Question Hard Drive Occasionally Not Recognized?

Mavflight09

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Jan 11, 2016
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Computer Type: Custom Build
GPU: MSI GTX 1070 Hybrid
CPU: Ryzen 5 3600
Motherboard: Asrock x570 Taichi
RAM: 4 x 8gb Kingston Hyper X Fury 2133mhz 14-14-14-34 1.2v
PSU: EVGA 850w P2
Case: NZXT H440
Operating System & Version: Windows 10 Enterprise 1809
GPU Drivers: 441.87
Chipset Drivers: 2.07.14.327
Background Applications: n/a; Occurs on first boot.

Description of Original Problem:
My 8tb WD White Label hard drive is occasionally not recognized upon booting the PC.
As in, sometimes I start the computer, and the drive shows up in windows explorer, and sometimes I start the computer and it's not there.

Troubleshooting:
I've tried changing sata power cable, sata data cable, and tested all 8 sata ports on my motherboard. The issue still exists.

I have 6 total sata devices plugged in, but the issue happens even when only the 8tb drive is plugged in, and the hard drive isn't the issue; This hard drive was used in my previous Intel build for over a year and never had an issue.

It's happened on multiple BIOS versions: P1.10, P2.10, P2.70, P2.80, P3.00

I've tried loading optimized defaults, to see if maybe it was an unstable ram overclock, but the issue still happens even with all stock settings applied.

Tried disabling esata support, still happens.

Tried reseating many things: CPU, RAM, sata power and sata data cables on both ends, GPU.

Anyone got any ideas?
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Look in Reliability History.

There may be some error codes, warnings, or event informational events related to the 8TB drives' not being recognized.

Event Viewer may likewise be capturing some error or warning.

Ensure that the data is backed up and then run WD's diagnostic software on the drive.

Just as a matter of elimination to ensure that the drive is, indeed, free of problems.
 

Mavflight09

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Jan 11, 2016
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10,510
Look in Reliability History.

There may be some error codes, warnings, or event informational events related to the 8TB drives' not being recognized.

Event Viewer may likewise be capturing some error or warning.

Ensure that the data is backed up and then run WD's diagnostic software on the drive.

Just as a matter of elimination to ensure that the drive is, indeed, free of problems.

Windows Image Acquisition service is the only Critical event in reliability history.

I ran WD diagnostics yesterday and SMART, Quick, and Extended test completed with no issues.

Edit:
After poking around in event viewer a little more I found:
Warning: Disk 0 has been surprise removed.
Warning: The IO operation at logical block address 0x0 for Disk 0 (PDO name: \Device\0000009d) was retried.

And Disk 0 is the drive that is disappearing, so I guess it's becoming "unplugged" which isn't possible?
 
Last edited:

Mavflight09

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Jan 11, 2016
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Have you tried a different molex connector from the power supply to the drive yet?
That EVGA power supply is not a bad power supply.....is it very old?
I have tried a different sata power connector, but on the same cable... Maybe the cable's bad?

But I have 3 other drives daisy chained off the same cable (1, 6 pin modular cable goes to 4x sata power connectors.) and none of those other drives have had any issues.

Also the power supply is only 3 years old and 80+ platinum rated so I don't think that's the issue. But I could try another sata power cable.
 

Joseph57

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Mar 27, 2014
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I would try to run just one sata connector directly from the power supply with nothing daisy chained on it just to see if there's an issue from using those daisy chained connectors
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Yes: try the above.

Methodical test cables and connections.

============

And I will add the thought that, until proven otherwise, the 3 year old PSU should not be excluded as a suspect.

Especially if the computer has been heavily used for gaming, graphics, bit-mining, etc..

850 watts is likely more than sufficient for most systems. However PSUs, like many products, have a designed in EOL (End of Life). For any given product some last longer: others - not so long.

And it only takes one faltering internal component to start causing problems.
 

Mavflight09

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Jan 11, 2016
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I would try to run just one sata connector directly from the power supply with nothing daisy chained on it just to see if there's an issue from using those daisy chained connectors
Yes: try the above.

Methodical test cables and connections.

============

And I will add the thought that, until proven otherwise, the 3 year old PSU should not be excluded as a suspect.

Especially if the computer has been heavily used for gaming, graphics, bit-mining, etc..

850 watts is likely more than sufficient for most systems. However PSUs, like many products, have a designed in EOL (End of Life). For any given product some last longer: others - not so long.

And it only takes one faltering internal component to start causing problems.
Thanks guys, I'll try:
  • Different Sata Power cable
  • Connected to a different power port on the PSU
  • Sata power extension with 3.3v cable cut out instead of tape mod
  • Only 1 sata power device connected at 1 time
  • Another new sata data cable just to be sure
  • All other sata devices disconnected for testing
I'm fairly certain it's my motherboard / CPU though, it's the only things that have changed since I started having issues with the drive.

I guess I could buy a PCIe HBA card to attach the drive to instead of the mobo's sata ports, but that's not a long term solution since I don't have any free PCIe slots. (I would have to temporarily remove something just for testing)
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
You can, but I would not, buy a PCIe HBA card etc..

Buying a PCIe HBA card just introduces another variable when the troubleshooting process should be as simple and controllable as possible.

What devices are currently installed in the PCIe slots?

Do the "removals" for testing.

Change only one thing at a time. Keep notes.

And - going back a step:

Do you have all important data backed up and verified recoverable and readable?

Have you run WD's drive diagnostic software on your drives?
 

Mavflight09

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Jan 11, 2016
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You can, but I would not, buy a PCIe HBA card etc..

Buying a PCIe HBA card just introduces another variable when the troubleshooting process should be as simple and controllable as possible.

What devices are currently installed in the PCIe slots?

Do the "removals" for testing.

Change only one thing at a time. Keep notes.

And - going back a step:

Do you have all important data backed up and verified recoverable and readable?

Have you run WD's drive diagnostic software on your drives?
2 GPU's and a PCIe to USB card, last PCIe slot is disabled because all 3 M.2 Slots on the mobo are populated.

I have already run WD diagnostics on my 8tb drive: SMART, Quick, and Extended test all Passed.

I find it so weird that I leave the computer on for 30+ days and the drive never has an issue, but the moment I power cycle it, it disappears.

I can almost guarantee it's a mobo / CPU issue, one of them or both is defective.

I guess I could buy another 8th gen Intel CPU and put it into the z370 mobo I have laying around to test, I'm certain the 8tb drive would work fine connected to it.
 

Joseph57

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Mar 27, 2014
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Before you spend anything you ought to put this drive into a different pc and see how it acts. This will help to determine whether it is a hardware device in your pc or the drive itself
 

Mavflight09

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Jan 11, 2016
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Before you spend anything you ought to put this drive into a different pc and see how it acts. This will help to determine whether it is a hardware device in your pc or the drive itself
Unfortunately I don't have another PC to put the drive into on hand.

But I noticed the issue immediately after switching to the R5 3600 + X570 Taichi setup, the chance of the drive going bad or being damaged in the 4~ hours it took to swap motherboard and CPU is very little.