P4P800-E Delux & External USB HDD problem

ccenters · 05-08-2008, 02:24 PM

I purchased a Western Digital Office Edition External HDD [ 1 TB] and everything works as advertised except -- the system hangs on boot. If I disconnect the external HDD the system boots normally. I can then plug in the external HDD and it is recognized by Windoz XP and operates normally. The HDD is supposed to start and shut down when the system starts and shuts down.

I'm assuming it's the BIOS but I have the latest released installed [ 1009.003 ] and everything has been good till now.

Has anyone experienced this problem with their system ? Any work around suggestions ?

Thanks guys

Chuck

**linderman** · 05-08-2008, 06:04 PM

try installing service pack 3 ?????? make sure you image (back-up) your boot drive before installing Sp-3 !!

ccenters · 05-09-2008, 08:34 AM

What is "service pack 3" ? Is that for Windoz XP ?

Since the boot stops during BIOS ops and never get to loading XP I'm not sure how an up date of XP would help.

I contacted Western Digital and their "fix" was to unplug the external HDD before boot and then plug it back in after XP is running, since it is recognized by XP and operates properly in XP.

The problem seems to be with the BIOS not being able to recognize this HDD. It indicates that a "mass storage device [ assign as #01] is there then the system locks up.

I guess Western Digital "fix" is what I'm stuck with..

**linderman** · 05-09-2008, 02:56 PM

during the boot up process windoz has to initialize the USB controller twice

so windows does have a major role in this

the western digital peoples fix works >>>>> as long as you can live with that minor inconvience...... all is good

Lead3 · 05-09-2008, 04:12 PM

Is it that the BIOS doesn't detect the device or rearranges your hard drive boot order?
I have this board and to keep a external drive connected during boot, I did the following since what was happening was the hard drive boot order changed with the drive plugged in at boot:

Boot with the external drive plugged in and go into the BIOS.

Go to advanced and down to USB Configuration

Then to USB Mass storage Device Configuration

Look for your external drive listed and under emulation change it to Forced FDD.

Exit from the BIOS and save.

Reboot and reenter the BIOS.

Go to Boot and make sure that the real floppy (if you use one) is first. If you don't use one, just disable the external drive here. This is just for boot.

Then Go to Hard drives and make sure your system drive is first in the list.

Under boot priority I normally have CD-ROM, Floppy, Hard drive. Just make sure that
the external drive is not in this list.

Edit: Missed a step, it's in bold

Paul

05-08-2008, 02:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
ccenters Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 8 OS: XP	P4P800-E Delux & External USB HDD problem I purchased a Western Digital Office Edition External HDD [ 1 TB] and everything works as advertised except -- the system hangs on boot. If I disconnect the external HDD the system boots normally. I can then plug in the external HDD and it is recognized by Windoz XP and operates normally. The HDD is supposed to start and shut down when the system starts and shuts down. I'm assuming it's the BIOS but I have the latest released installed [ 1009.003 ] and everything has been good till now. Has anyone experienced this problem with their system ? Any work around suggestions ? Thanks guys Chuck

05-08-2008, 06:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 11,953 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	Re: P4P800-E Delux & External USB HDD problem try installing service pack 3 ?????? make sure you image (back-up) your boot drive before installing Sp-3 !! __________________ IF YOUR HARD DRIVE DIED RIGHT NOW; WOULD YOU CRY ??? ASK US FOR HELP DEVELOPING A DATA BACK-UP METHOD

05-09-2008, 08:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
ccenters Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 8 OS: XP	Re: P4P800-E Delux & External USB HDD problem What is "service pack 3" ? Is that for Windoz XP ? Since the boot stops during BIOS ops and never get to loading XP I'm not sure how an up date of XP would help. I contacted Western Digital and their "fix" was to unplug the external HDD before boot and then plug it back in after XP is running, since it is recognized by XP and operates properly in XP. The problem seems to be with the BIOS not being able to recognize this HDD. It indicates that a "mass storage device [ assign as #01] is there then the system locks up. I guess Western Digital "fix" is what I'm stuck with..

05-09-2008, 02:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 11,953 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	Re: P4P800-E Delux & External USB HDD problem during the boot up process windoz has to initialize the USB controller twice so windows does have a major role in this the western digital peoples fix works >>>>> as long as you can live with that minor inconvience...... all is good __________________ IF YOUR HARD DRIVE DIED RIGHT NOW; WOULD YOU CRY ??? ASK US FOR HELP DEVELOPING A DATA BACK-UP METHOD

05-09-2008, 04:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
Lead3 Hardware Tech Team Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 710 OS: 98SE,2000,XP SP3,VISTA SP1	Re: P4P800-E Delux & External USB HDD problem Is it that the BIOS doesn't detect the device or rearranges your hard drive boot order? I have this board and to keep a external drive connected during boot, I did the following since what was happening was the hard drive boot order changed with the drive plugged in at boot: Boot with the external drive plugged in and go into the BIOS. Go to advanced and down to USB Configuration Then to USB Mass storage Device Configuration Look for your external drive listed and under emulation change it to Forced FDD. Exit from the BIOS and save. Reboot and reenter the BIOS. Go to Boot and make sure that the real floppy (if you use one) is first. If you don't use one, just disable the external drive here. This is just for boot. Then Go to Hard drives and make sure your system drive is first in the list. Under boot priority I normally have CD-ROM, Floppy, Hard drive. Just make sure that the external drive is not in this list. Edit: Missed a step, it's in bold Paul __________________ Last edited by Lead3 : 05-09-2008 at 04:28 PM.