{"id":717,"date":"2013-03-01T00:30:09","date_gmt":"2013-02-28T22:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.npcglib.org\/~stathis\/blog\/?p=717"},"modified":"2014-05-05T12:25:51","modified_gmt":"2014-05-05T10:25:51","slug":"hardware-problem-western-digital-my-passport-usb-3-0-disconnects-randomly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.npcglib.org\/~stathis\/blog\/2013\/03\/01\/hardware-problem-western-digital-my-passport-usb-3-0-disconnects-randomly\/","title":{"rendered":"hardware problem [solved]: Western Digital My Passport USB 3.0 disconnects randomly"},"content":{"rendered":"
\nUPDATE [05 May 2014]<\/b>: therealone<\/em><\/strong>, a user over at WDC Forums has posted a registry fix<\/a> that Fresco Logic sent him. I have mirrored it here<\/a>, in case the original file disappears. I have installed it along with the latest Fresco Logic USB3 drivers v3.5.106.0, which seems to work quite well. Note that my drive still disconnected<\/strong><\/em> a couple of times, however only when the computer it was attached to was left for hours unattended and certainly not while in use.<\/p>\n

I must also note that I have emailed Fresco Logic support twice at the beginning of 2014, asking them for information, a fix or comment, but they have not replied, or chose to ignore my email. Therefore I find their poor support disproportional to the problems their bugs have caused to unsuspecting users. Make what you want of it.<\/p>\n

Registry fix for Windows – Quick Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n

(a) Upgrade the firmware of your WD Passport via the Firmware Updater.<\/a><\/p>\n

(b) Download and install the latest FL USB3 drivers. I obtained mine from the FL support web page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(c) Download, decompress the Fresco Logic registry fix<\/a>. Insert the fix into your registry, by double clicking it on windows. This registry fix only inserts a key used by the FL driver to disable the U1\/U2 power states I think, but you are using this at your own risk<\/em>.<\/p>\n

(d) Please take a moment and thank therealone<\/em><\/strong> for obtaining and posting this fix!!<\/a><\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Attention: If the registry fix does not fix it for you, read and follow the rollback instructions to an older driver.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nUPDATE [26 Aug 2013]<\/b>: WD is providing firmware updates for various drives exhibiting the connect\/disconnect problem (thanks Boostland<\/a> for pointing this out). Firmware updates for My Passport drives can be found under the WD Support pages, for Windows<\/a> and Mac<\/a>, respectively. Read the release notes and perform the relevant update. Please, leave a comment if the firmware works for you with some information of your configuration, a lot of people come here in search for a solution! What is the USB 3.0 controller drivers you are using? Did you downgrade to those I suggest in my post here?\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

I recently bought a WD My Passport 1TB USB 3.0 Portable<\/a> hard drive, which had an awesome price tag attached for the space it provides. However, within minutes of use under Windows 7 (64-bit), the drive started to disconnect and reconnect randomly making it almost impossible to use. For the record I have an AsRock G41MH\/USB3<\/a> motherboard that has a Fresco Logic FL1000 USB 3.0 controller, which provides a single USB 3.0 port. The drive worked just fine on a USB 2.0 port, albeit at the expense of speed of course.<\/p>\n

Round 1. Contact Western Digital Support<\/h3>\n

My first reaction was to contact WD. I thought that if there is a problem with the drive, they most likely know it already. They suggested to install WD SmartWare and manage the sleeping cycles. Unfortunately, installing WD SmartWare didn’t do the trick. I am actually uncertain why one has to install a backup utility to regulate sleeping cycles. I left SmartWare on my system for now. Support also suggested that I disable any Legacy USB 3.0 support in my BIOS, which I did. No improvement, my passport is disconnecting continuously. I see various posts on the WDC community forums (1<\/a>) suggesting that there is a problem with power and potentially the cable shipped with the drive. It even appears that WD sends out a power cable to users affected. <\/p>\n

Round 2. Try it on another computer<\/h3>\n

I didn’t have a second cable and although my power supply is a Corsair HX850<\/a> I thought I should try it on another computer before going any further. I took the drive at work, where my workstation has an Asus P6X58D Premium<\/a>, with a NEC USB 3.0 controller. The drive works flawlessly! That rules out a problem with the drive or the cable and points the finger at my machine at home.<\/p>\n

Round 3. Contact AsRock Support<\/h3>\n

Back home, my power supply is 850W which should provide enough power, so I thought my motherboard may be faulty or it needs a BIOS update, or something similar. If it’s my motherboard, then AsRock support must know something about it, right? I contact them and they suggest to me to check the jumpers on my motherboard and set the voltage of the USB port to +5V. I switched all jumpers to +5V, but the drive still disconnects. <\/p>\n

Round 4. Software tweaking hell<\/h3>\n

I read on the web that there are software tweaks about this, particularly power options under Windows 7. I disable USB sleeping on Windows ( Control Panel > Power Options > Balanced > Change plan settings > Change advanced power setting > USB setting > USB selective suspend setting > Disabled ), but this does not fix my problem either, as user Ayssl3<\/a> claims.<\/p>\n

Round 5. Contact AsRock Support (again)<\/h3>\n

I respond to AsRock support and they tell me to search and update to the latest Fresco FL1000 USB3.0 driver on Windows. I do that. I apparently managed to find v3.5.93.0 of the driver at http:\/\/www.station-drivers.com\/page\/fresco_logic.htm<\/a> which was the latest and very new (dated 2\/11\/2012). So I install the driver, but the problem isn’t going away!!<\/p>\n

Round 6. Looking for a solution<\/h3>\n

I go back to searching the web and I stumble upon a great post by kyroguy<\/a> at the WDC forums. This is it. I most likely have to downgrade my Fresco Logic drivers! <\/p>\n

Round 7. Driver Trial Galore<\/h3>\n

I started trying out various Fresco Logic drivers I could get my hands on. I have tried, without success, versions: 3.5.93.0, 3.5.88.0, 3.5.73.0, 3.5.46.0, 3.5.30.0, 3.5.24, 3.5.2.0. Version 3.5.24 seemed to be working, but when I pushed the drive by transferring lots of data simultaneously, the device disconnected. <\/p>\n

I must note that I have tried unsuccessfully to locate driver 3.5.20.0 that kyroguy<\/a> reported as working. <\/p>\n

Round 8. Solved!<\/h3>\n

I have contacted AsRock Support (yet again) and these guys have been great in sending me driver v3.0.100.58<\/a> which actually works!! To save the day for anyone with the same problem I have made a backup of this working driver<\/a>!<\/p>\n

I shall note here for the record that another user Mikael P. posts here<\/a> that he has also had success with the v3.0.100.58.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UPDATE [05 May 2014]: therealone, a user over at WDC Forums has posted a registry fix that Fresco Logic sent him. I have mirrored it here, in case the original file disappears. I have installed it along with the latest Fresco Logic USB3 drivers v3.5.106.0, which seems to work quite well. Note that my drive […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7],"tags":[51,54,52,53,50],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n