starts up, whether from
> Hibernate
> or restarting, it only gets as far as "checking nvram", and then does
> nothing. If I have the wireless keyboard unplugged from the USB port, I
> don't have any problems starting the computer.
>
> "KingOfChaos" <KingOfChaos.36g9i0@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net> wrote in
> message
> news:KingOfChaos.36g9i0@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net...> > >
> > >
> > > Okay, apparently my logitech G15 keyboard doesn't initialize until
> > after
> > > the BIOS screen has past, preventing me from entering the setup for
> > > BIOS. Now I need to find another keyboard just to fix this problem.
> > >
> > > Would changing the port the HDD is on matter any?
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > KingOfChaos > >

Definitely sounds like the USB issues being fixed in SP1. Gives me a
reason to update, I guess. LOL


--
KingOfChaos
 
Re: Issue with external hard drive

What you posted about your USB keyboard not being recognised to get into
BIOS isn't a Windows problem so SP1 won't make a difference. What it sounds
like is that legacy USB support is disabled in your BIOS. The only way to
access BIOS in that case is to use a PS2 keyboard. After changing the USB
setting both your USB keyboard and the harddrive should be able to be
initialized prior to Windows loading its drivers for them.


"KingOfChaos" <KingOfChaos.36ga73@no-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:KingOfChaos.36ga73@no-mx.forums.net...
>
> Nope, didn't work. I guess until I can get a keyboard that initializes
> faster, I will be forced to turn off the hard drive when I just want to
> restart.
>
>
> --
> KingOfChaos
 
Re: Issue with external hard drive



"KingOfChaos" <KingOfChaos.36g167@no-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:KingOfChaos.36g167@no-mx.forums.net...
>
> I recently bought a western digital 1TB hard drive which I had to
> reformat before I could use. Everything works good now, except for one
> thing. Sometimes the computer doesn't want to restart while the new
> drive is plugged in. If I remove it from the USB port prior to
> restarting, it will restart just fine.
>
> It shuts down and turns on without an issue. This only happens when I
> restart the system with it plugged in. So while it's not a big issue,
> it is an annoyance.
>
> Any clue why it's doing this?
>
>
> --
> KingOfChaos

WD MyBook, I assume.

I have a 500 gig drive that takes more than 60 seconds to mount. At first I
thought my system was hanging during reboot with the drive connected,
perhaps this is the same issue you're seeing.

Try this; remove the drive while Windows is running, let it spin down then
reconnect the drive. How long does it take before it mounts? (Before it
becomes available in the Computer window.)

If it takes 60 seconds or more, this may be your problem (same as mine) just
slow to mount making the system look like it's hung during boot.

Sadly, I've not found any solution to this other than either wait while
rebooting, or unplug the drive when I reboot, as you're doing now.

WD support was useless, claiming that they can not reproduce the issue even
though I can reproduce this on a half dozen machines, all with very
different configurations. The only common between them all was the drive,
and the computer(s) running some 'flavor' of Vista.

Oddly enough, Linux and Windows XP systems don't show this behavior.

I also have a 250 gig MyBook as well that does the exact same thing, so it's
not a defective drive.

Mic
 
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