HDD is not recognized/initialized via USB, only via SATA - is a reformat through USB a bad idea?

Question

I have a 4TB Hitachi HDD that I purchased in Europe (I use it as a backup disk); I use Windows 7. When I connect it to a SATA port, it is recognized in Windows Explorer and gives no problems, even after transferring 3TB at a time or after being on for days.

When I connect it via a SATA-to-USB2.0 adapter, it is also recognized, but when I transfer a large amount of data, it will intermittently stop being recognized by Windows Explorer and cancel the transfer.

When I connect it via an external enclosure (which is technically a SATA-to-USB3.0 adapter), it does not display at all in Windows Explorer, but Disk Management will show the drive, albeit uninitialized (prompts for format).

I only got the external enclosure because I want to backup my files more conveniently (instead of having to open the computer case each time).

Do you advise against reformat/initialization via the external enclosure? Can it screw up things in an irrevocable way (Master Boot Record etc.)?

Solution

I'm guessing the external enclosures have trouble with larger drives - which generally use things like advanced format and gpt. I would also wonder if your drive is getting sufficient power from the USB 2.0 adaptor, since many adaptors are designed for 2.5 inch disks that use less power.

Comments

[barlop]

I once had a drive not initialize and it was down to a bad adaptor. I tried another identical model of adaptor and it works so I chucked my faulty adaptor. Try another adaptor.

[Wuschelbeutel Kartoffelhuhn]

I already tried two, but you're probably right that it's an adapter issue.

[barlop]

if you tried two already then I doubt that i'm probably right.. have you tried different hard drives and different usb ports and different cables? I think I also ran a test from a hard drive manufacturer, but I don't recall the result - whether it said tested ok. If the drive stops intermittently it may be a bad drive. or bad usb port... Try connecting the drive to another computer's USB 2 port pref win7, and see if it stops intermittently as well..

[barlop]

sometimes with usb in particular, you can get a situation where one is what i'd call strict and one is lenient.. e.g.,I had some USB-Ps2 connectors,some worked in any of my computers(i'd call them lenient).Some worked in compA but not compB.so i'd call compB strict and those usb sticks strict.The best ones are 'lenient'.i.e. a compatibility issue..lenient is a term i'd use for very compatible.. strict for not so.I have a samsung usb external drive that in one comp, detects but without showing a proper icon. The same comp detects other drives fine, and the samsung detects fine in other comps.

[Wuschelbeutel Kartoffelhuhn]

It's a 3.5" enclosure with the vendor officially supporting 4TB disks. The adapter has a power port that's supplied with power from the power plug.