GoFlex, GoFlex Desk, GoFlex Pro, GoFlex Slim, & GoFlex Turbo

[kenji57]

I had the same issue with having to disconnect and reconnect my external drive to get it to be recognized. The steps below worked for me and I haven't had any trouble with the drive since.

For Windows 7/Vista/XP:

1. Right-click on (My) Computer.
2. Select Manage.
3. Select Device Manager.
4. Click the + sign next to Universal Serial Bus Controllers to expand the menu.
5. Double-click on the first Root Hub you see.
6. Go to the Power tab and see if the drive is connected to it.
   If not, try the next Root Hub.
7. If so, click the Power Management tab.
8. Uncheck the box that says allow computer to turn off this device to save power.

[PeterG]

The solution proposed is a "workaround", even it is removes the problem for some, it does not adress the basic problem i.e. the drives are not USB 3 conformant as is.

Seagate has to fix this, it is not good engineering.

Myself I have a GoFlex Desktop 2Tb which goes to power save despite set to never and cause Windows to claim it is in need of format... never checks out faulty by Seatools or any other ... but still fails me.

Unplug and reinsert... it back...

AND I have set USB power to NOT allow powersave...

So back to the drawingboard Seagate

[RayJMiller]

Alas the solution of setting the USB controller never to power down the drive doesn't work for me. It was one of the first things I tried.

Neither the USB controller setting nor setting the drive itself never to power down seems to work. At any reset, sleep or hibernation, the drive powers down anyway. And then fails to power back up unless either the USB cable is unplugged and replugged or the power cable is unplugged and replugged.

The problem doesn't occur if I connect the drive to a USB 2.0 socket on the computer so it seems specific to USB 3.0 connection. But then, If that was what I wanted, I'd have bought a USB 2.0 drive!!

Doesn't happen with another brand of USB 3.0 external HD that I now use for an ongoing backup so I have to assume it is something in the hardware or firmware of the GoFlex USB 3.0 base.

[AskTheLeaf]

You mentioned in one of your previous posts that you updated the USB driver. How did you go about doing this? Please let me know, as this can be a clue about what's causing the issue. Thank you.

[whitemonarch]

I have exactly the same problem.

Tried to make a forum post but did not get any response back

http://forums.seagate.com/t5/GoFlex-GoFlex-Desk-GoFlex-Pro/GoFlex-3TB-USB-3-0-keeps-disappearing-aft...

Currently, I just try to aviod restart.   Put computer sleep is OK and does not make the drive disappear.

I also set the Hard drive on a 30 minute sleep using the Seagate tool.  The computer can wake the drive from sleep just fine while its running.  You can hear the drive spinning up and the short delay while going through folders and files.  

For some reason, this bizzare disappearing problem only happens after restart/shut down.  Very frustrated.

[RayJMiller]

When I was encountering the problem, I downloaded the latest driver from ASUS for my motherboard, P8H61-M LE/USB 3.0

The updated USB 3.0 Driver is an ASMedia XHCI Controller v 1.14.8.0 but downloading and updating the driver made no difference.

[AskTheLeaf]

Which driver version did you end up installing, 1.14.3.0 driver, or 1.6.3.0?

[RayJMiller]

1.14.3.0

I don't know what the difference is but the previous driver was a 1.14 series and 1.14.3.0 is more recent than the 1.6.3.0

[AskTheLeaf]

Driver version 1.6.3.0 is the more recent one, try downloading it please to see if it improves things.

[RayJMiller]

Driver 1.6.3.0 is dated as 18 March 2011
Driver 1.14.3.0 is dated as 30 January 2012

So I suggest that 1.14.3.0 trumps 1.6.3.0 by a considerable margin!

Anyway, just for fun, I tried it... but it is no better.

I also found a version 1.14.10.0 at http://www.station-drivers.com/page/asmedia.htm but it is no better either. I even updated the motherboard BIOS to the latest version (4203 12 July 2012) to no avail as well.

Given that other USB 3,0 devices behave normally, I can't help but think that it is the GoFlex that is the problem. Especially as others are reporting it who are, presumably, not all using a computer with an identical configuration to mine.