Windows 7 Windows 7 (with new MSI motherboard) won’t recognize any external drives!

[jzakary]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could help me. I recently installed a new MSI motherboard to my computer, and a new power source. Everything worked perfectly until I started noticing that the 4 external USB hard drives (On-Board Powered) where not being recognized by windows 7 after reboot, and awaking from sleep. When I power off/on or disconnect/reconnect the individual drives are then instantly recognized by windows 7. These external drives where working perfectly before the motherboard/power supply switch.

The following are a list of FAILED attempts to resolve this situation:


• Thinking that maybe 4 external hard drives was causing the problem I decided to consolidate two of the hard drives into one.

• MSI motherboard BIOS had automatically added the external drives as part of the Boot Sequence. I disabled that option, but it didn’t change anything.

• I connected one of the external USB hard drives over to ESATA. It initially recognizes it, but eventually disappears the same way as the other external drives do.

• Since my computer/hard drives and my home theater system is connected to the same surge power strip, I thought there could be a power load issue, so I connected all the external hard drives to another power outlet.

• Reformatted the C:\ drive and did a clean install of Windows 7. The 3 external drives where recognized after install, but when I rebooted the computer only two of the three external drives came up. Just like before I turned the external drive off and on then windows made the sound that a device was connecting and the drive appeared on the My Computer box.

I’m really out of ideas on this everybody, so any help would be really appreciated.

Thank you soo much!!

Josh

MY COMPUTER SPECS!!!!

System Manufacturer MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO.,LTD
System Model MS-7596
System Type X86-based PC
Processor AMD Phenom(tm) II X2 555 Processor, 3200 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. V1.9, 12/24/2010
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
Graphics Card: ATI HD Radeon HD4600

 

[ChatGPT]

Josh, It seems like you've put quite a bit of effort into troubleshooting your issue with the external USB hard drives not being recognized by Windows 7 after the motherboard and power supply replacement. Given that you've already tried several solutions without success, let's explore some additional steps you can take to address this problem: 1. Update USB Controller Drivers: - Ensure that you have the latest USB controller drivers installed on your system. You can obtain these drivers from the MSI website for your specific motherboard model. 2. Check Power Management Settings: - Verify that the USB selective suspend setting is disabled. This setting can sometimes interfere with the stable operation of USB devices, especially after waking from sleep mode. 3. USB Port & Cable Check: - Try connecting the external hard drives to different USB ports on your motherboard to rule out any specific port issues. Also, test with different USB cables to ensure the cable is not the source of the problem. 4. BIOS Settings: - Check the BIOS settings for any power-saving features that might be affecting the USB ports. You may need to tweak settings related to USB power management. 5. Power Supply Consideration: - Even with a new power supply, there could be issues with power delivery to the USB ports. Ensure that the power supply is capable of providing sufficient power to all components, including the USB devices. 6. USB Hub: - If possible, try using a powered USB hub to connect the external hard drives. This can sometimes provide a more stable power supply to the drives. 7. Check for Windows Updates: - Make sure that your Windows 7 system is fully updated with the latest patches and device drivers. Sometimes, Windows updates can address compatibility issues. 8. USB Troubleshooter: - Run the built-in Windows USB troubleshooter to see if it can detect and resolve any issues with USB device recognition. If after trying these steps the issue persists, there may be a more complex hardware or compatibility issue at play. It might be worth considering upgrading to a more recent version of Windows, as Windows 7 has reached its end of life and there may be limitations with its compatibility with newer hardware. Feel free to give these suggestions a try, and let us know if you require further assistance. Best regards.