Question [SOLVED] ASRock board doesn't detect 4TB HDD ?

[monere]

Hi everyone,

I've just put my new build together few days ago and I've installed Linux Mint 21.2 (Victoria) on it, but I'm having a lot of issues with either the build, the motherboard specifically (which is why I'm opening up this thread in the MoBos forum), or with Linux Mint.

But one of the issues that I'll address here is specific to the motherboard I think (or its BIOS at least) rather than Linux. And the issue is that my WD 4TB HDD does not get detected.

I have tried all of the troubleshooting methods I could think of: change SATA cable, change SATA port, replace the HDD with a different one, connect the undetectable HDD to a different computer to see if it's the HDD's fault, I even tried different slots on the PSU as I thought that it was the PSU / cable's fault... I've tried everything I could think of, I even went into BIOS and enabled / disabled CSM and selected to boot the system in Legacy or UEFI mode (I've tried both), I also made sure that AHCI is selected (which it is), the SATA ports also work just fine (I've tested them with a different HDD, a Seagate hybrid 1TB SSHD that has been detected by both the BIOS and Linux instantly, which - by the way - is MBR, so the MBR / GPT partitioning can't be the issue)

So anyway, I have done all of these continuously for hours on end, and yet, the damn HDD simply won't be seen, neither by the BIOS or Linux.

The thing is that the bootable Linux stick does detect this HDD just fine, but once I install Linux the HDD will never be seen, so if the USB stick detects it but the PC doesn't I'll have to assume that it's PC (hardware more specifically) specific issue, but I can't figure out for the life of me what the issue is.

Can someone, please, share a tip or two of what could be wrong?

My motherboard is AsRock B550M Steel Legend and its BIOS version is P2.50... One thing that I should probably mention is that - even though I (thought) that I've purchased this motherboard as new, I have received it with the box opened and the static bag in which the board comes has also been unsealed. At the time I received this board I wasn't smart enough to take screenshots of the opened package to have as evidence, and now I can't do much about it since I can't prove that I got an opened box. The board looked OK when I checked it on delivery, but what do I know about assessing good hardware? I'm but a mere newb...

So anyway, I am aware that the MoBo could have been delivered faulty, but then why does it detect the 1TB SSHD from Seagate without any issues, but it can't detect the 4TB one from WD?? That's the thing that puzzles me the most, even the BIOS simply refuses to acknowledge that a device is connected to one of the 6 SATA ports, all 6 of them have the status "not connected" (or whatever the label is, I don't remember). This makes me think it's either the HDD's size that's the problem, or maybe AsRock motherboards don't like WD devices (even though the SSD I'm booting from is also a WD device)...

Anyway, I am totally dumbfounded, I couldn't tell where the problem is if you poured wax on me. Can someone please help me figure out where the problem is? Please! I am already at my wits end...

Oh, one more thing (should this even matter): the 4TB HDD that doesn't get detected is just storage, it has no OS installed on it (and I'm not dual-botting either), while the 1TB Seagate hybrid SSHD is unformatted. Again, I'm not sure how much these details matter, but they're details that I did think about, so I thought of mentioning them...

Also, the HDD in question is HUS726T4TALA600...

 

[SkyNetRising]

Probably a problem with 3.3v signal shutting down drive.
Use sata power extension cable. Make sure it has 4 wires (not 5).
Like here:

If extension cable has 5 wires, then cut orange wire.

 

[monere]

Probably a problem with 3.3v signal shutting down drive.
Use sata power extension cable. Make sure it has 4 wires (not 5).

won't this fry my components? I swear that I've read somewhere (multiple times actually) that I shouldn't use cables not native to the PSU because it might shortcircuit the motherboard or its components.

I appreciate the answer, but I am honestly reluctant to doing it after I have invested my last 3 years' savings in this PC

 

[SkyNetRising]

won't this fry my components? I swear that I've read somewhere (multiple times actually) that I shouldn't use cables not native to the PSU because it might shortcircuit the motherboard or its components.

These are extension cables. They're universal.

You're talking about modular PSU cables.
Modular PSU cables can not be swapped between different PSU models. Doing that indeed could kill your hardware.

 

[monere]

These are extension cables. They're universal.

You're talking about modular PSU cables.
Modular PSU cables can not be swapped between different PSU models. Doing that indeed could kill your hardware.

oh, I see...

Well, double thanks for the information then. I'm going to buy the cable tomorrow when I go to the doctor

One more question please: how should I "cut" the orange cable exactly?? Like, cut it in the middle with a cutter and leave it hanging (although I have a feeling this would be a stupid idea), or forcefully rip it out of the socket? Or maybe you mean that I should cut it at both ends, right where the cable meets the casing's edge (probably that's what you meant)

 

[SkyNetRising]

Better just get extension cable with 4 wires.

If you have to cut the 5th wire, then isolate ends with electrical tape.
So nothing accidentally can touch exposed wire.

 

[monere]

Better just get extension cable with 4 wires.

If you have to cut the 5th wire, then isolate ends with electrical tape.

Got it! Thanks again for the tips!

I'll do this tomorrow and update this thread with whatever the result will be

 

[monere]

f extension cable has 5 wires, then cut orange wire.

Hi again,

I just came home (with the cable you recommended), but unfortunately the shop where I got this cable from didn't have a 4-wire cable, so I had to buy one with 5 wires:

As you can see from the images, there is no orange wire, but there is a brown one (the leftmost wire). Should I still cut the brown wire, or do I cut a different one?

 

[SkyNetRising]

there is no orange wire, but there is a brown one (the leftmost wire). Should I still cut the brown wire, or do I cut a different one?

Brown = orange.

 

[monere]

Brown = orange.

Just a quick update that the issue has been resolved. As soon as I connected the HDD via this cable both the BIOS and the OS saw the HDD and it works perfectly.

Thanks for the tip, I would have never guessed it that a cable is the issue, but then again I'm not tech-savvy, which is why I ask for help on this forum

Cheers!