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connecting expansion hard drive to R7000 - only seeing small partition
I have just purchased an expansion hard drive (Seagate, 8 TB) to replace a 4 TB drive that failed. When I plug this new drive directly into a Windows PC and use Computer Management, I can see that it's got a small EFI System Partition (presumably for managing the drive's overhead) and a much larger partition for data. Unfortunately, when I connect it to the R7000 Nighthawk Router (firmware version 1.0.11.134_10.2.119), it only detects the tiny partition of 192 MB and not the big partition I want to use. It is able to view files that I put on it, but has a max capacity of 192 MB.
I didn't have this issue with my old 4TB drive, but I can't recall how I had it partitioned - I might have had it set up as NTFS.
Anyone else run into this issue or have ideas on how to get it to work?
I've attached screen captures showing what happens.
This is how it looks if I connect it directly to a computer's USB port and run Computer Management to view the drive.
I would try and hid the EFI partition on that drive from being seen or that drive needs a full on removal of that partition and re-partitioned so that no EFI partition is seen on that drive.
3 Replies
I would try and hid the EFI partition on that drive from being seen or that drive needs a full on removal of that partition and re-partitioned so that no EFI partition is seen on that drive.
That's likely the correct path, I will try that. Thank you!
I noticed you responded to a previous thing I posted several months ago. I don't seem to be able to update that one, but the solution for me for that issue (internet dropping every day or so) was to reset the router back to the default settings and re-program it. Hasn't given me any trouble since.You were bang on. Removing the EFI partition (using the Windows utility diskpart - in the command prompt - it cannot be done from the disk management panel) - and then formatting the entire drive as NTFS, did the trick. Works like a charm now. I was worried about the handful of files - about 40 MB worth - that Seagate provides with the drive, but I was able to copy those to a computer and save them just in case. I think they're just utilities that I would never use, anyways.
An unexpected bonus - after finishing that job, I took apart the "dead" 4 TB external drive that I was replacing. I removed the case, using a letter opener and a guitar pick. All they are inside is a standard internal SATA desktop hard drive, with an adapter board to support the special USB interface and the power supply. Remove that, and it's just a standard desktop drive. I have a set of cables that serve as a SATA to USB and power supply for internal drives (these are readily available at any computer repair shop). I hooked that up and connected the drive to a computer's USB port. The drive's just fine - all its data was intact. It seems it was the interface board only that had quit working. (it wasn't the power supply - I'd already tried swapping that out for a known good one.) Relieved, as some of the data on that drive wasn't backed up... it will be very soon!