External HDD disconnects at backup
Hello everybody!
I'm experiencing a rather strange problem with Acronis TrueImage 2017 NG: While the backup to the cloud works just fine, the backup to my external hard drive is not possible. First, my configuration:
- 3 internal hard drives for weekly sheduled customised backup;
- Target: External hard disk (Western Digital Elements 3TB, connected via USB3.0 to the back panel of my Asus Maximus IX Formula Z270 mainboard).
Now, the problem is the following: When I start the backup, after about 15 minutes, the external HDD is being disconnected (shows error 43 on device manager). I have to unplug and replug the drive that it's being recognised again, and the backup has to start from scratch.
I've tried:
- Reinstall all USB drivers;
- Disable "computer can turn off device to save energy" in device manager and at energy options from Windows;
- Use another cable;
- Check if the drive disconnects under load (on this computer and on another, it didn't).
Because the drive disconnects always after roughly the same time, I think that it could have to do something with a power saving option. I also think that if I keep browsing through the drive while Acronis is performing the backup, it doesn't disconnect.
So, my question: Is there a possibility to change the "internal" power saving options from the hard drive? Or could it be another reason that the drive is being disconnected?
Thanks for your replies!


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If instead of starting the backup, you sit and stare at your backup drive formthe same amount of time, does it still shutdown? (Am I correct in reading this that it actually shuts down?)
After you re-enable the drive and restart the backup, does the backup run normally? Always?
NB: I have no real insight to offer, but answers to these questions might help someone who does.
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I've tried multiple USB 3.0 ports (also those from the front panel) with having the same problem. But as you mentioned USB 3.0, I've tried out of curiosity a USB 2.0 port -- there the problem is gone! So, at least I can do the backup now, but I would like to connect the drive to the USB 3.0 port as it's a USB 3.0 drive and 2.0 is so damn slow (I'm using the drive not only for backup).
@Bert: It doesn't actually shut down (the drive keeps spinning), it just isn't recognised from Windows. No, if Acronis isn't performing a backup, the drive keeps connected, also if I write files bigger than the backup onto the drive. After a disconnect, the backup restarts (at 0)...
So, in summary: It seems to be a problem of the USB 3.0 port... Any ideas?
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It might be a problem with the driver. Do you have the latest USB 3.0 drivers on your system?
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En réponse à It might be a problem with… par truwrikodrorow…

Yes, I tried everything with the drivers (installed the newest version, an older version, uninstalled and reinstalled them, sent them to hell and took them back), nothing worked...
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Device Manager error 43 indicates the device, in your case your external drive, has reported a problem and Device Manager has shutdown the device.
This is in all probability a driver issue for your USB device. If you have installed the latest USB 3.0 driver how did you do so? If you used Device Manger to do this then the reality is you did not actually install the driver you merely updated it. There is a difference between an update and an install in this regard.
To install the drivers for the device you need to first, using Device Manager, uninstall the device. Once that process is complete then you should disconnect the drive from the computer. Using File Explorer check for your external drive select it, right click and choose eject. Now detach that drive from the computer. Finally, go to Windows power options and choose Restart.
Once the computer restarts wait until all startup apps are loaded and running then attach the USB drive back to a USB 3.0 port. Windows should recognize that a new device has been attached an will install the necessary base drivers for it. Now run your backup again and see if that fixes the issue.
If successful you can then attempt to update the USB 3.0 drivers to the latest version using the recommended procedures.
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Nils, did you ever find a solution?
I recently started having the same problem with True Image 2018 backing up to a Seagate USB3 4TB external. For me, it'll backup my C-drive (an SSD), just fine and disconnect my external HDD before it can start backing-up part of my NAS drive. Like you, if I disconnect and reconnect the external drive, it mounts and works fine. If I manually run the two failed backup, they complete without a problem. Weird....
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En réponse à Nils, did you ever find a… par truwrikodrorow…

Well, to be honest, I don't remember what I've done to solve the problem, however it wasn't a hardware problem as I'm still using the same hardware. It's possible that the problem was solved for me with the new Acronis, but I really don't remember. Sorry!
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Hello dacker,
I've found another suggestion shared by a user with a similar issue.Take a look, maybe the solution could be helpful in your case too.
Have you tried different connection types USB 3.0 \USB 2.0 - I've seen certain reports from users who experienced issues when running backup via USB 3.0 connection. If the issue occurs only with USB 3.0, I'd recommend contacting Acronis support team, so that our engineers can take a look at the issue.
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En réponse à Hello dacker,… par truwrikodrorow…

As soon as I switched from a USB3 port to a USB2 port, I had several days of flawless backups. Since then I still have had my USB drive unmount but at a much lower frequency, perhaps every 3-4 days rather than every single night.
I think my next step will be to disable Acronis True Image Backup for a few days and see if the drive is being disconnected for some other reason. My files are on a RAID1 NAS drive so it's an acceptable risk for a few days.
Rick
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I still don't know what's the root cause.
My solution was anything but elegant. I attached my drive's power through a smart switch which is programmed to turn off power at midnight and turn the power back on at 12:01 am. This way, the drive is online for backups which begin at 1:00 am.
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Hello Rick,
thank you for posting an update to the situation! If you have some time for investigation, I'd recommend raising a support ticket for this issue, so that our engineers can take a look.
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Same problem here. Windows 10, fully patched. I just got Acronis 2019. Using a USB port -- V3.0. Asus M5A99 Pro R2.0 AMD FX8350 Processor running at standard speed (Not Overclocked). Latest BIOS etc.
Got to 144GB of about a 500GB backup and drive shut off.
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This is happening with my Orico External drives. Two other manufacturers do NOT seem to be affected.
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Looks like Vantec NexStar and Sabrent dual drive USB 3.0 "Toaster Ovens" for external hard drives are OK.
The Orico(6299) drives both fail on a fast AMD 8350 processor system.
There goes another $60 CDN. (One Orico does work on the laptop (but not the Desktop) it seems.)
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