usb to sata adapter/drive stops being recognized

[coffeeprogrammer]

Does anyone know what the deal is with hard drives that stop being recognized in Windows connected via USB? The reason I ask is because I would like to start using my TeraByte Imaging software more aggressively so that I can swap out operating systems easier. 1 and 2 terabyte harddrives are so cheap I could just pop one in with a SATA to USB adapter and share it via SMB, but one problem I have with some of the SATA to USB adapters seem to stop being recognized after it sits without any drive activity for a long while. Is it strange because some of my external USB drives that were sold as USB hard drives do not have that problem, but sometime I plug a SATA device in a a SATA to USB adapter and after a while it stops being recognized by Windows and I have to RDP into the computer, which is in my closet and reboot it. It is even more annoying when I forget to check and I have already booted into TeraByte WinPE and then can not connect SMB and have to go to the physical computer to reboot windows. When it happens, the device manager just shows an unrecognized USB device or maybe it was malfunctioning. My hope is that this is due to buying the usb to sata adapter that was cheapest and just spending more money will fix the problem.

I did just ask chatGPT the question below and it gave a long and seemingly useful answer.

If a usb device in Windows is malfunctioning, what APIs can I use to figure out what the problem is between the usb device and communicating with windows? The usb device is a USB to SATA adapter with a hard drive attached.

 

[AlanD]

It may be that the host is powering down the USB port after a period of inactivity. Check the power settings on each USB host and port to see if power-saving is enabled ( I think it is by default). If so, disable it.

 

[coffeeprogrammer]

@AlanD ya I thought of that and I don't think that is it, but that suggestion makes sense.

 

[PHolder]

I think there are some registry entries or something. Maybe this might start you down a path.

https://www.tenforums.com/drivers-hardware/117460-how-make-windows-forget-usb-device-if-i-had-never-plugged.html

 

[G The Brit]

To ensure your drivers are as up to date as possible, use:

Snappy Driver Installer Origin (SDIO)

Snappy Driver Installer Origin – Glenn's Page

www.glenn.delahoy.com

In Windows

Go into Device Management and under:

'Universal Serial Bus controller', right-click each entry > Properties > Power Management

Untick - 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power'

Also in Control Panel>Power Options, whichever power plan you are using 'Put the computer to sleep' to Never.

Click on 'Change advanced power settings'. The Power Options applet will open. For your plan, make sure 'USB selective suspend setting' is set to Disabled.

PCI Express>Link state power Management to OFF.

There are a few Power Management programs that you could try.

Power Plan Manager

GitHub - eliosteva/PowerPlanManager: A small utility that changes Windows PowerPlan depending on user input or running applications.

A small utility that changes Windows PowerPlan depending on user input or running applications. - eliosteva/PowerPlanManager

github.com

Power Plan Switcher

GitHub - SebastianBecker2/PowerPlanSwitcher: Tray-Icon tool to show the currently selected windows power plan, switch it manually and automatically.

Tray-Icon tool to show the currently selected windows power plan, switch it manually and automatically. - SebastianBecker2/PowerPlanSwitcher

github.com

Ultimate Power Assistant

Ultimate Power Assistant - ComputerSluggish

Ultimate Power Assistant Free Power Automation & PC Energy Saver Utility for Windows Take control of your PC’s power and energy settings with this free Windows utility. Automate shutdowns after downloads, manage power plans, prevent ... Read more

computersluggish.com

 

[peterblaise]

Why "... 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' ..." but
also "... 'USB selective suspend setting' is set to Disabled ..." and "... PCI
Express>Link state power Management to OFF ..."

Power off but not power off?

What are the features and benefits being selected here?

 

[G The Brit]

Hey Pete, may be I misunderstand the question. I've only got back in to computers as a hobbyist over the past 16 months so I’m going to be rusty.

The purpose of the settings is to ensure that any USB hubs or PCIe expansion cards that any SATA/USB storage device is connected to are not powered down due to inactivity.

That being said, it's a SMB scenario so this is beyond my technical knowledge.

 

[peterblaise]

"... maybe I misunderstand the question ... The purpose of the settings ​

is to ensure that any USB hubs or PCIe expansion cards that any ​

SATA/USB storage device is connected to are not powered down due to ​

inactivity ..."​

The prior list of recommended settings seems contradictory:

"... 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' ..."​

"... 'USB selective suspend setting' is set to Disabled ..." ​

"... PCI Express>Link state power Management to OFF ..."​

Perhaps the intended transcript is:

"... 'DO NOT Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' ..."​

"... 'USB selective suspend setting' is set to Disabled ..."​

"... PCI Express>Link state power Management to OFF ..."​

​

 

[G The Brit]

"... maybe I misunderstand the question ... The purpose of the settings ​

is to ensure that any USB hubs or PCIe expansion cards that any ​

SATA/USB storage device is connected to are not powered down due to ​

inactivity ..."​

The prior list of recommended settings seems contradictory:

"... 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' ..."​

"... 'USB selective suspend setting' is set to Disabled ..." ​

"... PCI Express>Link state power Management to OFF ..."​

Perhaps the intended transcript is:

"... 'DO NOT Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' ..."​

"... 'USB selective suspend setting' is set to Disabled ..."​

"... PCI Express>Link state power Management to OFF ..."​

​

No it reads correct as the user would see it, Pete.

Go into Device Management and under:

'Universal Serial Bus controller', right-click each entry > Properties > Power Management

Untick - 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power'

Also in Control Panel>Power Options, whichever power plan you are using 'Put the computer to sleep' to Never.

Click on 'Change advanced power settings'. The Power Options applet will open. For your plan, make sure 'USB selective suspend setting' is set to Disabled.

PCI Express>Link state power Management to OFF.

 

[peterblaise]

Yes, documenting our control choices is a mess, considering that
every control seems to be designed by a different person with
different communication or lack of communication criteria.

So your 'no' means 'yes', disallow the allow control for power off,
undoing the power-off so the power-off feature is off, and power-on
is always on.

=8^o

Simple, no?

 

[G The Brit]

Yes, documenting our control choices is a mess, considering that
every control seems to be designed by a different person with
different communication or lack of communication criteria.

So your 'no' means 'yes', disallow the allow control for power off,
undoing the power-off so the power-off feature is off, and power-on
is always on.

=8^o

Simple, no?

You've got it Pete