WD 2 TB 3.0 Is not detected - Again !!

[arghya139]

I am using windows 8.1 Pro and WD 2 TB MyBook Essential 3.0
Problem is most of the time its not recognized
Tried using other cables, other pc, formatting but all the same
Any suggestions ?

 

[Anshad Edavana]

Tried using other cables, other pc, formatting but all the same

I am sorry to say it but the issue seems to be hardware failure mate. You can check whether the unit is still under warranty via serial number validation - WD Support / Warranty Services / Warranty Check for End User

 

[arghya139]

If its hardware failure, why it happens sometimes ?
not all of the time ? Say like weekly 3 days its detected and 4 days it aint

 

[mjf]

I'd also say it's looking like a hardware issue.
For the WD MyBook essentials external you have 4 areas for failure
1) the micro USB connector (intermittent reliability)
2) the internal USB to Sata interface
3) the HDD Sata interface on the drive itself
4) the physical HDD

Unfortunately I purchased a number of these before I realised failure (1) is a problem more often than you think. If a replacement cable doesn't fix it then it may be the female (attached to the HDD) end of the connector. The other significant problem is that your data is hardware encrypted whether you like it or not so simply pulling out the sata drive won't let you rescue the data.

So if your data is valuable back it up when your drive appears to be behaving. I'll never buy another My Book and will stick with either my own external enclosure or a docking station.

 

[gigagiggles]

If it's not hardware, then it may be software: the operating system and the way it manages the data and structures.

I don't know if 8.1 fixed it, but very long file names can cause problems. Additionally, too many files per folder can compound that problem.

I also encountered problems with a WD 1 tb usb 3.0, more often than not losing recognition (a lot of clicking sounds). (I also assigned the drive letter Q to it. Click-to-run surfaced as the drive label. My security program thought it was a new drive now and then and runs a background scan.)

During a working period, I 'moved' some of the data to another drive parcel by parcel. Just one of those parcels included a too-long file name conflict. (I'm not sure why the conflict didn't appear the first time it arrived at this drive.) By parceling, I trimmed the number of files per folder to less than 100, from nearly 1000. The drive began working consistently and continuously once the moves were made.

I moved the reorganized data back to the drive and the drive continues to work without a problem.

 

[Anshad Edavana]

If it's not hardware, then it may be software: the operating system and the way it manages the data and structures.

The OP already tried the disk on another PC but the result is same so you can rule out anything related to software.

If its hardware failure, why it happens sometimes ?
not all of the time ? Say like weekly 3 days its detected and 4 days it aint

It could be happen if there is internal contact issues between the logic board and HDA connector or dry soldering issues on the logic board. Like "mjf" said, make sure to backup any important when the HDD detected again and submit it for warranty . If warranty is over, carefully disassemble the unit and unscrew the PCB from the HDD. Then use a white pencil rubber to gently rub and clean the contacts.

If you are lucky, oxidation might be the only issue and the unit may start to work normally again.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there

If this is not the BOOT disk try re-formatting it as GPT with PRIMARY partition(s). Large HDD's also don't seem to like FAT32 either very much. I've found with these larger HDD's (especially 2TB and more) GPT to be much more reliable.

Also if you run any large EXTERNAL HDD's via USB ports you'll usually find you need a POWERED USB port -- you can do this with a powered hub -- they are quite cheap.

(If it's the BOOT HDD then you will need a UEFI system if you want to use this as the boot device).

Cheers
jimbo

 

[gigagiggles]

The OP already tried the disk on another PC but the result is same so you can rule out anything related to software.

I don't follow that logic. If both systems use Windows, that the HD experiences the same problem in each suggests that commonality.

I don't know what troubleshooting permutations arghya139 tried, but if the hd was formatted and left empty, AND still encountered the problem in BOTH machines, THEN I would say it is a hardware issue. Until then, I would look into the data in the drive and how Windows manages that data.

 

[TechpumpkinWD]

Hi there,
I've seen several users recently reporting similar symptoms, caused by the USB controller driver on Windows 8.1. However I have never seen a case where this occurs intermittently. It really looks like it could be something hardware related here. But still we cannot be certain without further testing. I wonder if the second PC you tested with was running the same OS?

Don't forget to keep us posted on the progress