HTPC doesn't see my external USB3 HDD

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  1. Posts : 1,442
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
       #1

    HTPC doesn't see my external USB3 HDD


    Finished my HTPC build today and plugged my external HDD in and it doesn't show in My Computer. I clicked on "show hidden" and it just shows my card reader.

    Specs:
    MB: MSI H87M-G43
    CPU: Intel i3
    Memory: 8GB Corsair Dominator
    PSU: Corsair RM550
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 2,752
    Windows 7 Pro x64 (1), Win7 Pro X64 (2)
       #2

    USB external drive?

    Are you using front USB connectors from the case, or rear motherboard USB connectors?

    Was there a cable you needed to connect to the USB header on the motherboard that you overlooked?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 1,442
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Yes. Its a Western Digital Elements SE 500GB USB3 portable HDD.
    I tried all four USB3 ports on the case, none work. The cable for the front panel is connected. The drive works if I plug it in to a USB2 port and it works on my laptop (USB3). The power LED lights up when it's plugged in to a USB3 port. The drivers were installed from the motherboard CD and I have no !'s in device manager.

    USB2 devices also do not work when plugged in to a USB3 port. There is a newer BIOS file on the MSI website. Maybe a BIOS update is needed? I hope the motherboard isn't bad.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 2,752
    Windows 7 Pro x64 (1), Win7 Pro X64 (2)
       #4

    HAVOC said:
    The drivers were installed from the motherboard CD and I have no !'s in device manager.
    What is the motherboard?

    You might check for any driver updates available from the manufacturer's site, along with updated BIOS.

    Have you done a complete Windows Update (with "check for latest drivers" enabled)?

    My ASUS P8Z77-V Pro board has two types of USB 3.0 connectors: Intel, and Asmedia. Both had to be installed with their own drivers, and both had recent updates available from ASUS vs. what they'd placed on the CD (which was made quite a while ago).

    And of course there have been four BIOS updates for my board in the past year which I've also kept up with and applied. These greatly improved stability, as I had some real issues out of the box initially.

    These are just the obvious first things I'd look for, and I'm sure you've already done them.

    The fact that the drive is recognized through your USB 2.0 ports clearly points to either a USB 3.0 driver issue or a BIOS problem or a board UBS 3.0 hardware malfunction. Have you phoned the manufacturer for support? It might really be a hardware malfunction.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails HTPC doesn't see my external USB3 HDD-usb30_devices.jpg  
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 1,442
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    The board is a MSI H87M-G43
    I have BIOS v1.4, there is BIOS v1.5 on MSI's website. Something about improved USB capability among other things.

    I don't have anything that says Intel(R) USB 3.0 Root Hub in Device Manager. I do have Intel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller though.

    All Windows updates are installed.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 2,752
    Windows 7 Pro x64 (1), Win7 Pro X64 (2)
       #6

    HAVOC said:
    The board is a MSI H87M-G43
    I have BIOS v1.4, there is BIOS v1.5 on MSI's website. Something about improved USB capability among other things.

    I don't have anything that says Intel(R) USB 3.0 Root Hub in Device Manager. I do have Intel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller though.
    The absence of USB 3.0 Root Hub is very suspicious. Your board has the H87 chipset.

    What is the driver associated with your Intel XHCI device?

    I looked at mine and it is theoretically the latest one available from the ASUS site for my board (with the Z77 chipset). It is 1.0.5.235, from mid-2012.

    But a little searching reveals that there is a newer one available from Intel, 1.0.9.254 from August 2013. This is the one which seems applicable to my own board, with the 7 Series/C216 chipset family (as shown in my Device Manager screenshot).

    Quoting from the release notes regarding verifying proper installation

    *************************************************************************** * 5. IDENTIFYING THE SOFTWARE VERSION NUMBER *************************************************************************** 1. Click "Start" then right click on "Computer" button and then click on properties. 2. Click on the "Device Manager" selection on the left. 3. Select "Universal Serial Bus controllers" then double click on the Intel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller device or Intel(R) USB 3.0 Root Hub device. 4. Click on "Driver" tab and note the driver version.
    So once again we see a reference to both XHCI controller and Root Hub devices showing up in Device Manager.

    I'm going to try and install that latest Intel driver on my own machine. Worst case it won't install, or if I have a problem I'll just restore and go back to my current ASUS version from mid-2012. You might take a chance yourself, if you also have C216 chipset. I think there is a separate version available for C220 chipset.

    But the absence of Root Hub in your own Device Manager is again very very suspicious as a "giant clue".
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1,442
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Updated the BIOS to v1.5 and USB3 still doesn't work. Leaving for work, will look at it when I get home.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 2,752
    Windows 7 Pro x64 (1), Win7 Pro X64 (2)
       #8

    I installed that latest Intel USB 3.0 driver for my C216 chipset family. I did have to re-boot first, because apparently some things were open or in-use when I first tried and the new driver installed failed.

    But after the re-boot the install went fine. The old drivers that got uninstalled first by the script were iusb3hub.inf (probably "root hub") and iusb3xhc.inf (probably XHCI). Then the new versions got installed, along with everything else. I then re-booted again.

    Looking at Device manager for USB after the re-boot, sure enough once again I show BOTH (a) Intel XHCI (and for my C216 chipset family), as well as (b) Intel Root Hub.

    If you show entries in your Device Manager for C216 as my screenshot shows, then that 1.0.9.254 Intel USB 3.0 driver installer file for C216 that I downloaded should work for your MSI board as well as it did for mine. Or, if you show C220, you need to get the 2.5.1.28 version of the C220 driver installer.

    Or, if you show nothing (as you show no Root Hub), then THAT IS THE PROBLEM!! If so then I would say the MSI driver CD is missing this proper USB 3.0 driver, and you should absolutely try one or the other installer from the Intel site. I believe their installers first check for required hardware and if not present they exit. So you have nothing to lose trying the C216 version first.

    Or, phone MSI for support on this to see what is required for the H87 chipset on your board.

    Anyway, I can now confirm that that latest 1.0.9.254 driver is now installed on my system, and just as the Intel README states it is the driver for both (a) XHCI and (b) Root Hub. And in my opinion both of these which MUST appear in Device Manager (along with the items for the C216 or C220 chipset family) in order for USB 3.0 support to be complete and functional.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 6,292
    Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
       #9

    Could you clarify a couple of things?

    Are you connecting the external to the Computer Case USB3 ports, the USB3 ports in the back that are connected directly to the motherboard, or both?
    (You say "I tried all four USB3 ports on the case, none work." This could have 2 meanings)

    Have you gone into your BIOS settings and checked to be sure the USB 3.0 Controller is enabled?
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 1,442
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #10

    I tried the USB3 on the front panel (internal USB header) and the rear ports (I/O shield, where network and other ports are).

    I'm staring to think its a driver issue.

    No ports are disabled in BIOS.
      My Computer


 
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