Author Topic: PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected  (Read 6444 times)

jbz

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PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected
« on: April 16, 2010, 09:24:51 PM »
   

I have run into a strange problem. My HP Compaq Pro 6000 PC won't boot to Windows XP if my Buffalo external drive is connected via USB.  It gets stuck at a flashing cursor right after POST. If I disconnect the USB cable, then reboot, Windows starts up fine. I can then plug the USC cable back in and the drive functions perfectly.  These are the steps I took to troubleshoot:

 

  • changed boot sequence in BIOS to have USB devices last (after hard drive)
  • disabled USB devices altogether in the boot sequence
  • installed BIOS update from HP that says it resolves a similar issue regarding PC hanging when certain USB devices are connected
  • tested out different brands of external drives (Maxtor and Seagate) and flash drives and with all of them, the PC boots fine into Windows when connected

So my next stop is here at the manufacturer site of the only external drive that seems to cause the problem.  I was hoping to find a firmware update or something, but there doesn't appear to be one. Has anyone else had this issue with Buffalo drives? Thanks for your time.


AngelsAbys

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Re: PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2010, 07:06:32 AM »

JBZ,

 

    It is not the USB device, the CXU2 units also feature a seperate partition containing a CD image for the install procedure for the unit.  For a successful boot you will either need to remove the unit properly or set your CD boot priority lower in your boot order queue right beside the USB option.


jbz

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Re: PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected
« Reply #2 on: April 19, 2010, 04:16:16 PM »
   

AA - thanks for the reply. That does make sense, though from what I recall I've had Maxtor drives with similar CD image partition and this doesn't occur. I knew the Buffalo drive had that partition, just didn't realize it would come into play in the boot sequence. Thanks for the tip. I'll test it out. Could I format the Buffalo drive and remove that CD partition, thus making it where we don't have to remove the unit each time? It's causing some grief for me when I do updates/backups and I need to either reboot the PC or do a wake on lan.


JoshC

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Re: PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected
« Reply #3 on: April 19, 2010, 04:27:10 PM »

You cannot remove the CDFS partition.


jbz

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Re: PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected
« Reply #4 on: April 19, 2010, 10:25:27 PM »
   

Well as it turns out, the CDFS partition was NOT the issue. I changed the boot order to have the HDD first. I also disabled any USB devices in the boto sequence. Still have the same problem. So there is some weird combination between this HP PC and Buffalo's drive that does not play well together during a start up. Same PC with a bunch of other drives and no issue. I will test attaching the Buffalo to some of my other different model PCs.


batterry

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Re: PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected
« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2010, 12:05:09 PM »
   

We are also having exactly the same problem.  Also have found that if ou do a Ctrl+Alt+del when the bott sequence hangs, the computer will boot, however the Buffalo drive won't start until you unplug it and plug it in again....weird.


bpolky

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Re: PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected
« Reply #6 on: August 05, 2010, 11:20:56 AM »

This post has been removed due to being counter productive to the thread.


Dezza

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Re: PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2010, 07:36:21 PM »

I had the same problem, fixed it by disabling legacy USB support in the BIOS settings.


Cracker

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Re: PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2011, 05:03:38 PM »

I also have the same problem. although my pc (Windows XP) will boot, it takes ages and runs slow. Disconnecting the drive and the pc is well away!  Not tried boot order, although my bios does not recognize USB drives. Have submitted a tech help request to Buffalo and hope they will come up with an answer. Because I couldn't find one in the forum. There is some sort of update, but because my serial number is not recognized I can't download it!.

 

Buffalo help please!!!!!


Jotin

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Re: PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2011, 09:25:31 AM »

Cracker..... This is not something that we can help you with. You need to contact the manufacter of your motheboard and get what is called a BIOS update. Your bios is trying to boot off of the external hard drive and will not allow your continue to boot. There is no firmware update fequired or available on our end. 


Cracker

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Re: PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2011, 07:46:44 AM »

Hi Jotin,

Thanks for the info.  I have actual solved my problem by restoring the PC to an earlier time - 25th January 2011!! In doing so it completed (or removed) the following:

 

Installed Direct X Update

Installed MS KB942288-v3

Installed Driver Detective

Installed ATI Control Centre

Removed Driver Detective

 

I don't know if any of these where preventing the Buffalo disk from working. Any ideas? It may be, in restoring, a driver for the disk was also replaced. All is now well. I do have an update for the bios and have tried several times but it won't flash the new information onto it. I am using both XP and & 7 Ultimate by the way. As in another post I will check the boot order and remove any usb devices. Sorry I can't help others with any ideas.

 

Thanks


Cracker

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Re: PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected
« Reply #11 on: February 16, 2011, 03:11:18 PM »

Further to my last post.The PC worked fine for that day. On switching on again the next day, I find that windows did not regonise my two CD drives. I restored it back just four days. The Buffalo disk now does not work, but my two drives have now reappeared. Plugging in the Buffalo and the PC freezes again. My boot order is now:

 

C Drive

E CD drive

A floppy

 

I can only choose three options, no USB devices.

 

Very weird but frustrating. And this has only occurred in the last few days. Up till then everything was fine.


jvgeli

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Re: PC won't boot with Buffalo HD-CX500U2 connected
« Reply #12 on: May 03, 2011, 08:58:23 AM »

The problem is not the CDFS nor the Hard Drive but the encryption on the drive. Remove encryption and try booting it again. It should work. If it doesnt please hunt me down. hahaha