Hopper won't recognize my external hard drives

[MikeD-C05]

There has been a problem with my external hard drive being recognized since I got latest software S515 on December 5th. At first I could reset the hopper and it would once again see it and work. This week it didn't see my external hard drive at all and the drive didn't light up. So I plugged in my older hard drive that had been on my 2nd account for my parents-they never used it much anyway. It recognized it and then asked to reformat it -since it was associated with another DISH account. I hit yes and it worked and I transferred some Christmas shows to it and it worked. I then unconnected it and plugged in my original hard drive and watched a movie from it. I have like 200 movies on that one. Then the next day it was once again not seeing my hard drive. I tried all three different resets and it failed to recognize any hard drive. I unplugged the hard drive and then waited till today and plugged it back in and still no recognition of either hard drive. I plugged in the usb plug to my front usb port ,just to see if it would see it and no go. So now I figure it has to be the hopper itself ,even though it is only about 7 months old. So my next step is to start the tech call and get my hopper replaced since it no longer sees any external hard drive at all.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I have to add that the hopper used to when you plug in the external hard drive or unplug it , the message screen will pop up saying : "you plugged in a usb device" or "you unplugged a usb device." This message no longer comes up at all. This change started yesterday morning. So I guess even the hopper can have a usb port failure? My ota usb tuner still works ,but I haven't moved it to another usb port since it worked before on either front usb or back usb ports. That and when you unplug the usb ota tuner it forces the receiver to reboot every time.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

I've had this problem for several months now, on my Hopper 2K. The EHD used to work, then one day it stopped being recognized. I've tried all available USB ports, even the front one.

OTA still works, and it's not a problem with the EHD because I've also tried a backup drive I had, with no luck. These EHDs are recognized when I connect them to a laptop....

 

[KAB]

Are you using a non-powered hub by any chance. I had that problem.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Mine is a powered hub. Sling adapter is plugged into it as well, and is working OK...

 

[MikeD-C05]

Are you using a non-powered hub by any chance. I had that problem.

My Seagate hard drives are plugged into the wall and both were working till this update ,sporadically the last few weeks and now this week not at all.

 

[lucky86]

Sounds like software. I would report it and sit tight. I've seen this happen before.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I called DISH and he made me try every port on the hopper with sling. It didn't recognize either hard drive on any port . No message popups when it was connected or unconnected after every type of reset. So the tech did a rehit for the external hard drive and it made no difference. So he ordered another hopper to replace this one. I guess the software update fracked my external hard drive or the ability for the hopper to recognize them.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Sounds like software. I would report it and sit tight. I've seen this happen before.

The tech said it couldn't be the software ,but I have seen software break some receivers before in the past ,so I think this is definitely caused by the software. Before the 5th of December this month, I had NO problems with my external hard drive being seen or used. Since the 5th is has been nothing but sporadic recognition and now none at all. The usb ports did work with the ota usb tuner ,no matter which one I plugged it into ,but no usb port could see either external hard drive .

 

[KAB]

My Seagate hard drives are plugged into the wall and both were working till this update ,sporadically the last few weeks and now this week not at all.

So were mine. It still could have trouble communicating if it is connected to Hopper with some non-powered hub.

 

[KAB]

On a separate note I had the same problem with a 722. Got a replacement. Still no go. Turned out to be a bad EHD power supply.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

That's probably why the Dish CSR had me connect my drives to a laptop, to make sure another device could recognize it...

 

[kwindrem]

... This week it didn't see my external hard drive at all and the drive didn't light up.

If the light on the drive doesn't light up, chances are it's an issue with the drive or it's power supply. If you have one, try a different drive power supply.

As another poster suggested, try plugging the drives into a computer. The computer most likely won't recognize the file system and ask if you want to reformat it (SAY NO!!!) but the computer should at least recognize the drive.

If you have a unix OS of some flavor, you should be able to look at the file system and do disk integrity tests/repairs.

 

[MikeD-C05]

On a separate note I had the same problem with a 722. Got a replacement. Still no go. Turned out to be a bad EHD power supply.

I'll check the power cord tomorrow when I get time and see if that is the issue.

 

[MikeD-C05]

If the light on the drive doesn't light up, chances are it's an issue with the drive or it's power supply. If you have one, try a different drive power supply.

As another poster suggested, try plugging the drives into a computer. The computer most likely won't recognize the file system and ask if you want to reformat it (SAY NO!!!) but the computer should at least recognize the drive.

If you have a unix OS of some flavor, you should be able to look at the file system and do disk integrity tests/repairs.

Well my main hard drive doesn't light up when it is connected to the hopper after yesterday and the 2nd hard drive does light up ,but neither one is being seen by the hopper and their is no longer any message about unplugging a usb device or plugging one in. This stopped today as well. But I will check the power cord and see if that is the problem tomorrow like Kab suggested. If that is indeed the problem , I can just refuse the replacement hopper when it comes in.

 

[KAB]

I'll check the power cord tomorrow when I get time and see if that is the issue.

It would not be the cord...the brick, regardless of if it powers up or not.

 

[MikeD-C05]

It would not be the cord...the brick, regardless of if it powers up or not.

I replaced the power cord and the usb cord with a second one that I had and tried it on both hard drives and rebooted the receiver and now nothing lights up on either hard drive. So my replacement hopper is coming today by UPS. IF it works with the new hopper then I will know I was right and the old hopper is crapping out. The bad thing is that I can't transfer anything on my hopper to the external hard drive ,so I will lose every thing on it when I switch. The good thing is that I can back up everything ( preferences, timers, ota channel selection)on my remote control and just restore it on the new one with little effort.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

I replaced the power cord and the usb cord with a second one that I had and tried it on both hard drives and rebooted the receiver and now nothing lights up on either hard drive. So my replacement hopper is coming today by UPS. IF it works with the new hopper then I will know I was right and the old hopper is crapping out. The bad thing is that I can't transfer anything on my hopper to the external hard drive ,so I will lose every thing on it when I switch. The good thing is that I can back up everything ( preferences, timers, ota channel selection)on my remote control and just restore it on the new one with little effort.

That's what's holding me back right now from either getting a "new" H2K or upgrading to the w/Sling....

 

[KAB]

I replaced the power cord and the usb cord with a second one that I had and tried it on both hard drives and rebooted the receiver and now nothing lights up on either hard drive. So my replacement hopper is coming today by UPS. IF it works with the new hopper then I will know I was right and the old hopper is crapping out. The bad thing is that I can't transfer anything on my hopper to the external hard drive ,so I will lose every thing on it when I switch. The good thing is that I can back up everything ( preferences, timers, ota channel selection)on my remote control and just restore it on the new one with little effort.

I still don't think you understand. It's NOT THE CORD. It would be a problem with the circuitry in the BRICK.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I still don't think you understand. It's NOT THE CORD. It would be a problem with the circuitry in the BRICK.

When you say the Brick ,what are you talking about Kab?