external USB drive (4Tb) not accessible

walter.freddi · 04-19-2023, 01:35 AM

Good morning,
I have an external USB drive - Seagate Maxtor HX-M401TCB.
If I attach to my PC using my Windows 11 system Iit does not show up (not in Explorer, nor in Disk management)

If I connect it to my Linux system (runs on the same PC using VMWare), it does not show up in /dev.

It does show up with lsusb (first line):

Code:

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0bc2:61b7 Seagate RSS LLC Maxtor M3 Portable
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 0e0f:0002 VMware, Inc. Virtual USB Hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0e0f:0003 VMware, Inc. Virtual Mouse
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

I do get the following output from dmesg:

Code:

[   36.746613] usb 1-1: new high-speed USB device number 2 using ehci-pci
[   37.127384] usb 1-1: config index 0 descriptor too short (expected 85, got 32)
[   37.131266] usb 1-1: New USB device found, idVendor=0bc2, idProduct=61b7, bcdDevice= 0.00
[   37.131268] usb 1-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=2, Product=3, SerialNumber=1
[   37.131269] usb 1-1: Product: M3 Portable
[   37.131270] usb 1-1: Manufacturer: Seagate
[   37.131271] usb 1-1: SerialNumber: NM157B2P
[   37.151442] usb-storage 1-1:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[   37.152764] scsi host33: usb-storage 1-1:1.0
[   37.153464] usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
[   37.161019] usbcore: registered new interface driver uas
[   38.167148] scsi 33:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Seagate  M3 Portable      9300 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[   38.167355] scsi 33:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 0
[   38.185271] sd 33:0:0:0: [sdb] Spinning up disk...
[   39.218581] ................................................................................................not responding...
[  138.386723] sd 33:0:0:0: [sdb] Very big device. Trying to use READ CAPACITY(16).
[  138.389425] sd 33:0:0:0: [sdb] 7814037167 512-byte logical blocks: (4.00 TB/3.64 TiB)
[  145.333803] sd 33:0:0:0: [sdb] Test WP failed, assume Write Enabled
[  152.275601] sd 33:0:0:0: [sdb] Asking for cache data failed
[  152.275606] sd 33:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
[  152.298423] sd 33:0:0:0: [sdb] Spinning up disk...

Any suggestion what might be the problem?
Thanks!

michaelk · 04-19-2023, 06:36 AM

Is it plugged into a USB 2 or 3 port?

It might be the port can not provide enough power to the drive or the drive is faulty. Seagate might have some diagnostic software on their website to check the drive.

teckk · 04-19-2023, 06:53 AM

Quote:

it does not show up in /dev.

Yes, it is /dev/sdb

Code:

lsblk /dev/sdb
fdisk -l /dev/sdb

Some machines/notebooks have powered and unpowered usb ports.

walter.freddi · 04-19-2023, 09:24 AM

I tried on both usb 2 and usb 3 ports.

@teckk:
Not sure what I am doing wrong. Sometime I do get a listing on sdb, but most of the time I get:

root@ubuntu:/dev# ls sd*
sda sda1 sda2 sda5
root@ubuntu:/dev# lsblk /dev/sdb
lsblk: /dev/sdb: not a block device
root@ubuntu:/dev# ls sd*
sda sda1 sda2 sda5
root@ubuntu:/dev# lsusb
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0bc2:61b7 Seagate RSS LLC Maxtor M3 Portable
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 0e0f:0002 VMware, Inc. Virtual USB Hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0e0f:0003 VMware, Inc. Virtual Mouse
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
root@ubuntu:/dev# ls sd*
sda sda1 sda2 sda5
root@ubuntu:/dev# fdisk -l /dev/sdb
fdisk: cannot open /dev/sdb: No such file or directory

After a while:
root@ubuntu:/dev# ls sd*
sda sda1 sda2 sda5 sdb
root@ubuntu:/dev# lsblk /dev/sdb
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINTS
sdb 8:16 0 3.6T 0 disk
root@ubuntu:/dev# fdisk -l /dev/sdb

fdisk appears to be hanging...

michaelk · 04-19-2023, 09:48 AM

Is your VM configured for USB 3?

If it isn't working on the host it seems trying to troubleshoot on the guest isn't going to help.

Arnulf · 04-19-2023, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walter.freddi

[ 36.746613] usb 1-1: new high-speed USB device number 2 using ehci-pci

USB 2.0: high-speed USB device

USB 3.0: SuperSpeed USB device

ehci-pci is an USB 2.0 port. Any VM is not suitable for hardware tests.

USB 2.0 allows a maximum current of 500 mA, USB 3.0 allows a maximum current of 900 mA. Your drive may not work with USB 2.0 current limit.

Try your drive on another computer at a USB 3.0 (or higher) port without running a VM. If the drive works on this computer, boot a live Linux on your computer and try the drive at a USB 3.0 (or higher) port.

walter.freddi · 04-20-2023, 02:15 AM

Thanks all.
I do not have a native Linux configuration anymore.
The port I have been using mostly is specified as a 3.0 USB. Possibly there is an VM issue.
I looked for Seagate tools, and ended up in a support chat. The support is not available for Linux systems - so I went back to Windows.
The device does show up in W11 device manager, not in disk management.
I tried on two other PCs - similar results.
The support advised to use another cable. I got one this morning, but that did not help.
I am starting to think the drive may be malfunctioning.

Rueben11 · 04-20-2023, 08:52 AM

Thanks for sharing us a piece of great information that is actually helpful

TB0ne · 04-20-2023, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rueben11

Thanks for sharing us a piece of great information that is actually helpful

Which piece helped you most?? Or would you care to post the spam-link now?

colorpurple21859 · 04-20-2023, 09:22 AM

Did you look at dmesg after /dev/sdb disappeared?

walter.freddi · 05-25-2023, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colorpurple21859

Did you look at dmesg after /dev/sdb disappeared?

Yes I did, but no other relevant information came up.
After the last interaction with support, I opened the device. First inspected the controller board, but saw no abnormalities.
Then opened the drive cover. I noticed that the surface of the disk had a few scratches. The head still moved, but stopped after a few attempts.
Thanks for thinking along.