"Need to format disk J"/connection question

[Jennifer]

Hey Brian -

Recently I have been having problems with what I think is the connection for my external hard drives. One of them is a Dell (made by Seagate) 1 TB - I'll hear a noise (like a 'plink" lol) and then get a pop-up that says I need to format Disk J (or whatever port I have the cable in). And then I'll get a window that says it is searching for content.  I usually just try to cancel out of it and make sure the connection is secure.

It was happening a lot with the ports that are in the front of the tower so I switched it to the port on the monitor. I have the Dell xps8700. I usually keep a couple of different hard drives connected to my computer at all times  - don't want to put them all onto the same external in case something happens to it. I also keep them connected because I have crashplan for backup.

Is it likely that it is the cable or the port that is having a problem?

 

Technology and I do not seem to be getting along these days:(

 

Thanks - jennifer

 

[Brian]

Either the drive isn't getting enough power, OR more than likely it's about ready to die. 

If you are hearing "click-a-thump...plunk...click-a-thump........plunk..." or similar sound, it's not a port problem. It's a drive getting ready die problem. I'd get all your data copied over to a new HD ASAP. 

[Jennifer]

Thanks Brian! I'm not sure I'm hearing the click-a-thump...plunk but don't want to take the chance so I will tco right away.

Edited February 24, 2016 by Jennifer

[Jennifer]

Brian - I just realized this is happening when I am watching a video through VLC. I have some tutorial videos that I keep on my Seagate Barracuda (drive E) and when  I watch them, it makes that noise. It's actually the same noise that happens when I disconnect my Spyder, my external Dell drive, or any external. 

[Brian]

Hmm. Are you using a USB Hub? Does it have its own power? 

[Jennifer]

This is the internal hard drive I installed when I got the system. You actually helped me do it and saved me money by me doing it myself and not having dell do it:)

[Brian]

So you are getting a un-mount chime when you play videos off your internal drive? I'm confused. 

[Jennifer]

I was. I ended up on the phone with dell concierge (and thank you for suggesting I purchase that when I purchased the computer btw) and they went through and did something to the n-vidia graphics card, updated a bunch of stuff and downloaded new drivers. The "unmount chime" seems to have gone away and I am no longer getting the "need to reformat disk J" window. I am really longing for the days, though, when I just had to mix chemicals and breathe them in, in a darkroom, to process my film and makes prints - fed up with this computer crap! Thank you for your help though and now I learnes what that plinking noise is called!

[Brian]

Just think, that support call just paid for itself.  Glad you got it working. 

[Jennifer]