Extrnal HDD reboots my PC...

Technology and Gaming Help and Support
#1

A couple of weeks I installed 2GB of extra RAM and did a clean install of Win7 64bit, and I have two external HDDs connected via USB.

When I turn off my PC my oldest external HDD (Western Digital) shuts itself down after about 15min, but the one I put together myself doesn’t. So when I manually turn off my external HDD all of the sudden my PC reboots! Yesterday I found out that if I do this with my oldest external HDD that it also does this, so it can’t be the new HDD.

I’ve checked the BIOS but all power settings are disabled so that shouldn’t be a problem. Does anyone know if this is something that can be disabled via Windows?

#2

I’ve seen this problem before online, and the most consistent solution offered was that you connect the malfunctioning HDD to another computer and do a clean format there.

Otherwise, here’s something I’ve seen posted, but have no idea if it works or not:

[code]First step, Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore. Create a restore point and name it something like “Before USB Fix”. This is to bail you out if something goes wrong during the following process and makes things worse.

Create a file with NOTEPAD containing the following lines and save it as FIX.REG

-------------------------- Use text after this line --------------------------------
REGEDIT4
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment]“DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES”=“1”

-------------------------- Use text before this line --------------------------------

Double click on FIX.REG and say yes to the Merge Into Registry question.

Unplug ALL USB devices.
Open Device Manager.
View, Show Hidden Devices.
Uninstall all devices under USB Controllers.
Uninstall all devices under Disk Drives that you know are not present.
Uninstall all devices under Storage Volumes. Say no to any reboot prompts until you are finished. Also, if a Storage Volume doesn’t uninstall, ignore it and move to the next one.
If you have a yellow ? with unknown devices, uninstall all of the entries there as well.

When this is done, reboot TWICE.

Reconnect the USB devices and see if they’re recognized properly.

NOTE: If you have a USB keyboard and/or mouse, you’ll have to modify the instructions and leave enough parts for those to function. I don’t have one yet, so I haven’t had time to modify the instructions.[/code]

#3

I can’t do a clean format, It’s full of videos and I don’t have enough room on my other HDDs to put it on. That’s why I bought the external HDDs in the first place, because I needed more space. And it worked fine on my previous Windows installation so I don’t think that reformatting would help.

I’ve seen that post too, maybe I’ll give a try.

Anyone else have a suggestion?

#4

…

#5

Wait I reread your first post and I’m not sure if I correctly understand your problem –

You’re saying that after shutting your computer down, you need to turn off one of the External’s manually – and when doing so, the computer turns on again?

In that case, simply disconnect the USB/eSata cable before turning the external HDD off, lol. Simple solution.

But if you are trying to turn off the HDD before turning off Windows, and Windows restarts anyway after the shutoff, do you remove it with the Safely Add/Remove Hardware wizard?

In either of those cases, I suggest you check to make sure that Selective Suspend for USB is enabled in your BIOS. It sounds like it is if your other HDD does shut off automatically by itself. And if your problem is the first scenario I mentioned, its very unlikely that it is a Windows problem if it is happening while the PC is off. It could be that after installing the 2gb RAM some BIOS settings were unintentionally changed.

Check it out, let me know how it goes.

#6

No I tried unplugging it before turning it off and it still reboots! I can’t find a Selective Suspend option in my BIOS but there is one under Win7’s Power Plans, and it’s enabled.

#7

Unplugging what before turning what off? lol

Do you first shut down your PC, then turn off the HDD? What happens in that case?

#8

My external HDD obviously. And yes, I first shut down my PC and when I shut down my external HDD my PC reboots.

#9

Ok, so then before you shut down the external HDD disconnect it from your PC. So, turn off PC then pull out USB then shut off HDD.

Unless pulling out the USB also makes your PC reboot?

EDIT: Solution: In your BIOS, there is a setting for not allowing your devices to wake up your PC. Find it, and make sure its set so your HD can’t enable it.

#10

Yes, unplugging also reboots my PC, like I said earlier. And there is nothing like that in my BIOS.

#11

Tear the case apart and turn it into an internal HDD (perhaps temporairly?)

#12

No I don’t have enough space, I’ve already got three internal HDDs.

#13

I’m telling you, somewhere in your BIOS there is a setting for that, otherwise this would not be happening.

What is your motherboard model?

#14

Asus P5W-DH Deluxe, 3001 BIOS

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