Question SSD+1TB hdd boots fine ... but SSD+8TB hdd won't boot

[keernan]

Bought a refurbished PC ... comes with 240gb ssd + 1tb hdd. Boots fine. But when I swap the 1tb hdd with a 8tb hdd, the system won't boot. I hit F2 and it says it is loading bios settings but can't get there.

The 8tb drive is visible and totally accessible via usb-sata adapter on my laptop.

At first I thought maybe it was a mbr/gpt partitioning issue, but I'm pretty sure I partitioned the 8tb as gpt and besides that shouldn't explain the failure to boot (i.e. it might restrict access to first 2 tb but shouldn't have anything to do with getting to the bios).

I then thought maybe the power supply was inadequate (and still suspect this). The pc has a 290w supply. From what I can tell from egghead's powersupply calculator, it is the number of 3.5 inch drives, not their capacity, that impacts power needs.

Is there a way to determine if the issue is the power supply (other than buying a new ps unit which isn't an option because if it is the ps I will be returning the pc).

Any and all troubleshooting thoughts and suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[rgd1101]

sound like the boot partition is on the 1tb hdd.
since it is new(used) do a fresh os install with just the 240ssd. (unplug other hdd)

 

[keernan]

sound like the boot partition is on the 1tb hdd.
since it is new(used) do a fresh os install with just the 240ssd. (unplug other hdd)

No, computer boots fine with just the ssd alone.

 

[rgd1101]

full system spec? include make and model of the psu

 

[keernan]

full system spec? include make and model of the psu

https://www.dell.com/support/manual...1c6863-5540-4daf-b90e-6ea2ca7910ec&lang=en-us

 

[keernan]

full system spec? include make and model of the psu

I should probably also add that I've also started wondering about the firmware, but I'm thinking that's probably not it either (I'm still leaning towards power supply)... but on the firmware, the system was manufactured Nov 2015 and there appears to be a critical bios update dated 2016. I'm not inclined to install on a machine I'm going to return if I can't fix - but I think the critical update is security related and not related to gpt drive sizes over 2tb.

Also, when the 8tb drive is attached, the machine seems to boot normally ... power engages ... I think I hear the mechanical drive spin up ... no beeps ... steady power light ... dell logo appears ... but it hangs (not frozen - system still responds to F2/F12 keys and tries to enter settings- progress bar appears when trying to get to settings, progress bar gets to 100% but it hangs there - never enters bios settings).

System responds to power off button and shuts down safely.

 

[keernan]

full system spec? include make and model of the psu

Also, I have a duplicate pc (being returned for physical damage to the external card ports) and I decided to repeat everything in that system while it is still here ... exact same results... so the issue is not unique to a specific pc ... it's either:

• something to do with how I set up the 8tb drive (a physical defect is unlikely because I have two and have tested both with identical results) ... or
• something to do with the Dell 7020 setup ... or
• something about using drives larger than 2tb that I don't yet understand

 

[SkyNetRising]

the system was manufactured Nov 2015

Can you show screenshot from Disk Management?
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

BTW - what windows version?

 

[keernan]

Can you show screenshot from Disk Management?
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

BTW - what windows version?

The boot ssd is reportedly Win 10 Pro ... I've not done the install (I don't want to activate windows since I'm going to return the pc if I can't solve this issue). For most of my testing, replaced the W10 ssd with a 2.5 inch 1tb hdd running a headless version of the most current stable version of Debian Linux. The Linux system is fully installed and operational (again, however, without a gui interface).

I have tested the issue with both boot drives and the issue remains identical. Both windows and linux boot perfectly fine - whether they are the sole drive or coupled with the secondary 1tb hdd. Both fail to boot when coupled with the 8tb drive.

And I have confirmed (by ear) that the 8tb drive is definitely spinning up upon power on (and continues to spin until power off).

Is there something in particular you want to see confirm in Disk Management?

 

[SkyNetRising]

If you used USB sata adapter to partition/format 8TB drive, it may be partitioned in some non-standard way. This prevents it from being read properly, when connected directly with sata cables.

Clean the drive first.

 

[keernan]

If you used USB sata adapter to partition/format 8TB drive, it may be partitioned in some non-standard way. This prevents it from being read properly, when connected directly with sata cables.

Clean the drive first.

well there's a problem with that ... how can I partition the drive if I can't boot into windows or linux with the 8tb attached to the system?

 

[SkyNetRising]

Connect with USB sata adapter, then clean,
connect normally, repartition and reformat.

 

[keernan]

Connect with USB sata adapter, then clean,
connect normally, repartition and reformat.

oh, so your thought isn't that partitioning via usb-sata will always turn out defective ... rather that it could be ... I mean, i can certainly re-partition but I already have 2 tb of data on the drive - have been using it for a couple of weeks via raspberry pi with no issues ... and it is highly doubtful that it is a bad partition because I bought two 8tb drives ... and I've confirmed the issue with the Dell with both of the 8tb drives ... and if I'm understanding you correctly, the odds of one drive being partitioned defectively is probably fairly remote ... and then the odds of both of the drives being defectively partitioned becomes very, very remote indeed (add to that the fact I've been using both drives without issue)

if I am misunderstanding, please let me know ... thank you