# USB HDD enclosure disconnects

**URL:** <https://dietpi.com/forum/t/usb-hdd-enclosure-disconnects/1228>\
**Category:** Troubleshooting\
**Created:** [3 May 2017 09:50 UTC](https://dietpi.com/forum/t/usb-hdd-enclosure-disconnects/1228 "2017-05-03T09:50:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sr.Agaporni](https://dietpi.com/forum/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/71e660/32.png) [@Sr.Agaporni](https://dietpi.com/forum/u/Sr.Agaporni)\
**Post date:** [3 May 2017 09:50 UTC](https://dietpi.com/forum/t/usb-hdd-enclosure-disconnects/1228/1 "2017-05-03T09:50:01Z")

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Hi.

I have recently installed DietPi on my Pi3 and it is working flawlessly, expect my USB HDD enclosure ([https://www.sharkoon.com/product/1689/12916#desc](https://www.sharkoon.com/product/1689/12916#desc)) which I have plugged with another simple USB HDD. The simple HDD works perfectly, without problems, but the Sharkoon one disconnects and gets dismounted with an I/O error. Any tip with that? I am not really expert with linux so my knowledge is basic more than dmesg and lsusb, so I can’t find any help with the problem.

![](https://www.sharkoon.com/ImgSrv/1146/421/8_Bay_RAID_Station/prod/Storage_Solutions/Raid/8-Bay_RAID_Station/prod_8-bay_raid_station.png)

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**Author:** ![Fourdee](https://dietpi.com/forum/user_avatar/dietpi.com/fourdee/32/11_2.png) [@Fourdee](https://dietpi.com/forum/u/Fourdee)\
**Post date:** [3 May 2017 13:56 UTC](https://dietpi.com/forum/t/usb-hdd-enclosure-disconnects/1228/2 "2017-05-03T13:56:09Z")

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> [@Sr.Agaporni](#):
>
> which I have plugged with another simple USB HDD. The simple HDD works perfectly, without problems, but the Sharkoon one disconnects and gets dismounted with an I/O error. Any tip with that?

Hi,

Cant see it being a power issue if a standard USB Drive is functional, and Sharkoon is self powered.

Just a hunch, this hardware reports USB 3.0 without a mention of backwards capability with USB 2.0 (which RPi is). You may want to check this with manufacture.

Faulty USB cable?

Does the RPi pick up the Sharkoon as standard USB mass storage device? You can check with:

```plaintext
lsusb

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sr.Agaporni](https://dietpi.com/forum/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/71e660/32.png) [@Sr.Agaporni](https://dietpi.com/forum/u/Sr.Agaporni)\
**Post date:** [4 May 2017 09:43 UTC](https://dietpi.com/forum/t/usb-hdd-enclosure-disconnects/1228/3 "2017-05-04T09:43:51Z")

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> [@Fourdee](#):
>
> > [@Sr.Agaporni](#):
> >
> > which I have plugged with another simple USB HDD. The simple HDD works perfectly, without problems, but the Sharkoon one disconnects and gets dismounted with an I/O error. Any tip with that?
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Cant see it being a power issue if a standard USB Drive is functional, and Sharkoon is self powered.
> 
> Just a hunch, this hardware reports USB 3.0 without a mention of backwards capability with USB 2.0 (which RPi is). You may want to check this with manufacture.
> 
> Faulty USB cable?
> 
> Does the RPi pick up the Sharkoon as standard USB mass storage device? You can check with:
> 
> ```plaintext
> lsusb
> 
> ```

Hi! And thanks for your reply! I will try to do all the checks when I get home. However, the enclosure works, but suddently stops working after a few minutes, giving that I/O error. Let me get all the logs and messages so I can post it back tonight, maybe is a compatibility issue as you noted, I didn’t realize about that and I have never had problems in the past, and I used this case with different computers, including USB 2.0 only one, without any problems.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fourdee](https://dietpi.com/forum/user_avatar/dietpi.com/fourdee/32/11_2.png) [@Fourdee](https://dietpi.com/forum/u/Fourdee)\
**Post date:** [5 May 2017 16:51 UTC](https://dietpi.com/forum/t/usb-hdd-enclosure-disconnects/1228/4 "2017-05-05T16:51:53Z")

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> [@Sr.Agaporni](#):
>
> Hi! And thanks for your reply! I will try to do all the checks when I get home. However, the enclosure works, but suddently stops working after a few minutes, giving that I/O error. Let me get all the logs and messages so I can post it back tonight, maybe is a compatibility issue as you noted, I didn’t realize about that and I have never had problems in the past, and I used this case with different computers, including USB 2.0 only one, without any problems.

Hi,

Its possible hdparm might be causing this when it attempts to “power down idle drive”. Its set to 10mins.

Try removing the following lines from /etc/hdparm.conf:

```plaintext
#DietPi external USB drive. Power management settings.
/dev/sda {
        #10 mins
        spindown_time = 120

        #
        apm = 254
}

```

And a reboot.