My 810-370st is locking up when booting in BIOS with a 8 TB WD USB Mybook.

[TheUpside]

I have a HP ENVY Phoenix 810-370st, product #: J6n65AV which locks up (freezes) when a Western Digital 8 TB USB Mybook is connected (formated with FATex). The WD Mybook works fine when I connect to the desktop after Windows 10 has started. I also have a 3 TB WD USB Mybook where the PC boots fine. The system board is: 2ACE 1.09; with System BIOS: PI2_819.ROM V8.19 (04/30/2014).

I've enabled the bios boot messages and the lock-up appears to be occuring the bios setup, before the Operating system takes over. Can this bios handle a 8 TB USB Drive? 

Thanks for your Help.

[Riddle_Decipher]

@TheUpside

Welcome to HP Forums, 

This is a great place to get support, find answers and tips,

Thank you for posting your query, I'll be more than glad to help you out 🙂

As I understand 810-370st is locking up when booting in BIOS with a 8 TB WD USB My book,

The external HD is most likely security protected
If it came with a software as such, attempt reinstalling it.

Install the software, reboot and then plug in the external hard drive
Try a rear USB port
Remember: If the drive was formatted on a MAC then you might have to go back to the MAC and reformat it for Windows compatibility.

If the PC freezes on BIOS as well, attempt the steps mentioned-below:

1. Click Start button on your PC and right-click Computer, and then select Properties in the context menu.
2. Click Advanced system settings link given the left column.
3. In the System Properties window, click Environment Variables.
4. Click New and you will see the New User Variable dialog box.
5. Type in “Devmgr_show_details” in the Variable name field and “1” in the Variable value field.
6. Click OK to save.\
7. Open Device Manager
(Start > Control Panel > System and Security > System > Device Manager)
8. Once in Device Manager, click View and choose Show hidden devices.
9. Uninstall all the malfunctioning USB drives.
(Right-click > Uninstall)
Note: Do not uninstall a driver other than the ones that were hidden.
10. Restart your PC and it will fix all the problems with the USB ports drivers.

What if the Issue Persists?
 

With the aforementioned steps implemented, you will get the USB ports malfunctioning fixed and the PC freezing problem resolved. In case the issue persists after restarting your PC, the issues are undoubtedly in the USB drive.

You may have to go for USB flash drive recovery if your PC now detects it, but some or all the data is lost. You may also find the files stored on the USB drive corrupt.

In case the PC freezing problem in fixed, but the drive is still not showing in the Windows explorer, check whether the drive is shown in Disk Management:

1. Click the Start menu and select Control Panel
2. Open Administrative Tools and then select Computer Management.
3. Select Disk Management under Storage in the left pane.

Check if the USB drive is shown in the list of drives. If the drive is shown in Disk Management window, try opening it there and move all your files out of the drive, if you get it opened.

In the worst case, you may not be able to see your USB drive detected by any computer, which points to the issues with the drive itself. Take USB flash drive recovery services since the drive most likely is physically failed and you can no longer access your data stored on it.

Let me know how that pans out, 

Feel free to post your query for any other assistance as well,

It's been a pleasure interacting with you and I hope you have a good day ahead.

If you wish to show appreciation for my efforts, mark my post as Accepted Solution.

And click on the Purple Thumbs up icon at the bottom of my comment.

Regards,

[TheUpside]

I tried your suggestion above. Results and more information:

1) The PC is running the Windows 10 Operating system (some of the steps were for a Win 7 or 8 OS, but never mind as I found all the control panels needed)

2) After removing an inactive "WB SES Driver" the PC still fails to start and fails in the same place as before

3) Where it fails in startup - The PC never gets the Win 10 initial rectangular logo. The screen stays blank and the PC eventually shuts off.

4) The disk drive works fine when it's connected AFTER the operating system starts. I've exchanged many, many files already between two computers as the USB disk drive works fine when plugged in after the operating system has started.

5) The USB disk Drive is a Western Digital 8 Terabyte disk drive, not a flash drive.

6) The USB disk drive came with optional security software, I did not install it.

7) The USB disk drive was not formated on a MAC. It's only been used on two PC's.

😎 Uses a USB blue port (needed for the speed and large files).

9) Have tried both front and back USB blue ports get same problem.

Thanks for your help.

What else can be tried?

[Riddle_Decipher]

@TheUpside

You've done a remarkable job performing the steps suggested earlier, great work 🙂 

And don't worry, as we should be able to fix this up with a few more steps and I'll be with you until we ensure this issue is fixed.

I understand you've attempted the steps and yet the issue persists,

Don't worry as I have a few more trick up my sleeve,

Since the drive works fine after the windows boots up to the desktop screen and causes issues if connected during boot (only),

Perhaps, you could disable the USB Legacy mode on BIOS and ensure you have the boot priority as your HDD instead of USB before you restart again.

Here's a link with the details: Click here

Let me know how that pans out, 

Feel free to post your query for any other assistance as well,

It's been a pleasure interacting with you and I hope you have a good day ahead.

If you wish to show appreciation for my efforts, mark my post as Accepted Solution.

And click on the Purple Thumbs up icon at the bottom of my comment.

Regards,

[TheUpside]

Riddle_Decipher - We need some more tricks.

I tried your suggestions. Here’s the test results in order of test.

1)      Disconnected the 8 TB USB Disk Drive

2)      Restarted the PC and reached the BIOS “Secure Boot Configuration”

3)      Settings:

a.       Legacy Support – was already disabled

b.       Secure Boot – was already enabled

c.       Fast Boot – was already enabled.

4)      Exited “Secure Boot Configuration” without making any changes.

5)      Navigated to BIOS Storage \ Boot Order

6)      Boot Order:

a.       Windows Boot Manager

b.       USB Floppy / CD

c.       USB Hard Drive

d.       UEFI IPV4 ……

e.       UEFI IPV6 ……

f.        Legacy Boot Sources: Disabled

7)      There was no explicit HDD option – Assume that “Windows Boot Manager” covers HDD

😎      Boot Order gave me the option to disable USB Hard Drive. I disabled the USB Hard Drive

9)      Saved Changes & Exit (BIOS setup)

10)   PC automatically booted up.

11)   Logged in

12)   Plugged in the 8 TB USB Drive

13)   Verified that the USB drive showed up in “This PC”

14)   Start / Power / Restart

15)   PC restarted

16)   PC locked up – blank screen (it’s actually a totally black screen) – windows rectangular logo did not appear.

17)   PC automatically powered off after about 35 seconds +/-

18)   After a few seconds – PC automatically powered itself on (wasn’t expecting this)

19)   POST message displayed

a.       Processor Type …. (not typing in all the text)

b.       Processor Speed …..

c.       L1 / L2 / L3 Cache Size …..

d.       Channel A1 …..

e.       Channel B1 …..

f.        Channel C1 …..

g.       Channel D1 …..

h.       And at the bottom of the screen “Press the ESC key for the startup menu”

20)   PC went no further

21)   Waited about 5 minutes (PC did not auto power off and restart this time)

22)   Pressed a variety of keys: ESC; Ctrl/Alt/Del; CR; others

23)   No response – PC was frozen

24)   Powered off the PC

25)   Disabled the 8 TB USB drive

26)   Power On – PC came up normally

Other Information:

27)   Took the 8 TB USB drive to a 3rd PC (HP Pavilion a6130n running Win 10) and the PC booted up fine, with the 8 TB drive connected (So the 8 TB USB Drive works OK on two PC’s. A very old Dell desktop running Win XP and the HP Pavilion running Win 10 Home)

28)   This PC originally came with Win 8 as I recall. I installed Win 10 Home.

29)   In all this testing I also had a 3 TB WD USB Hard Drive connected. This USB drive works fine at Bootup, so I've never disconnected it.

Based on the available evidence it looks to me that the BIOS cannot handle the 8 TB USB disk drive. If it isn’t the BIOS then it’s something around the BIOS to Win 10 OS transition. The other USB 3 TB WD Hard Drive has a light showing activity in this time frame.

If you have an email address I can send you some BIOS configuration pictures.

By the way I will give you a “Thumbs Up” and “Accept as Solution” after this issue is fixed.

What’s the next move?

[A4Apollo]

Hey there! @TheUpside, Thanks for the response.

I appreciate the troubleshooting steps you tried.

As you mentioned in the post using 3TB drive you are able to boot into PC but when you connect 8TB drive you have issues.

It looks to me that connecting 8TB drive to the PC would require more power, unlike the 3TB drive.

Since the USB ports do not provide such power you are unable to access the drive.

I have checked the specifications of your PC your PC only have USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports.

But to power the USB 8TB drive you would need USB 3.1 ports.

Hope this answers your query!

Have a great day ahead! 🙂

[TheUpside]

Additional Clarifications:

1) The WD 8 TB hard drive has it's own power supply (as does the 3 TB WD USB hard drive for that matter). Neither USB Drive uses PC USB power.

2) The 3 TB WD USB hard drive also uses USB 3 ports.

3) The 8 TB works fine on an old Dell computer and the HP ENVY which were manufactured years before USB 3 existed. Those two PC's only have USB 2 ports which the 8 TB works fine on with it's own power supply?

Here's some information for the WB 8 TB Hard Drive.

https://www.wdc.com/products/external-storage/my-book.html#WDBFJK0080HBK-NESN

The 8 TB Model is: WDBFJK0080HBK-NESN

[Sizzlingsum_13]

@TheUpside

Thank you for the update.

I understand that the above steps didn't resolve the

I recommend you to contact phone support for available service options.

Use the link below to get in touch with them.

Technical support link: www.hp.com/contacthp

If you wish to say thanks for my effort to help, click the "Thumbs up" to give me a "Kudos" and also please mark it as “Accepted Solution” if this helps.

Take care now and have a splendid week ahead.

[Big_Dave]

@TheUpside

According to the product code that you posted, your PC has the Pittsburgh motherboard.  There is later BIOS update posted for your PC. Version 8.21 rev A and designated SSID 2ACE is the one to try. It's multiple revisions above your existing BIOS level.

I suggest that you update the diagnostics and run a full set before attempting a BIOS update. Let's make sure that your PC is stable before updating the BIOS.

If the above BIOS update doesn't work then contact WD and ask about a firmware update.

[TheUpside]

#1 - Are you absolutely sure that Version 8.21 rev A / designated SSID 2ACE is loaded onto the HP support site for the 810-370st? Because, I don't see any drivers even remotely labeled like that for the 810-370st.

#2 - Also, I found a work around. By reformating the USB drive from exFAT to NTFS, the PC now boots up fine. The reason that the 3 TB USB hard drive worked is that it is NTFS formated. Seems cheesy that this fixes the problem when the exFAT format is a legit format.

Back to the V 8.21 Bios, Since the PC is multiple versions out of date, I'd like to update. But, there is no Version 8.21 rev A on the site? Here's the 810-370st "Software and Driver Results" URL. 

http://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-envy-phoenix-810-300-desktop-pc-series/7161705/mo...