OT... USB permanently on?

RAMWolff

Hi,

I have a couple of external drives for backup.  I think recent Windows 10 updates must have put some sort of a sleep limit on the USB 3 ports as the drives are not ON when I boot into the computer so I have to get up and turn each of the drives on in order to use them.  This is getting annoying.  So I need some expert help here in troubleshooting this so I can count on my drives being available when I boot into the computer.

Thanks kindly!

Richard

Scavenger

I don't know on the Windows10 side, but I know a number of drives have software options that utilites from their manufacturers that let you control that kind of thing.

(just as something to concider, I had a similar issue, and found it was the hub I was using had gone flakey...worth eliminating it as a possible cause if you're using one).

nonesuch00

In the Power Saver Schemes of Windows all HDD drives will be put to sleep after a period of no use. You can change that in those settings but it will still have to spin up the drives when you boot Windows, although with the right power saver settings that should feasibily happen before you personally try to access those drives.

nicstt

As said change settings to ensure they don't.

> Windows X > Control Panel > System and Security > Power Options

If you have you Control Panel set to small icons, then select Power Options.

High Performance is the way to go, but you'll need to change the plan settings and stop it turning off the display perhaps, and also delve further to ensure the Disk don't get turned off.

gederix

Theres also a USB selective suspend option you can turn off under power settings.

RAMWolff

Thanks folks.  OK, got things set up with High Performance and the Suspend USB and Hard drives are Disabled for Plugged In which my system is always plugged in. 

Kendall Sears

RAMWolff said:

Thanks folks.  OK, got things set up with High Performance and the Suspend USB and Hard drives are Disabled for Plugged In which my system is always plugged in. 

Make sure that your drives are capable of removing the accumulated heat before doing this!  Many newer USB drives *DO NOT* have any means to remove heat and are not designed to be run for extended periods of time.  This is especially true of the low profile external 2.5" drives... they WILL burn out much sooner if they are left on for extended periods.

Kendall

RAMWolff

Yea, the newer case I have for the drive that has nothing on it as of yet has no way to filter out heat but my older dual case does and has a built in fan and does run quite cool.  So not sure if my recent purchase of this newer case was such a good idea BUT it wasn't all that expensive so I really don't have a financial loss and can use it as a portable drive case.  I bought it thinking something was amiss with the dual drive case or one of the drives but it just turns out to be a weird setting in Windows.  It's now booting with the system but the newer case still does not, doesn't even register during boot time.  Will only register if flip the on/off switch off and then on again. 

Any external drive cases anyone can recommend with the USB 3?? 

Taoz

I use these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SS481-SANDBERG-USB-3-0-Hard-Disk-Box-fuer-3-5zoll-8-9cm-SATA-Festplatte-Bis-5-G-/162411636175?hash=item25d07ce5cf:g:8~MAAOSwXYtYtApn

They boot automatically with Windows. 5 years factory warranty where I buy them, don't know about warranty at eBay. They have metal housing, no fan but with a cooling grid on the front. I have 3 & 6 TB WD Red drives in them, they stay fairly cool when idle, it's 27-30° C here most of the time but they don't go over 45°. When doing long backups I cool them with Antec 120 mm 3 speed fans, medium fan speed is enough to keep them at ~40°. Fans stand fine on the edge even at max speed. 

 

 

 

 

 

RAMWolff

Thanks so much Taoz!