External (Seagate) drive goes to sleep and does not wake up.

[NeilBB]

I sometimes use an external drive but it goes to sleep after just a minute or two of being idle and doesn't wake up when I try to save or search for files. I can still see it in Windows Explorer, but if I try to open a folder, Explorer hangs. If I try to eject it, I get told it's being used by a program, even if I've closed everything. Eventually I just unplug and replug. This means I can only use it for the first minute or so of being plugged in, or I have to keep using it every minute.

The external drive is a Seagate Backup Plus Hub 6TB 2018 model.

I plug it in using a USB Type A.

It worked fine on my previous HP with Windows 10.

I do believe it worked on this machine, then stopped. Possibly when I upgraded to Windows 11.

I've tried searching for new drivers, but I'm told it's up to date. 

I've also checked driver power settings and it doesn't seem to obey those.

I run Auslogics BoostSpeed weekly and it has not reported anything.

I'm stumped (and highly frustrated). Any suggestions?

[tk_srq · Accepted solution]

@NeilBB,

See if changing a power management option on USB controllers will help.

Go to Device Manager -> Universal Serial Bus controllers -> USB Host Controller -> Power Management. Uncheck the box if the 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' option is enabled.

 Check USB Mass Storage Device, USB Root Hub and (Generic)USB Hub entries to disable power management.

After changing the settings restart the computer.

[NeilBB]

Thanks, I had only adjusted the power management on what I thought was the relevant USB driver, I didn't know what those other ones were for. It seems to be working now.