I have a USB Seagate portable drive with 120 GB. Can Windows XP SP2
turn it off when it isn't in use? At least when the computer is
hibernating would help. This computer is in my bedroom and it is
helping keep me awake at night.
--
will 68 at mtco dot com
will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for large signatures)

Normally XP can not turn off USB drives unless the
manufacturer of the drive (check Seagate's web site)
includes a specific driver for that purpose. The only thing
you can try is to go to Power Options in Control Panel and
set the Hard disks to turn off after a period of inactivity.
Probably won't turn off the USB ones but it is worth a try.


Is there a switch on the drive, if so uninstall it with the
Safely Remove Hardware device and then turn it off with the
switch. It will reinstall when turned back on.

If no switch, uninstall it and then unplug it.


"Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a USB Seagate portable drive with 120 GB. Can
>Windows XP SP2 turn it off when it isn't in use? At least
>when the computer is hibernating would help. This computer
>is in my bedroom and it is helping keep me awake at night.
> --
> will 68 at mtco dot com
> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for
> large signatures)

There is a switch, but whenever I turn it off and back on, my BIOS
(Intel) makes it the default hard drive to boot from. I don't have a
bootable partition on there and even if I did, I already found out that
booting from there is not supported due to the cylinder count.

LVTravel wrote:
> Normally XP can not turn off USB drives unless the
> manufacturer of the drive (check Seagate's web site)
> includes a specific driver for that purpose. The only thing
> you can try is to go to Power Options in Control Panel and
> set the Hard disks to turn off after a period of inactivity.
> Probably won't turn off the USB ones but it is worth a try.
>
>
> Is there a switch on the drive, if so uninstall it with the
> Safely Remove Hardware device and then turn it off with the
> switch. It will reinstall when turned back on.
>
> If no switch, uninstall it and then unplug it.
>
>
> "Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I have a USB Seagate portable drive with 120 GB. Can
>> Windows XP SP2 turn it off when it isn't in use? At least
>> when the computer is hibernating would help. This computer
>> is in my bedroom and it is helping keep me awake at night.
>> --
>> will 68 at mtco dot com
>> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for
>> large signatures)
>
>

--
will 68 at mtco dot com
will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for large signatures)

You then need to go into the bios and change the boot order
from USB first to Hard drive first boot device. Put the CD
drive next and USB last. To enter BIOS you would press a
key or combination of keys (normally displayed on the
desktop soon after turning on the computer) when the
manufacturer's flash screen or bios display screen first
starts.


"Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> There is a switch, but whenever I turn it off and back on,
> my BIOS (Intel) makes it the default hard drive to boot
> from. I don't have a bootable partition on there and even
> if I did, I already found out that booting from there is
> not supported due to the cylinder count.
>
> LVTravel wrote:
>> Normally XP can not turn off USB drives unless the
>> manufacturer of the drive (check Seagate's web site)
>> includes a specific driver for that purpose. The only
>> thing you can try is to go to Power Options in Control
>> Panel and set the Hard disks to turn off after a period
>> of inactivity. Probably won't turn off the USB ones but
>> it is worth a try.
>>
>>
>> Is there a switch on the drive, if so uninstall it with
>> the Safely Remove Hardware device and then turn it off
>> with the switch. It will reinstall when turned back on.
>>
>> If no switch, uninstall it and then unplug it.
>>
>>
>> "Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> I have a USB Seagate portable drive with 120 GB. Can
>>> Windows XP SP2 turn it off when it isn't in use? At
>>> least when the computer is hibernating would help. This
>>> computer is in my bedroom and it is helping keep me
>>> awake at night.
>>> --
>>> will 68 at mtco dot com
>>> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address
>>> for large signatures)
>>
>>
>
> --
> will 68 at mtco dot com
> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for
> large signatures)

Huh? I know that. I don't turn the drive off with the switch primarily
so I don't have to do that every time I start the computer.

LVTravel wrote:
> You then need to go into the bios and change the boot order
> from USB first to Hard drive first boot device. Put the CD
> drive next and USB last. To enter BIOS you would press a
> key or combination of keys (normally displayed on the
> desktop soon after turning on the computer) when the
> manufacturer's flash screen or bios display screen first
> starts.
>
>
> "Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> There is a switch, but whenever I turn it off and back on,
>> my BIOS (Intel) makes it the default hard drive to boot
>> from. I don't have a bootable partition on there and even
>> if I did, I already found out that booting from there is
>> not supported due to the cylinder count.
>>
>> LVTravel wrote:
>>> Normally XP can not turn off USB drives unless the
>>> manufacturer of the drive (check Seagate's web site)
>>> includes a specific driver for that purpose. The only
>>> thing you can try is to go to Power Options in Control
>>> Panel and set the Hard disks to turn off after a period
>>> of inactivity. Probably won't turn off the USB ones but
>>> it is worth a try.
>>>
>>>
>>> Is there a switch on the drive, if so uninstall it with
>>> the Safely Remove Hardware device and then turn it off
>>> with the switch. It will reinstall when turned back on.
>>>
>>> If no switch, uninstall it and then unplug it.
>>>
>>>
>>> "Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>> I have a USB Seagate portable drive with 120 GB. Can
>>>> Windows XP SP2 turn it off when it isn't in use? At
>>>> least when the computer is hibernating would help. This
>>>> computer is in my bedroom and it is helping keep me
>>>> awake at night.
>>>> --
>>>> will 68 at mtco dot com
>>>> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address
>>>> for large signatures)
>>>
>> --
>> will 68 at mtco dot com
>> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for
>> large signatures)
>
>

--
will 68 at mtco dot com
will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for large signatures)

Seeing how it's a USB drive leave it off until your system is booted all the
way, then plug it in.

I don't have the boot up problem you have,

( There is a switch, but whenever I turn it off and back on, my BIOS(Intel)
makes it the default hard drive to boot from.)

but I do have a Maxtor 320gb external drive I use to store my music etc.
files on. The drive might not get turned on for a couple of days. When I need
it, I plug it in, after I'm up and running.

Works ok for me. Only thing makes me nervous about it helping you is that
bootup issue.



"Will Pittenger" wrote:

> Huh? I know that. I don't turn the drive off with the switch primarily
> so I don't have to do that every time I start the computer.
>
> LVTravel wrote:
> > You then need to go into the bios and change the boot order
> > from USB first to Hard drive first boot device. Put the CD
> > drive next and USB last. To enter BIOS you would press a
> > key or combination of keys (normally displayed on the
> > desktop soon after turning on the computer) when the
> > manufacturer's flash screen or bios display screen first
> > starts.
> >
> >
> > "Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> There is a switch, but whenever I turn it off and back on,
> >> my BIOS (Intel) makes it the default hard drive to boot
> >> from. I don't have a bootable partition on there and even
> >> if I did, I already found out that booting from there is
> >> not supported due to the cylinder count.
> >>
> >> LVTravel wrote:
> >>> Normally XP can not turn off USB drives unless the
> >>> manufacturer of the drive (check Seagate's web site)
> >>> includes a specific driver for that purpose. The only
> >>> thing you can try is to go to Power Options in Control
> >>> Panel and set the Hard disks to turn off after a period
> >>> of inactivity. Probably won't turn off the USB ones but
> >>> it is worth a try.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Is there a switch on the drive, if so uninstall it with
> >>> the Safely Remove Hardware device and then turn it off
> >>> with the switch. It will reinstall when turned back on.
> >>>
> >>> If no switch, uninstall it and then unplug it.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> "Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> >>>> I have a USB Seagate portable drive with 120 GB. Can
> >>>> Windows XP SP2 turn it off when it isn't in use? At
> >>>> least when the computer is hibernating would help. This
> >>>> computer is in my bedroom and it is helping keep me
> >>>> awake at night.
> >>>> --
> >>>> will 68 at mtco dot com
> >>>> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address
> >>>> for large signatures)
> >>>
> >> --
> >> will 68 at mtco dot com
> >> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for
> >> large signatures)
> >
> >
>
> --
> will 68 at mtco dot com
> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for large signatures)
>

Then your stuffed.
Set your Bios correctly, and remove the usb at night
As LVTravel has allready, politely explained

"Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Huh? I know that. I don't turn the drive off with the switch primarily
> so I don't have to do that every time I start the computer.
>
> LVTravel wrote:
>> You then need to go into the bios and change the boot order from USB
>> first to Hard drive first boot device. Put the CD drive next and USB
>> last. To enter BIOS you would press a key or combination of keys
>> (normally displayed on the desktop soon after turning on the computer)
>> when the manufacturer's flash screen or bios display screen first starts.
>>
>>
>> "Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> There is a switch, but whenever I turn it off and back on, my BIOS
>>> (Intel) makes it the default hard drive to boot from. I don't have a
>>> bootable partition on there and even if I did, I already found out that
>>> booting from there is not supported due to the cylinder count.
>>>
>>> LVTravel wrote:
>>>> Normally XP can not turn off USB drives unless the manufacturer of the
>>>> drive (check Seagate's web site) includes a specific driver for that
>>>> purpose. The only thing you can try is to go to Power Options in
>>>> Control Panel and set the Hard disks to turn off after a period of
>>>> inactivity. Probably won't turn off the USB ones but it is worth a try.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Is there a switch on the drive, if so uninstall it with the Safely
>>>> Remove Hardware device and then turn it off with the switch. It will
>>>> reinstall when turned back on.
>>>>
>>>> If no switch, uninstall it and then unplug it.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>>> I have a USB Seagate portable drive with 120 GB. Can Windows XP SP2
>>>>> turn it off when it isn't in use? At least when the computer is
>>>>> hibernating would help. This computer is in my bedroom and it is
>>>>> helping keep me awake at night.
>>>>> --
>>>>> will 68 at mtco dot com
>>>>> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for large
>>>>> signatures)
>>>>
>>> --
>>> will 68 at mtco dot com
>>> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for large
>>> signatures)
>>
>>
>
> --
> will 68 at mtco dot com
> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for large
> signatures)

"Setting the BIOS correctly" means going into the BIOS every time I boot
after turning the drive off. Besides, that drive has my backups on it.
(Every now and then, I plan to burn them to CD, but until then, it is
the only way I have to automate the backups.) So I can't just turn the
drive off completely at night as that is when the backups run.

DL wrote:
> Then your stuffed.
> Set your Bios correctly, and remove the usb at night
> As LVTravel has allready, politely explained
>
> "Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Huh? I know that. I don't turn the drive off with the switch primarily
>> so I don't have to do that every time I start the computer.
>>
>> LVTravel wrote:
>>> You then need to go into the bios and change the boot order from USB
>>> first to Hard drive first boot device. Put the CD drive next and USB
>>> last. To enter BIOS you would press a key or combination of keys
>>> (normally displayed on the desktop soon after turning on the computer)
>>> when the manufacturer's flash screen or bios display screen first starts.
>>>
>>>
>>> "Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>> There is a switch, but whenever I turn it off and back on, my BIOS
>>>> (Intel) makes it the default hard drive to boot from. I don't have a
>>>> bootable partition on there and even if I did, I already found out that
>>>> booting from there is not supported due to the cylinder count.
>>>>
>>>> LVTravel wrote:
>>>>> Normally XP can not turn off USB drives unless the manufacturer of the
>>>>> drive (check Seagate's web site) includes a specific driver for that
>>>>> purpose. The only thing you can try is to go to Power Options in
>>>>> Control Panel and set the Hard disks to turn off after a period of
>>>>> inactivity. Probably won't turn off the USB ones but it is worth a try.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Is there a switch on the drive, if so uninstall it with the Safely
>>>>> Remove Hardware device and then turn it off with the switch. It will
>>>>> reinstall when turned back on.
>>>>>
>>>>> If no switch, uninstall it and then unplug it.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "Will Pittenger" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>>>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>>>> I have a USB Seagate portable drive with 120 GB. Can Windows XP SP2
>>>>>> turn it off when it isn't in use? At least when the computer is
>>>>>> hibernating would help. This computer is in my bedroom and it is
>>>>>> helping keep me awake at night.
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> will 68 at mtco dot com
>>>>>> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for large
>>>>>> signatures)
>>>> --
>>>> will 68 at mtco dot com
>>>> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for large
>>>> signatures)
>>>
>> --
>> will 68 at mtco dot com
>> will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for large
>> signatures)
>
>

--
will 68 at mtco dot com
will dot pittenger1 at gmail dot com (use this address for large signatures)

Will Pittenger wrote:
> "Setting the BIOS correctly" means going into the BIOS every time I boot
> after turning the drive off. Besides, that drive has my backups on it.
> (Every now and then, I plan to burn them to CD, but until then, it is
> the only way I have to automate the backups.) So I can't just turn the
> drive off completely at night as that is when the backups run.
>

That doesn't sound right, especially for an Intel motherboard and
bios. There should be an option to save the changes when exiting
from bios setup/configuration. It would rather seem that the issue
is setting up Windows to do automated backups to what is supposed
to be a permanently attached device such as a tape drive or an
internal drive versus a removable external USB drive that has been
designed as "unremovable" by the user. How one gets around this may
require some research on how the backup application works.

> "Setting the BIOS correctly" means going into the BIOS every time I boot
> after turning the drive off. Besides, that drive has my backups on it.
> (Every now and then, I plan to burn them to CD, but until then, it is the
> only way I have to automate the backups.) So I can't just turn the drive
> off completely at night as that is when the backups run.

I think what LVT and DL are trying to tell you is that a BIOS
should NEVER change the preferred boot drive no matter what
hardware is attached. As long as the preferred, non-USB drive
is attached it should boot to only that drive.

As you add new hardware, the BIOS should acknowledge it but
never make chages. Period. Chances are, there's a BIOS upgrade
available that will correct the problem.

By the way what ever compelled you to create a boot partition on
an external USB drive? A Really BAD idea which you will become
fully aware of in due time.

Ed