How to Prevent External Hard Drives from Sleeping in Windows 8.1
This is a new problem for me with Win 8.1. For context (though it
shouldn't really matter), I have an external HD enclosure that I use for
media and other stuff that doesn't need to be extra-speedy. It's my
in-case-of-a-flood-grab-this-thing-and-go enclosure, so it has data on it
that I work with throughout the day. The enclosure (like most) has
separate power switch. When the OS turns tells it to go to sleep, it needs
to be physically turned back on. So when Windows tells it to go to sleep,
nothing can access the drives until I push the button.
Anyway.
With Win7 and Win8, some simple adjustments to the power settings to turn
"USB selective suspend setting" off stopped the enclosure and its drives
from going to sleep.
With 8.1, this isn't the case. I believe I've hit all of the obvious power
settings, so looking for something I've missed.
Power settings: USB selective suspend: DISABLED Turn off hard disk after:
NEVER Device manager | all USB Root Hubs | Power Management | Allow My
Computer to Turn Off This Device: DISABLED
I can hack my way around this with an every-10-minute script that writes
and deletes a file to one of the drives, but I'd rather have an answer to
Win 8.1's change to USB power management.
Exact same problem!!!!!
ReplyDeleteEverything worked fine in Win 8, but after update, USB externals go into sleep mode after about 10 min.
Tried EVERY setting in Power setting management. Nothing works. Sigh
Help needed as well
ok.... found a TEMP solution only ...only
ReplyDeleteAfter much searching, I found a Windows 8 program that will send a small write to the drive(s) of your choice to keep drive active. If your drive is sleeping after 5 minutes, set the write to 4 minutes.
Only a temp fix, so will continue with a final solution :)
Program located here. Verified safe to use here
http://keepalivehd.codeplex.com/
Having the same problem. Very irritating.
ReplyDeleteHave the same problem after the 8.1 upgrade, exactly as described above with same software and tried EVERYTHING, including 3 hours getting an external powered hub to be recognized. Will try the solution above. This must be a bug because everything is set as it should be to prevent this.
ReplyDeleteSame problem here
ReplyDeletePossible registry hack solution (depending on your hardware) here:
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/usbcoreblog/archive/2013/11/01/help-after-installing-windows-8-1-my-usb-drive-disappears-or-file-transfers-stop-unexpectedly-r-a-post-title.aspx
As discussed in MS Support Post here:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-hardware/windows-81-causes-external-hard-drives-to-auto/c03b9212-9972-44b9-bfec-1cd7e70ec67e?page=1
Same problem too. It seem that Microsoft engeneers are fall into auto-sleep too.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying this one: http://nosleephd.codeplex.com/releases/view/24052
ReplyDelete