3
3
I have a weird problem with an external 1tb USB3.0 hard drive on Windows (both 7 and 8.1, same issue).
The drive used to work perfectly, but I recently had to format it. Since then the drive, tho it works, has a weird issue: when I connect it to a computer (tried with 3 different ones, running win7 and win8.1) it doesn't "mount" automatically (ie: it doesn't get a drive letter). I have to manually assign a drive letter from Disk Managment.
Also, after I assign the drive letter, it becomes "permanent", ie: if I disconnect the drive it's letter and icon are still present in explorer and won't disappear until I reboot the computer.
What I'd like is for it to act like a traditional USB drive: appear automatically when connected and disappear when unplugged. Can anyone help?
Further info: there's only one NTFS partition that spans the entire disk. It is marked "Primary" and "Active", if that helps.
Master_T
Posted 2014-02-06T18:44:39.277
Reputation: 271
Sounds like its time to retire the drive. Does the S.M.A.R.T data indicate its healthy> – Ramhound – 2014-02-06T18:50:27.113
When you go to unplug it, are you choosing that option to remove the drive first? like win7 calls it eject the drive, and xp might've called it safely remove drive. Do you still get the drive letter persisting even after doing that option? – barlop – 2014-02-06T19:04:01.740
and also if you go to device manager and properties for the drive, policies tab.. try experimenting with quick removal being selected or not. haven't tried it for that but it may be relevant. – barlop – 2014-02-06T19:07:28.330
@Ramhound: the drive is brand new. – Master_T – 2014-02-07T10:20:16.380
@barlop: yes, I unplug it "safely". Will try to play with the policies, thanks. – Master_T – 2014-02-07T10:20:52.613
so you tried physically different computers? have you tried different usb cables? The HDD manufacturer will have software you can download and run to do something along the lines of a quick test and a long test..and quick wipe and a long wipe, I suggest you run any quick ones and try it, then consider trying a long one. – barlop – 2014-02-07T15:51:01.170
The point is: the HD is not damaged or old, and the cable is ok. This is something to do with the partition scheme, or something else that Windows doesn't like. I formatted it and from then on it doesn't automount, all the rest is ok. Also, it automounts ok in Ubuntu. – Master_T – 2014-02-07T18:05:56.273
1@Master_T still worth trying any quick tests or quick erase from the hdd manufacturer. Also have you tried removing the partitions. partitioning it and formatting it with different programs.. Maybe the software from the HDD manufacturer has an ERASE and FORMAT button that will put it in its original state such that hey presto it will mount in windows. surely worth a try. – barlop – 2014-02-08T06:19:18.857
@barlop: I will try formatting again as soon as I can backup what is currently on the disk. – Master_T – 2014-02-08T09:19:58.477