Disappearing storage HDD

[Alaric]

When I try to write large files (40 Mb+) to my storage drive, the 4 TB WD Blue, it disappears. Windows suddenly can't see it. My backups are supposed to be written to that drive, as well as downloads, etc. S.M.A.R.T. is good according to the WD Lifeguard Diagnostics when the drive is visible, but when it vanishes nothing can see it. It's a little nerve wracking as I have all my pictures, music, recorded TV, videos, and documents on that drive. The first time it happened the rig wouldn't boot and Startup Repair said it couldn't fix it. I pulled the drive and put it in an external enclosure and ran disk check on another rig, which claimed it fixed a few things. This morning my main rig wouldn't POST. It took several tries before it just fired right up and ran fine, and saw the drive in question with no issues.

I tried running a back up again tonight and the drive disappeared again. I've run anti virus scans and they come up empty. Halfway through Auto Play opens and asks what I want to do with the drive, and Explorer takes forever to load it. Then it's gone. I'm starting to suspect my motherboard, since the other rig sees it just fine.

 

[Johan45]

Have you tried a new cable and different port?

 

[HankB]

This morning my main rig wouldn't POST.

That seems like a huge red flag, no? Motherboard? RAM? PSU? Unstable OC?
If It's overclocked, I'd back that out and continue testing at standard speeds. Otherwise start plugging away with any diagnostic programs or tools you have.

Good luck!

 

[Alaric]

Tried different ports and cables. Booted kind of slow today, but the drive in question is visible and accessible. It started after trying to update Apache's Open Office (forgot to mention that). The download failed and I deleted the partial, then the drive disappeared a little later. It's disappeared every time I try to write a large file to it since then.

 

[don256us]

I like the obvious things first. As mentioned, back out any OC. Update all drivers but pay attention especially to the chipset drivers. Cables and ports was a good move.

How old is that PSU? It seems to me with your OC in effect, you could be hitting your head on wattage. Maybe not. That's a long shot guess. Just planting the seed if nothing else seems to be the problem.

 

[UltraTaco]

Kill it! Disable it and remove any power and wires to it!! Get new drive and then connect and get as much as you can off of it quickly!(if it's the only backup)

 

[Alaric]

Kill it! Disable it and remove any power and wires to it!! Get new drive and then connect and get as much as you can off of it quickly!(if it's the only backup)

Windows just told me to back it up immediately, it's dying. Even though all tests show it to be good. Since the warranty died in March, I'm forced to assume the drive is failing now. Great. That's what I need.

 

[UltraTaco]

Thank you!! Please disconnect all wires to it until you're ready to do backup! I had exactly same thing with sloppy performance and slow writes. Barely got most important files from it.

 

[Alaric]

Yeah, I've had Seagates, I'm familiar with the issue as it presents itself now. LOL

 

[don256us]

Friends don't let friends buy Seagate.

 

[UltraTaco]

My Seagate taught me to backup

Hey btw, since we're talking drive borkerage, who makes maxtor? Because mine died too. It was an external 256gb drive, metallic enclosure if anyone remembers, with blue blinking button

 

[don256us]

..., who makes maxtor? Because mine died too. It was an external 256gb drive, metallic enclosure if anyone remembers, with blue blinking button

Good one. Maxtor.seagate.com I had to look that one up to get the joke. Maxtor was king of speed back in the day. They were also king of cheap which is probably why they became junk.

 

[UltraTaco]

But I bought it from Costco! It felt like hi-end hardware!

Snap! I tried maxtor.seagate.com! It works, I thought you were kidding at first!

 

[Johan45]

I've had pretty good luck with Hitachi drives

 

[don256us]

I've had pretty good luck with Hitachi drives

Last I looked at reliability,
Hitachi or HGST is #1
Toshiba #2
WD #3


Seagate a distant #4.

These of course change on a regular basis depending on overall design and build quality. I hold no brand loyalty. If a company wants my $$$, they have to at least make me believe I'm getting what I want.

 

[mimart7]

You can always check reliability stats here:

https://www.backblaze.com/blog/hard-drive-stats-for-q2-2018/

 

[EarthDog]

You can always check reliability stats here:

https://www.backblaze.com/blog/hard-drive-stats-for-q2-2018/

I like that link, and at a high level gives some solid information. However one has to consider this is a DC environment and is typically different than how the drive is used in a home. Chances are those drives are being thrashed on in some form or another on a daily basis whereas at home, I wouldn't imagine frequent thrashing.

 

[UltraTaco]

What's a DC environment?

 

[EarthDog]

Data Center.

If you click on the link you will see those metrics are from Blackblaze data centers.

 

[don256us]

ED. You're point is valid but I would argue that the results they get are still of value to home users. While not used in the same way I would at home, their results still show which drives outlasted others and I feel that those results can be translated to the average user.