External Hard Drive Archive Bug Thread

Lighten up will ya. I'm sorry if I'm too stupid to understand all the ins and outs with EHD's. I guess we can't all be gurus. If I always believed what the manufacture said I wouldn't be here asking for your advice. But then again I don't automatically discount what they say either. As fast as this field is advancing it shouldn't surprise anybody that a manufacture would design a EHD specifically aimed at DVR Expanding. Perhaps the condisending tone of your responses is the reason more people don't come here seeking advice. When I said that WD recommendes the DVR Expander your response was a snappy PT Barnim reference. Very helpful. When I asked the simple question, "what is the difference between the Expanders and the Elemental" you kind of eluded that they were both Essentials less the Smartware, which of course is not true according to the not to be believed manufacture.
hey easy fella. no one thinks or said you're stupid :) first let me welcome you to satguys since i can see you're pretty new here. you came to the right place for sat info. there are no stupid questions so ask away. :D
 
I don't think you are stupid, just making it a lot more complicated than it has to be. If the WD mybook Elements don't have the smartware(and it doesn't sound like you are comfortable downloading the firmware and disabling this feature) get one. I am sure they will perform much like the Essentials from last year, I have had no problems with WD drives.

I have heard that Seagates work as well, they just need the sleep mode turned off before formatting. I am sure that a single drive of 1.5T or less from ANY reputable drive manufacturer would be ok.
 
Never ending Struggle with the Seagate Drives

OK Guys, I've had problems with my 1TB Seagate and the 622, but I've worked through them. But now, i'm running into a new problem. my hard drive is about 25% full, but all of a sudden, I can't send anything new to the drive. I get the 855 error. I can watch the movies on the hard drive. Any advice?
 
OK Guys, I've had problems with my 1TB Seagate and the 622, but I've worked through them. But now, i'm running into a new problem. my hard drive is about 25% full, but all of a sudden, I can't send anything new to the drive. I get the 855 error. I can watch the movies on the hard drive. Any advice?

From Tech Portal:


Symptom
Error 855

Cause
This message appears if there is a bad external drive, a faulty USB cable, or faulty power cable to the USB device.

Prevention
Verify the cable connections are secure and that the external drive is plugged in.

Troubleshooting

1. Verify all connections are secure on the USB device and receiver.

2. Verify there are no other hard drives or a PocketDISH connected to the second USB port on the receiver.

3. Remove the power cable from the USB device. Wait ten seconds, then plug it back in.

4. Remove the USB cable from the receiver and the USB device, then reconnect it.

5. Power off the receiver and unplug the receiver from the electrical outlet. Wait 15 seconds, plug the receiver back into the electrical outlet and power the receiver on.

6. Try transferring content again. If the problem is not fixed, continue.

7. If the problem persists please contact us or a local independent retailer for additional assistance.
 
Why the agonizing over which drive to buy? A 1T WD drive can be had for less than $100 dollars, it isn't rocket science. They will all work, the ones with smartware need to have it disabled, NO BIG DEAL. You can use one up to 1.5T and they are available for less than $150.

Hope I'm doing this right, I never posted before.

"They will all work" is only partly correct. I have a Seagate Free Agent 1T, which as I've learned is really 2 500 GB drives wired together (which I suspect is the issue for me). I had the "power save" problem others have talked about, but used the drive so infrequently I just unplugged it and plugged it back in when I needed it. Aside from it powering down after a few hours, no problems.

Then, a few weeks ago, as soon as I surpassed 500 GB saved to the drive, The DVR stopped being able to read the drive. Or, more accurately, what was stored on the drive. It can still read the drive (it shows how may GB remain), it can still write to the drive, but it shows 0 GB of shows saved whenever I try to retrieve them. Dish technical assistance, "yeah, we're having a problem with that drive, no solution" (thanks for the warning); Seagate, well, you can guess, less helpful than that (at least the DISH tech was nice about it). So now I've got a pile of junk with 6 months of movies and select shows saved on it that no one call tell me how to get to.

So, stay away from the Seagate 1TB Free Agent. I'm sure it's a fine external drive for computer back-up, but it's a disaster waiting to happen for DVR storage (or at least DISH external storage).

And, if anyone can direct me to a hard drive that they have actually used, that has a demonstrated history of reliability (I prefer 1 TB but will take anything at this point), I'd be very obliged.
 
Hope I'm doing this right, I never posted before.

"They will all work" is only partly correct. I have a Seagate Free Agent 1T, which as I've learned is really 2 500 GB drives wired together (which I suspect is the issue for me). I had the "power save" problem others have talked about, but used the drive so infrequently I just unplugged it and plugged it back in when I needed it. Aside from it powering down after a few hours, no problems.

Then, a few weeks ago, as soon as I surpassed 500 GB saved to the drive, The DVR stopped being able to read the drive. Or, more accurately, what was stored on the drive. It can still read the drive (it shows how may GB remain), it can still write to the drive, but it shows 0 GB of shows saved whenever I try to retrieve them. Dish technical assistance, "yeah, we're having a problem with that drive, no solution" (thanks for the warning); Seagate, well, you can guess, less helpful than that (at least the DISH tech was nice about it). So now I've got a pile of junk with 6 months of movies and select shows saved on it that no one call tell me how to get to.

So, stay away from the Seagate 1TB Free Agent. I'm sure it's a fine external drive for computer back-up, but it's a disaster waiting to happen for DVR storage (or at least DISH external storage).

And, if anyone can direct me to a hard drive that they have actually used, that has a demonstrated history of reliability (I prefer 1 TB but will take anything at this point), I'd be very obliged.

As you said, "stacked" drives will not work. Just get any WD Essential (self-powered) drive. The MAJORITY of us here use them. In my case, I bought and internal WD and put in an aluminum enclosure. Going on three trouble free years.
 
As you said, "stacked" drives will not work. Just get any WD Essential (self-powered) drive. The MAJORITY of us here use them. In my case, I bought and internal WD and put in an aluminum enclosure. Going on three trouble free years.

Thank you. I'm headed out the door now.
 
I should have specified single drive in a single enclosure, which the 1T and 1.5T WD Essentials are, thanks for the clarification. I was not aware that Seagate made a 1T drive that was really 2 500GB drives. I know that the majority of WD drives have been trouble free, my own included(except for the smartware experience).
 
So the WD20EVDS (2TB) drive mentioned by inazsully in post #1296, does it have the Smartware that needs to be disabled?

Has Dish removed the EHD size limit for the 722K?

Thanks.
 
So the WD20EVDS (2TB) drive mentioned by inazsully in post #1296, does it have the Smartware that needs to be disabled?

Has Dish removed the EHD size limit for the 722K?

Thanks.
That drive is a pricey internal HD, not an EHD. "Official" support still at 1.5 T
 
Target now has the WD 1TB on sale for $94.99

Western Digital My Book Essential 1TB External Hard Drive - Black (WDBAAF0010HBK)
List Price: $109.99
You Save: $15.00 (14%)
Our Price: $94.99
store-only._V254053821_.gif
 
I would look/hope for $60 up to $70/TB internal or that plus the cost of a stand or case for a external. So with some research and luck you can do a bit better, but avoid Seagate.
-Ken
 
External Hard Drive Thread

I understand that DISH will be removing the External Hard Drive size limit soon, but I haven't heard when. Have they specified a date yet?

I am considering just getting a WD Essential (self-powered) drive. Is there any reason to wait until DISH officially removes the size limit?

I see several on line dealers listing the My Book Essential 2 TB External hard drive 480 Mbps for about $179. Would that be a good choice?
 
external hard driive glitches

I just left dish network and was a Dr.Dish agent there. Usually there are about 4 common causes for external hard drive issues.
1) an older software version. Go to upgrades, make sure without my permission is checked and it will d/l software automatically when you shut off the rcvr for 1/2 hr.
2) there may be a known issue with your make and model of hard drive. When you call in ask then to check known issues for certain external hard drives.
3) try another USB cable
4) Dish may have released a new software version to correct some other glitch and it is causing this glitch.

Ask the agent on the phone if they can't fix it if they are a Dr.Dish agent, if not ask for a transfer to Dr.Dish. They MUST resolve the issue. you either get a tech to go out or get another receiver .You can also go to the dish website and see what issues there are with certain hard drives.
I am not a dish customer due to trees everywhere even though I worked there.
When I just went tothe website and clicked on DVR rcvrs it doesn't show the 622 anymore.
If you threaten to cnacel they would have to transfer you to a loyalty[winback agent] for a free upgrade to a 722 which is less likely to have the glitch that the 622 does, however as a Dr.Dish agent, I had the authority to waive the upgrade price and send you a 722 instead. So try pursuing those options.
I hope this helped.
Hank
 
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1.5T EHD on VIP211K gets error 955

I purchased a VIP211K a few weeks ago and it has been working fine. Just got a WD Elements 1.5T EHD and upon plugging it in, got a message that the 211K was checking for compatibility and then error 955 that the drive has to be between 50GB and 1TB. Any thoughts? Anyone have a 1.5T working on a 211K?

Thanks.
 
Another cause I just discovered...Power Supply. I bought two same enclosures, but only use one. So, I put one PS at each 722 so as not to unplug all the time. One started not recognizing the EHD even though power light was on.. Switched out PS and it worked.
 
I purchased a VIP211K a few weeks ago and it has been working fine. Just got a WD Elements 1.5T EHD and upon plugging it in, got a message that the 211K was checking for compatibility and then error 955 that the drive has to be between 50GB and 1TB. Any thoughts? Anyone have a 1.5T working on a 211K?

Thanks.

Update. I opened the case and it contains a single drive, so that is not the issue. Also, the 211K is set to update automatically in the wee hours.
 
Sometimes you need to power cycle the EHD for it to be recognized.

Another annoyance is that with an EHD powered it takes 20 minute or more to start the nightly reboot. So pull the power or USB when done for the night or it will cycle the EHD for that whole time. And be sure to leave at least 30 minutes after the nightly and before the next recording.

This is minor compared to the loss of recordings.
-Ken
 

Multiple Hoppers and timers

OTA module troubles

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