Weird noise when connecting PS5's Seagate 3.5" 8 TB external HDD's power cord

[Windows_10_User]

Every day, before going to bed, I take the PS5's external HDD's power cord from the external HDD's power input just to be sure because the external HDD's power supply/cables makes/make a weird and annoying buzz-like noise when the external HDD is connected to the extension cord and I'm afraid I can have a fire.

I've changed the extension cord and I still have this problem. Does this mean the external HDD may stop working, or even worse, may it screw up all my devices connected to the extension cord or/and even have a fire? I bought this external HDD two years ago and I've had this problem since then.

What's weird is that if I connect it to the PC's extension cord, I don't have this problem.

 

[fringle]

Sounds like drive is not properly sleeping. What you are hearing are the platters spinning. With windows it is controlled by software within windows itself which the ps5 does not implement. If left connected it could cause the drive motor to fail as it's working more than it has to. This will go away with a usb powered hdd. I'm not sure if seagate has a tool that you can use to check or enable the drives sleep state like WD does but doesn't hurt to check or call their support and ask.

 

[Windows_10_User]

Sounds like drive is not properly sleeping. What you are hearing are the platters spinning. With windows it is controlled by software within windows itself which the ps5 does not implement. If left connected it could cause the drive motor to fail as it's working more than it has to. This will go away with a usb powered hdd. I'm not sure if seagate has a tool that you can use to check or enable the drives sleep state like WD does but doesn't hurt to check or call their support and ask.

So, may it stop working? Are there 8 TB non-self-powered external HDDs? Even if there's such a tool, would it only work for Windows or for the PS5 too?

 

[godreborn]

You're powering the drive via USB only?

 

[Hayato213]

You're powering the drive via USB only?

8TB needs power supply

 

[godreborn]

8TB needs power supply

I know. His message suggests he's not plugging the drive in.

 

[Windows_10_User]

You're powering the drive via USB only?

No, I'm connecting it to an extension cord too.

 

[godreborn]

Have you tried without the extension cable?

 

[Windows_10_User]

Have you tried without the extension cable?

What do you mean? It doesn't even work. Anyway, I don't understand why some devices supposedly need to be connected to something but work without it.

 

[fringle]

So, may it stop working? Are there USB-only powered 8TB external HDDs? Even if there's such a tool, would it only work for Windows or for the PS5 too?

If such a tool exists it will usually edit the functions in the devices firmware so it would spin down no matter what it's connected to. But as I said I'm not sure if the tool is available for seagate drives. I know personally I've had to use the WD tool to control the spin down on an older drive as it was doing exactly as you describe.

It's a possibility that it may fail. No drive is really guaranteed to last. I know I've had more seagates fail then any other drive though.

 

[Windows_10_User]

If such a tool exists it will usually edit the functions in the devices firmware so it would spin down no matter what it's connected to. But as I said I'm not sure if the tool is available for seagate drives. I know personally I've had to use the WD tool to control the spin down on an older drive as it was doing exactly as you describe.

It's a possibility that it may fail. No drive is really guaranteed to last. I know I've had more seagates fail then any other drive though.

But what do you mean by "tool"? Is it like software that changes the hardware behavior? If so, would it be possible to stop having this behavior in both the PS4 and the PS5 or it would only stop making it in one of them? How could I be sure it wouldn't do it in more devices I connected it to? OK, but it has this problem from the beginning and since I bought it in 2020 it isn't exactly "old". I also had other seagate external HDDs and they didn't make this noise but they didn't require external power supplies, if that matters.

 

[fringle]

But what do you mean by "tool"? Is it like software that changes the hardware behavior? If so, would it be possible to stop having this behavior in both the PS4 and the PS5 or it would only stop doing it in one of them? How could I be sure it wouldn't do it in more devices I connected it to? Ok, but it has this problem from the beginning and since I bought it in 2020 it isn't exactly "old". I also had other seagate external HDDs and they didn't make this noise but they didn't have a power supply, if that matters.

Yes, it is software if it's available. I don't think it's available in Seatools though as that's just a diagnostic and monitoring utility. If seagate made the software that is capable of changing the drives behavior it would work across all devices since you are changing parameters on the device itself. It has to do with the enclosure having external power. The only external drive I've had to use the western digital utility with was an externally powered one. Most likely it's using a full sized hard drive which has a greater power requirement then a laptop drive and thus require the external power supply.

 

[Hayato213]

So the enclosure you using with the drive are they seperate when you first got them or the drive was already inside the enclosure already when you got it? also do you know what RPM the drive is on 5600 or 7200 RPM?

 

[Windows_10_User]

Yes, it is software if it's available. I don't think it's available in Seatools though as that's just a diagnostic and monitoring utility. If seagate made the software that is capable of changing the drives behavior it would work across all devices since you are changing parameters on the device itself. It has to do with the enclosure having external power. The only external drive I've had to use the western digital utility with was an externally powered one. Most likely it's using a full sized hard drive which has a greater power requirement then a laptop drive and thus require the external power supply.

Then what should I do?

 

[Hayato213]

Then what should I do?

There is no tools for external use, seatools is only for diagnose and monitoring HDD and SSD. As in your case go you might have to look into different enclosure / drive combination if you can shucking the drive.

 

[Hayato213]

As for other alternative, there are 5TB 2.5 drive, that doesn't require external power supply.

 

[godreborn]

yeah, the wd black is good. I use it for the ps4, 5, and nvidia shield as I own three of them. you can even buy it directly from gamestop or newegg or probably amazon.

 

[Windows_10_User]

There is no tools for external use, seatools is only for diagnose and monitoring HDD and SSD. As in your case go you might have to look into different enclosure / drive combination if you can shucking the drive.

But why would I change the enclosure? It should work. It doesn't make sense buying an external HDD to change its enclosure because it isn't working right and to waste extra money. Besides, I don't have this problem when connecting it to the PC, only to the PS4/PS5.

As for other alternative, there are 5TB 2.5 drive, that doesn't require external power supply.

I thought 5TB external HDDs always required external power supply and were always 3.5". Anyway, 5TB isn't 8TB.

yeah, the wd black is good. I use it for the ps4, 5, and nvidia shield as I own three of them. you can even buy it directly from gamestop or newegg or probably amazon.

Is it 2.5" and 8TB and doesn't require external power source?

 

[godreborn]

yeah, only 2.5" do not require external power. afaik, all 3.5" do.

 

[Windows_10_User]

yeah, only 2.5" do not require external power. afaik, all 3.5" do.

And is it 8TB? Anyway, isn't the "external source not required" words not appropriate since all external USB devices need external power sources, like USB ports?