Someplace to stash my stuff
my machine thinks they're SSDs
Published on February 21, 2016 By starkers In Personal Computing

The title pretty much says what the problem is, and for the most part it isn't an issue.... until I want to use various 3rd party programs to defrag and/or clean up.

For example, the wipe free space in Ccleaner is unavailable, with the select boxes for each HDD greyed out and the drive description being SSD, which it isn't.  The other program I can't use is SmartDefrag.  Again, the select boxes for my HDDs are greyed out, and the drives are recognised as SSDs.

Thing is, I am unable to perform various maintenance tasks as required, and I do like to keep things in tip, top condition, so hopefully somebody here can help me resolve this dilemma.  I've looked all through Device Manager/Disc Management and found nothing useful, and a web search turned up nothing helpful, so here's hoping there is an answer for this here.

The machine is a HP Envy x2 Detatchable PC 13 with Windows 8.1 x64 on a 128Gb SSD.  There's 4 standard platter HDDs connected via a USB 3.0 Hub to a USB 3.0 port, yet various tools and etc identify them according to the OS drive.

TIA for any assistance offerred.


Comments (Page 2)
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on Feb 21, 2016

Well then how about running  sfc /scannow, if you haven't all ready, on the computer that is having the problem.  Oops, just read that you had done that, sorry. 

 

 

on Feb 21, 2016

Maybe re-download / re-install any motherboard drivers?

on Feb 21, 2016

Bottom line....throw out any HP and never buy another...

 

[I'll stop short at the suggestion that the upgrade to Win 10 will fix it... you might have a fit of apoplexy] ....

on Feb 21, 2016

Might try going into CMOS and disabling "Enable legacy support" on the usb ports.  If you do that though and use a usb keyboard or mouse those probably won't work anymore - be prepared for that before you disable it (and discover you can no longer enter any bios or Windows passwords  ).

on Feb 21, 2016

starkers
I've tried connecting the drives directly into a port one at a time and there's no change, they still show as SSDs.  I also tried plugging each HDD into different Windows 8.1 machines and performing heath checks to see if there any errors or anomlies.  None were discovered, and given each drive behaved normally on these other mahines, and were read as HDDs , not SSDs, it would suggest they are fault free and in good health.

Pretty sure it's a driver/mini-port problem then.

on Feb 21, 2016


Probably just an issue of using Win 8.1 ....the OS you swear by should also be the OS you swear at...
Never saw that issue, and I have 8.1 on several rigs with SSDs and platters.

on Feb 21, 2016

DaveRI

Maybe re-download / re-install any motherboard drivers?

Now there's a thought.... which hadn't occurred to me until now..  Thanks for the suggestion, Dave, I'll give that a go after I've snuck in another 40 winks.  Haven't had much sleep over the last 3 -4 days and I'm beginning to feel a bit weary.


Bottom line....throw out any HP and never buy another...

 

[I'll stop short at the suggestion that the upgrade to Win 10 will fix it... you might have a fit of apoplexy] ....

Actually, this HP has been a great little machine that has served me well.  This is the first time it has given me any trouble.... save the fact it refuses to install the Win 10 downgrade., but then that's more a blessing than a hinderance.  The Win 10 files download without issue, but that's as far as it goes and I get some 'generic' message that my product key is invalid, which it isn't. 

A check with HP amd MS confirmed it is legit, with both companies suggesting that a corrupt or missing system file may be preventing Win 10 initialising and writing new files to effect the necessary changes.   Thing is, I never bothered investigating it because I don't want Win 10 on this machine, but now that I think on it, the two things, the rejection of Win10 and my HDDs being incorrectly identified, could very well be related.

Anyhow, I'll try out the latest round of suggestions and see what's what after a snooze.... though I don't think disabling Legacy support in the CMOS is something I'll try as yet.... having repacked my corded mouse and keybord and not wanting to pull out heaps of stuff down in the shed to get at them.

on Feb 21, 2016

RedneckDude


Quoting Jafo,

Probably just an issue of using Win 8.1 ....the OS you swear by should also be the OS you swear at...

Never saw that issue, and I have 8.1 on several rigs with SSDs and platters.

Same here!  It wasn't an issue on this machine until something changed in the not so distant past.  I don't know how, when or why, but it wasn't an issue just prior to Xmas.  The last time I recall performing the desired maintenance was December 7, so it went guts up sometime in the last 3 months.

on Feb 21, 2016

starkers

Same here!  It wasn't an issue on this machine until something changed in the not so distant past.  I don't know how, when or why, but it wasn't an issue just prior to Xmas.  The last time I recall performing the desired maintenance was December 7, so it went guts up sometime in the last 3 months.

Like  I said... it's either a Win 8.1 OS issue or an Eye Dee 10 Tee issue [tho you usually know what you're doing].

Try uninstalling every Win update since Dec. 7 .  10 isn't the only OS that has updates screw up perfectly good systems.

 

I assume you've Googled ...

on Feb 21, 2016


Try uninstalling every Win update since Dec. 7 .

Now there's another valid point.... an eff up because of Windows Update.  Could well be it is the culprit

 

Anyhow..... for a bit.

on Feb 28, 2016

Okay, so I have tried everything and come up empty handed.  There seems to be something missing that identifies hardware, namely SSDs, and nothing I've tries has resolved it.  Therefore, as loathe as I am to do it, given how much time I've invested to set things up as I want, I'm going to do a factory reset and start from scratch.


Try uninstalling every Win update since Dec. 7 .

Yeah, tried that, but certain updates will not be uninstalled... especially those connected to Win 10.   Anyway, this factory reset will eliminate those and I can then go through those updates that are necessary, while igning/hiding the rest.  I have a list of those 'less desirable' ones, so I know what to look out for.

on Feb 28, 2016

I make full image back ups so when, not if, disasters like this happen, I can load the image up and put everything back as it was without starting from scratch.  I have too many programs and updates installed to reinstall if I did that  I use ToDo Workstation. Don't you have a backup plan, Mark? I try to image my system at least once a month, or as needed.

on Feb 28, 2016

As far as windows ten being a downgrade from windows eight that is actually confusing. Eight is one of the worst operating systems out there. It's vista all over again

on Feb 28, 2016

Wizard1956

I make full image back ups so when, not if, disasters like this happen, I can load the image up and put everything back as it was without starting from scratch.  I have too many programs and updates installed to reinstall if I did that  I use ToDo Workstation. Don't you have a backup plan, Mark? I try to image my system at least once a month, or as needed.

I did have backup images on an external drive, but somehow they got wiped when the drive got accidentally formatted.  It was one of the first things I turned to, so you can imagine I did some cussing when I couldn't find the images.  I'm still not sure how the drive got reformatted.  I don't recall doing it... all I know is that the images were on drive F, along with a few other odds and end, then next I know the drive is empty.

Oh well, nothing else of importance was lost so I'm not too upset.  Besides, the machine could do with a reset anyow, it is getting a little sluggish compared to when I first got it.

admiralWillyWilber

As far as windows ten being a downgrade from windows eight that is actually confusing. Eight is one of the worst operating systems out there. It's vista all over again

Actually, I reckon that you wouldn't notice the difference between this machine with Win 8.1 and an identical one with Win 7, not the way I have it set up.  Up until now I've not had a problem with Win 8.1, and even then I believe the cause may well be a Windows Update.... one which I cannot uninstall for some weird reason. 

I won't go into what I think is behind it.  Let's just say I'm taking a break from conspiracy theories cos my doctor reckons my tinfoil hat is reflecting the sun away and I've become vitamin D deficient as a result.

on Feb 29, 2016

Haha

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