Help - Seagate GoFlex external HDD beeping
I bought this from Umart today, a Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 500G 2.5 HDD USB3 Black. The drive works fine when my PC is on but when it's off the drive beeps. After scouring the web I could only find info about people's drives not working at all and beeping, not beeping when their machine is off.
The Seagate web site says it will beep if there is insufficient power. There is enough power running through my PC's PSU to power the LEDs on the motherboard, but clearly not enough for the drive as well. Obviously I can't use the drive when the PC is off so that doesn't matter, I just want to stop the beeping. The beeping stops if I cut power to the PC by turning off the switch on the PSU. But I don't want to have to turn that on and off every time I use my PC. Thoughts? Surely someone here has one of these drives. |
03:25pm 03/10/12 Permalink
is it plugged into a USB3 hole? USB3 is capable of delivering more power than USB2.
try a powered USB hub last edited by thermite at 15:35:03 03/Oct/12 |
03:33pm 03/10/12 Permalink
It's a 10 year old motherboard.
Never mind, I fixed it. I was using a USB extension cable but when I plugged it directly in to the motherboard it stopped beeping. It's just a shame the supplied cable is too damn short. Otherwise it's a great little drive and I can recommend it. |
03:37pm 03/10/12 Permalink
The beep indicates that the drive isn't recieving enough power to spin up. Probably best to unplug it from your PC when it's turned off.
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04:19pm 03/10/12 Permalink
It's just a shame the supplied cable is too damn short.I know, what's with this? Every device I buy comes with a shorter and shorter cable. The power cable for my TV barely even reaches the floor from a normal height stand, my external drive has about a 1 foot cable and my GPS has about 6 inches worth of cord, if that. Useless cheapass manufacturers. |
05:07pm 03/10/12 Permalink
I know, what's with this? Every device I buy comes with a shorter and shorter cable. Dunno about your TV but with external USB drives specifically they are really pushing the limit of the 5V 1A that USB delivered. Just the power loss from a longer cable is enough to stop them working properly. That's clearly what was happening in this case. |
07:25pm 03/10/12 Permalink
why doesn't it work like on a tv spaceship?
less power - slower data transfer more power - faster data transfer too much power - data jumps into your head via lightning |
07:38pm 03/10/12 Permalink
my GPS is hardly pushing the limits of usb power and it's shorter than my HDD cable.
It's nothing more than manufacturers being cheap. My USB drive works perfectly well off an extension cable. Just the power loss from a longer cable is enough to stop them working properly. That's clearly what was happening in this case.Actually his drive works fine, it only beeps when he turns his PC off, if you'd have read the OP. His PSU probably can't supply the 1A +5sb voltage, but delivers enough power while the PC is actually turned on. e: haha this is one thing that always gets me. On TV when they want to show a computer is low on power they'll make it talk really slowly, as if it's an old tape player or record player or something. I mean what the f***, a computer will either work or it won't.why doesn't it work like on a tv spaceship? |
07:40pm 03/10/12 Permalink
His PSU probably can't supply the 1A +5sb voltage, but delivers enough power while the PC is actually turned on. Like I said it is fine when the drive is plugged directly in to the usb port on the motherboard. So the problem is the cable. I bought a 5m Aten cable to use with it as well but it doesn't work at all, even when the PC is on. The drive's light turns on but Windows can't detect it. |
07:51pm 03/10/12 Permalink
I have a ten metre USB extension cable, for a gamepad not HDD. Does the trick
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08:31pm 03/10/12 Permalink
... The drive works fine when my PC is on but when it's off the drive beeps. ... Unplug the drive? |
09:52pm 03/10/12 Permalink
