922 EHD problem

[TheKrell]

If you plug it into your computer running Linux (I tried this using Fedora 15), it will automount the partitions and show (1) you their contents. It will not otherwise mess with the data.

Note 1) You can see folders such as DishArc and lost+found, and you can see subfolders within DishArc and files within folders, such as the program data in files called tsp. But you will not be able to play them back on the PC because they're encrypted.

 

[JeffN9]

If you plug it into your computer running Linux (I tried this using Fedora 15), it will automount the partitions and show (1) you their contents. It will not otherwise mess with the data.

Note 1) You can see folders such as DishArc and lost+found, and you can see subfolders within DishArc and files within folders, such as the program data in files called tsp. But you will not be able to play them back on the PC because they're encrypted.

You're way over my head. I don't have Linux or Fedora 15 just your basic computer running Windows Vista. I have the same model WD Essential 2.0 EHD connected to the computer that I use for extra storage. When I clicked on the menu for that it brought up several Smartware settings including the sleep timer so I know that is built in to this particular model. Sounds like though if I plug in to the computer the one I have currently connected to the 922 bad things will happen to my recordings. I have no desire to watch any of the stuff on my computer only to turn off the sleep timer. I do know that WD makes some drives including the one they call the DVR Expander without the Smartware installed. It appears that if you buy one of the models that have the software(like I did unknowingly) you must disable the sleep timer with your computer BEFORE you plug it into the DVR. I believe that I did read that in another thread somewhere but it was of course after I started having problems.

 

[garygaryj]

Jeff,
Since I have a very similar WD drive like yours, I wrote to the WD support group, and asked them if they had a way for the 'sleep' feature to be changed (1) if it is used for DVR EHD, and (2) if there are already DVR recordings on it. I got back an answer this morning which basically says:

a) "We apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused you. We support the use of the My Book Essential USB 2.0/3.0 in computers running Windows or Mac and its power saving features are designed to work in a computer. The drive may work connected to a DVR receiver but we do not support it or guarantee its performance."

b) "We have an specific product designed to be used with DVR receivers, it its called My Book AV DVR Expander. You may contact your DVR service provider to verify compatibility with your DVR's model."

So... we're back to Fedora as the only option, I think. I do have a copy of it on my iMac, but I'm not sure I want to risk my EHD recordings to give it a try. For me, I really don't mind that it goes to sleep most of the time, and for me, most of the time it is represented in the drop-down on my DVR button. But maybe once/week it disappears, and I just basically wait til the next day and the overnight update reboot makes it appear again.

 

[JeffN9]

Gary, thanks for your research. When I bought my EHD it was only after I read several threads that said any drive would work and most were using and recommending WD. In fact Dish was recommending WD on their website with no warning about avoiding models with a sleep timer. It was long after I starting using it on my 622(which never had any problems) that I started reading about sleep timer issues with most of those involving Seagate EHD's. Seems like you can do all the research in the world and still have surprises.

 

[JeffN9]

Update

My 922 has been seeing the EHD without any problems now for almost a month. And no I didn't connect the EHD to my computer and turn off the sleep mode. I'm hoping that one of the nightly updates contained a fix for the problem. I don't think there has been a full software update for a while.

I'm cautiously optimistic enough to have purchased a 2nd EHD(WD Element 2tb, $79.99 Newegg) and a hub that I will be connecting this weekend. We'll see how that goes

 

[JeffN9]

Update 2

Connecting a 2nd EHD that does not have the sleep timer using a powered hub did not take care of the problem. The my 922 tab still disappears from time to time. I guess it's new receiver time.

 

[garygaryj]

Jeff,

Personally, I still just have the on EHD similar to yours, and mine also has not had much trouble disappearing - maybe only once in the last month. I advise waiting on any quick decisions. Reading all of the remarks, it seems like we are due for the next 922 software release sometime in mid-October, which will have the Blockbuster connection, as well as other improvements. So, why don't we just wait for that to come out. No sense in trading hardware when it is the software that is the issue. Perhaps they will fix this in the next release.

 

[JeffN9]

Too late, I already have a replacement 922 on the way. I was tired of dealing with the problem. Since very few people have reported this issue I would be surprised if they created a software fix just for that. I suppose it could be related to some other instability issues but who knows.


My hope is that the new receiver will take care of this and not have more problems than my current one.

 

[garygaryj]

Well, we will be a good test of both ways, then. Will be interesting to see what happens. Please let us know your results! (And I will post mine here, too.)

 

[JeffN9]

UPDATE 3

Got the replacement 922 all set up and working. I waited a few days for all the "bugs" to work themselves out before I plugged the EHD's in. Everything seemed fine at first. The receiver recognized the two EHD's on the powered hub right away without having to go through the plug in/out tricks that I had to do when I first got the 2nd EHD and hub. Then on day 4 or 5 I went into the DVR and NO my 922 tab, arrrgh! Sooo, the receiver apparently was not the problem as I had assumed.

I have now disconnected the older EHD (WD Essential 1tb) from the hub to see if the newer 2tb Element will stay connected, which I should have tried before. So far, so good but it's wait and see. My guess now is that those folks who chimed in about the sleep timer were probably on the mark although I still don't understand why it worked fine most of the time and only occasionally goofed up.

I can't wait for the told you so's.

Jeff

 

[garygaryj]

I'm glad you tried, and gives more information, and glad you posted, Jeff. It *is* curious.
Are you saying you now have both EHD's plugged-in but connected only the newer non-timer EHD first, and then plugged the second one in, so that would be recognized as a secondary?

Again - still my 922 and timer-EHD show up each day, but sometimes I think that is only because the system resets every night (unless there is a recording event going on during the reset time.)
I still look forward to the new software coming ... in November now? We'll see.

- Gary J.

 

[JeffN9]

I only have the newer EHD with no sleep timer software (WD Element) plugged into the hub right now. I don't think it would matter if I plugged in the WD Essential back in now as the 2nd unit because it would still goof up eventually. The reason I know that is when both were plugged in they would occasionally swap positions on their own. I never knew which was which until I checked the available space. When the Essential showed as device 2 the my 922 tab still disappeared.

 

[BobaBird]

Was this happening prior to the S115 software?

 

[kwindrem]

Here's some more information:

I have a WD My Book Mirror Edition 2 TB (RAID 1) connected to my 922. It does sleep but the DVR 922/ext menu never goes away. If the drive is sleeping it takes 5-10 seconds to begin playing a program that's on the external drive but I don't experience any delays displaying the program list.

I tried connecting two drives via a cheep hub and the WD drive had problems connecting. In fact, plugging the other drive into the hub forced the WD to disconnect and sleep. I tried a different hub and everything worked fine so you might experiment with another hub.

I connected the WD to my Mac. It asked me if I wanted to Initialize it but said no so there's no automatic formatting. So I don't think there is any danger in connecting the drive to a computer as long as you don't allow it to format.

I installed WD Drive Manager and it sees the drive and provides status even though the drive isn't mounted. Again, an attempt to configure the drive (change from RAID mode, etc.) is protected by a warning that all data will be lost.

There does not appear to be any way to disable sleep from the WD utilities at least on a Mac. I had the drive connected to my Mac for more than the 10 minutes it's supposed to take for the drive to sleep and it did not. So it's possible the 922 is asking the drive to sleep?!

 

[JeffN9]

Was this happening prior to the S115 software?

Yes it's been going on since I got the 922 last March. The same drive used on the 622 I had before that never had any problems.

 

[JeffN9]

The saga continues...

This morning I went into the DVR and NO my 922 tab again. The 2tb WD Element is the only drive I have connected (via hub) right now. According to WD's website the Element series does not have the WD Smartware like the Essentials do. So without the Smartware there should be no sleep timer, right? That is what I thought I've read somewhere. If that is correct then the sleep timer should be a non issue at this point. I suppose it could be the hub and will try bypassing that but it's like deja vu all over again. For whatever it's worth the problem seems to occur when the 922 is off and possibly when it get's it's nightly update. It's never occured while I have the receiver on.

A soft re-boot did bring it back like it usually does but what a pain.

 

[kwindrem]

A soft re-boot did bring it back like it usually does but what a pain.

Try unplugging the drive from the receiver and plugging it back in.

Or try turning the drive off (or unplugging the power) and back on.

Either should be less of a pain than a reboot.

 

[JeffN9]

Try unplugging the drive from the receiver and plugging it back in.

Or try turning the drive off (or unplugging the power) and back on.

Either should be less of a pain than a reboot.

Unfortunately I have the drives tucked behind my entertainment center where they are difficult to get to. I can just barely get my hand behind the receiver and reach the usb to unplug and plug back in but it's been far easier for me to do a front panel re-set. I suppose I could use the front usb jack but then I have a cable that sticks out like a sore thumb. I'm not sure that unplugging and plugging back in the usb will fix it anyway. I will try it the next time but I think I did once and it didn't work.

I read on the tech forum that some 722 owners have been experiencing similar problems.

 

[JeffN9]

FYI, I've got the 2tb Element plugged directly into the receiver now (no hub) to see if that makes any difference. I tried unplugging and plugging the usb back in with the receiver off first and then turned on but that did not bring it back this last time. It was only after a front panel re-set that the connection was re-established.

I'm beginning to wonder if it is some weird HDCP problem??