Laptop will not power up with new USB 3 HDD attached

ShortWarning · 27 Apr 2012 at 09:43

I've just bought a new 2tb USB 3 Seagate expansion HDD.

If the HDD is plugged in when I try to boot my laptop (xps17), the laptop powers on for a couple of seconds then powers off (no POST).

If I boot up my laptop with it disconnected then connect it while in Windows it all works perfectly.

I thought maybe it was a power issue (even though the HDD has its own power supply) so I removed all other USB devices leaving only the HDD connected and I still had the same problem.

So with nothing but the HDD connected, no boot.
With everything but the HDD connected, boots fine.
Everything works fine if the HDD is connected after booting into windows (7 x64).

Any ideas?

Ta.

AtaRo · 27 Apr 2012 at 10:00

Disable Legacy USB support in BIOS if available.
This stops detection of USB storage devices during boot up.

ShortWarning · 27 Apr 2012 at 10:02

Thanks, I will give this a go. However, If I leave my 500gb USB 2 Maxtor drive plugged in it boots fine. (Sorry, I should have mentioned that in my first post).

Renton · 27 Apr 2012 at 10:12

Had this problem with one of my external drives and for some reason when it was plugged in it went to the top of the "boot priority" list in the bios.

Was as simple as choosing my internal HD as number one on the list and saving the settings to solve it.

That was on a desktop but I cant see it being much different for a laptop

ShortWarning · 27 Apr 2012 at 10:32

The thing is, I won't be able to get into the BIOS while the HDD is plugged in because it doesn't even POST.

AtaRo · 27 Apr 2012 at 10:36

Wow are you that thick then unplug it first.

Renton · 27 Apr 2012 at 11:16

AtaRo said:
Wow are you that thick then unplug it first.

lol, easy tiger!

Shotwarning, unplug your device enter bios (probly delete key during post) and just change your boot priority to your internal hdd. Quite often its default is CD drive or something like that so your external drive takes the place of this causeing no boot.

AtaRo · 27 Apr 2012 at 11:29

lol, was a bit annoyed by that tongue icon from the op.

bledd · 27 Apr 2012 at 11:32

Leave out the digs..

ShortWarning · 27 Apr 2012 at 11:34

AtaRo said:
Wow are you that thick then unplug it first.

Well I figured without the USB drive plugged in the HDD wouldn't be detected in the boot priority list as it would not be detected by the BIOS.

I will check the boot priority when I get home but the above concern still stands.

mame · 27 Apr 2012 at 11:35

I think it will be the boot prority. I've had this with even just a mobile phone plugged in

Werewolf · 27 Apr 2012 at 11:38

It could just be the bios can't recognise the controller for the USB drive, and is getting confused, stalling the boot process (I've had that with a scanner plugged into the motherboard).

ShortWarning · 27 Apr 2012 at 11:55

mame said:
I think it will be the boot prority. I've had this with even just a mobile phone plugged in

But I do not have the same problem with my other USB HDD plugged in, that's why I'm not convinced this is the problem.

Werewolf said:
It could just be the bios can't recognise the controller for the USB drive, and is getting confused, stalling the boot process (I've had that with a scanner plugged into the motherboard).

That sounds plausible. I wonder if a BIOS update may help (if available).

To be honest, I don't really mind having to unplug the HDD every time I boot I would just like to get to the bottom of the problem to put my mind at ease.

ShortWarning · 2 May 2012 at 10:10

Over the weekend I updated my BIOS and checked the boot priority (my M4 is the primary boot device). Still no deal.

Could it be that the HDD is drawing too much power on boot up? I'd be surprised as it has its own power supply.