Computer won't start with external hard drive connected?

themighty · 03-15-2009, 03:16 PM

I recently bought a 1TB MyBook, and converted it from fat32 to NTFS. Now, when I start up the computer with the hard drive connected, the computer will not boot and stays on a black screen. The only way of getting the computer to start is by unplugging the hard drive and turning the computer off and on again. Can anybody help? I'm running Vista 32, and my previous hard drive, a Maxtor, works fine when I turn the computer on.

3uL · 03-15-2009, 04:20 PM

It try to find OS in the external drive. Go bios and set your OS harddrive as first boot device.

**Aastii** · 03-15-2009, 04:26 PM

Go to the bios (look below for how to do it if you don't know) and go to the boot tab. Go to device priority and then make sure it is: cd then hard drive then external. Try booting now.

To go to the bios when you turn on the computer there will be a black screen with white writing. press del. key while it is on the screen. You may have to repeatedly press it until it comes on. Some motherboards need you to press an f key to go to the bios, i think it is f8. It will say at the bottom of this black screen the key.

themighty · 03-15-2009, 04:55 PM

I went to the bios, which was F2 on my computer, and then went to the boot section, and my devices are already listed as - 1st - CDROM, 2nd - Hard Disk, 3rd - Removable, 4th - Network. Under "Hard Disk Boot Priority" it has "ST336032OAS", but I'm not sure what that means. This is all with the external hard drive not connected to the computer. When I connect the hard drive in when already in the bios, the computer freezes again, and I can't access the bios if the hard drive is already connected when I start the computer, as the screen freezes at the "Packard Bell" page. Any ideas what I should do?

**Aastii** · 03-15-2009, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by themighty

I went to the bios, which was F2 on my computer, and then went to the boot section, and my devices are already listed as - 1st - CDROM, 2nd - Hard Disk, 3rd - Removable, 4th - Network. Under "Hard Disk Boot Priority" it has "ST336032OAS", but I'm not sure what that means. This is all with the external hard drive not connected to the computer. When I connect the hard drive in when already in the bios, the computer freezes again, and I can't access the bios if the hard drive is already connected when I start the computer, as the screen freezes at the "Packard Bell" page. Any ideas what I should do?

The socket you are using to connect the drive, is it USB and also is it on the front/top of your computer?

3uL · 03-15-2009, 06:07 PM

If I not wrong, 'ST336032OAS' is one of the seagate harddisk.
Change the harddisk boot priority to your os harddisk.

themighty · 03-15-2009, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aastii

The socket you are using to connect the drive, is it USB and also is it on the front/top of your computer?

It's connected to the front of the computer using USB, but I also tried connecting it to the back and the same thing happened.

To 3uL: When I go to the properties of my C drive, which is where my OS is located, it says under hardware 'ST336032OAS ATA Device', so I'm guess thats the same on.

themighty · 03-15-2009, 09:15 PM

I've been looking around, and some people are saying that switching off USB Legacy support, but I can't find the option under the bios on my Packard Bell.

3uL · 03-16-2009, 01:28 AM

Better don't switch it off or else usb 1.1 device will not function.
Have you change harddisk boot priority??

vnvnvn2000 · 03-16-2009, 01:56 PM

Disconnect the external drive and reboot. Enter the BIOS setup and navigate to the setup priority (or setup order) screen.

While some BIOS's will tell the difference, some versions think a USB drive is a CD and will attempt to boot from it if CD is first in boot order (sometimes a manufacturer will leave it first after the machine setup). Make sure the hard drive is first in boot order, save, then try again.

03-15-2009, 03:16 PM	#1
themighty Byte Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 25	Computer won't start with external hard drive connected? I recently bought a 1TB MyBook, and converted it from fat32 to NTFS. Now, when I start up the computer with the hard drive connected, the computer will not boot and stays on a black screen. The only way of getting the computer to start is by unplugging the hard drive and turning the computer off and on again. Can anybody help? I'm running Vista 32, and my previous hard drive, a Maxtor, works fine when I turn the computer on.

03-15-2009, 04:20 PM	#2
3uL Kilobyte Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 365	It try to find OS in the external drive. Go bios and set your OS harddrive as first boot device. __________________ AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ 3GB Kingston DDR2 800 80GB+320GB Western Digital HD Gainward ATI Radeon HD3850 512MB DDR3 Gigabyte Superb 550 PSU

03-15-2009, 04:26 PM	#3
Aastii Zettabyte Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: St Helens, UK Posts: 12,735	Go to the bios (look below for how to do it if you don't know) and go to the boot tab. Go to device priority and then make sure it is: cd then hard drive then external. Try booting now. To go to the bios when you turn on the computer there will be a black screen with white writing. press del. key while it is on the screen. You may have to repeatedly press it until it comes on. Some motherboards need you to press an f key to go to the bios, i think it is f8. It will say at the bottom of this black screen the key. __________________ Main: Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3 \|\|Intel i5 3570K\|\|2x4GB G.Skill Ripjaws 1600MHz\|\|HIS Radeon HD7970\|\|2 x 240GB Intel 330 RAID 0 + 1TB Storage\|\|Asus Xonar D2X \|\|Corsair HX+ 750W\|\|Windows 7 Professional x64 Server: Gigabyte G41MT-S2P \|\|Intel Q6600\|\|2x2GB Corsair XMS3 1600MHz\|\|60GB OCZ Vertex 2 + 320GB WD Caviar Blue + 2x2TB WD Caviar Green RAID1\|\|Antec Earthwatts 380W\|\|Windows Server 2008 R2

03-15-2009, 06:07 PM	#6
3uL Kilobyte Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 365	If I not wrong, 'ST336032OAS' is one of the seagate harddisk. Change the harddisk boot priority to your os harddisk. __________________ AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ 3GB Kingston DDR2 800 80GB+320GB Western Digital HD Gainward ATI Radeon HD3850 512MB DDR3 Gigabyte Superb 550 PSU

03-16-2009, 01:28 AM	#9
3uL Kilobyte Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 365	Better don't switch it off or else usb 1.1 device will not function. Have you change harddisk boot priority?? __________________ AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ 3GB Kingston DDR2 800 80GB+320GB Western Digital HD Gainward ATI Radeon HD3850 512MB DDR3 Gigabyte Superb 550 PSU

03-15-2009, 04:55 PM	#4
themighty Byte Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 25	I went to the bios, which was F2 on my computer, and then went to the boot section, and my devices are already listed as - 1st - CDROM, 2nd - Hard Disk, 3rd - Removable, 4th - Network. Under "Hard Disk Boot Priority" it has "ST336032OAS", but I'm not sure what that means. This is all with the external hard drive not connected to the computer. When I connect the hard drive in when already in the bios, the computer freezes again, and I can't access the bios if the hard drive is already connected when I start the computer, as the screen freezes at the "Packard Bell" page. Any ideas what I should do?

03-15-2009, 09:15 PM	#8
themighty Byte Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 25	I've been looking around, and some people are saying that switching off USB Legacy support, but I can't find the option under the bios on my Packard Bell.

03-16-2009, 01:56 PM	#10
vnvnvn2000 Bit Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 3	Disconnect the external drive and reboot. Enter the BIOS setup and navigate to the setup priority (or setup order) screen. While some BIOS's will tell the difference, some versions think a USB drive is a CD and will attempt to boot from it if CD is first in boot order (sometimes a manufacturer will leave it first after the machine setup). Make sure the hard drive is first in boot order, save, then try again. __________________ Personal Care Deals

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