USB drive unmounted after firmware upgrade.

[Niklas Malmqvist]

Hi!

I have an Asus RT-N66U. I have had a 1 tb drive connected to it for some time now, and all have been working great. But now after I did a firmware upgrade, the drive is unmounted and I can't access it anymore :-/

How do I fix this?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Look in the router's System Log for error messages. It's possible the drive's filesystem has become corrupted and needs fixing.

 

[Niklas Malmqvist]

Look in the router's System Log for error messages. It's possible the drive's filesystem has become corrupted and needs fixing.

I don't know what to look for. But this is what the system log tells me when I connect the drive;


Jan 14 07:26:49 kernel: usb 1-1.2: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 5
Jan 14 07:26:49 kernel: usb 1-1.2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Jan 14 07:26:49 kernel: scsi2 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Jan 14 07:26:51 kernel: scsi 2:0:0:0: Direct-Access Intenso USB 3.0 device 0 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
Jan 14 07:26:52 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Spinning up disk....ready
Jan 14 07:26:52 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] 244190646 4096-byte hardware sectors (1000205 MB)
Jan 14 07:26:52 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
Jan 14 07:26:52 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
Jan 14 07:26:52 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] 244190646 4096-byte hardware sectors (1000205 MB)
Jan 14 07:26:52 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
Jan 14 07:26:52 kernel: sda: sda1
Jan 14 07:26:52 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI disk
Jan 14 07:26:52 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0


I don't understand why anything would have happened to the drive? I just did a firmware upgrade. It's working fine when connected to my Macbook Pro. The router recognizes the drive, but says unmounted.....for some reason....

 

[ColinTaylor]

Are there any more messages after this point? What format are you using for the drive, HFS+?

 

[Niklas Malmqvist]

Are there any more messages after this point? What format are you using for the drive, HFS+?

No, there is nothing more after this point. It's formated in FAT32, and It has worked fine all the time. I shouldn't have done this firmware update. Does the latest firmware not support FAT32? It's so stupid if that's the case...

 

[ColinTaylor]

The router should support FAT32. If it doesn't then that's a bug and not by design.

I suggest that you just go back to the previous firmware.

 

[ColinTaylor]

P.S. Try plugging the drive into the USB 2 port instead of the USB 3 port.

EDIT: Forget that. It doesn't have a USB 3 port.

 

[Niklas Malmqvist]

The router should support FAT32. If it doesn't then that's a bug and not by design.

I suggest that you just go back to the previous firmware.

And how do I do that? With a factory reset?

 

[ColinTaylor]

And how do I do that? With a factory reset?

Go to the Asus firmware download page and click on "See All Downloads".

https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RTN66U/HelpDesk_BIOS/

Download the firmware version you want and unzip the file on your PC. Then log into the router's GUI, go to Administration > Firmware Upgrade and upload the firmware "trx" file.

 

[Niklas Malmqvist]

Go to the Asus firmware download page and click on "See All Downloads".

https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RTN66U/HelpDesk_BIOS/

Download the firmware version you want and unzip the file on your PC. Then log into the router's GUI, go to Administration > Firmware Upgrade and upload the firmware "trx" file.

Yes, that's what I did now to upgrade to the latest firmware.....but I have no idea what firmware I had before. I have had this router for 3 years or so.....and never done a firmware update before.

This is very strange to me....I mean....the router recognizes it......but for some reason it's unmounted......so how do I mount it then? :-/

 

[ColinTaylor]

This is very strange to me....I mean....the router recognizes it......but for some reason it's unmounted......so how do I mount it then? :-/

There is no "mount" option because the router is meant to automatically mount USB drives after it detects them.

Do you have a spare USB flash drive formatted as FAT32 that you can plug that into the router to test?

 

[Niklas Malmqvist]

There is no "mount" option because the router is meant to automatically mount USB drives after it detects them.

Do you have a spare USB flash drive formatted as FAT32 that you can plug that into the router to test?

I just tried with a USB flash drive, and that is working without any problems..... :-/

 

[ColinTaylor]

On the router's Network Map screen, can you click on the unmounted USB device and then get a panel on the right that says Health Scanner or Disk Utility? If so try using it to fix any problems.

 

[Niklas Malmqvist]

On the router's Network Map screen, can you click on the unmounted USB device and then get a panel on the right that says Health Scanner or Disk Utility? If so try using it to fix any problems.

I tried that a couple of times.....didn't do anything...

I tried connecting the drive to my windows computer now, and it doesn't show up there. I know I have had it connected to that computer before. It only works on my Macbook Pro......so now Im copying 750gb over the network to my windows computer......it will take 20 hours for some reason......and then Im thinking of format the USB drive, and copy everything back in again. Don't know if this will work or not......but what format should I use? I really want to be able to use it both on PC and MAC. And should I format in any special way?

 

[ColinTaylor]

FAT32 is the most compatible format to use with disparate operating systems (Linux, macOS, Windows). I would format the drive on a Windows PC (make sure you select FAT32 and not exFAT). Then check that the drive can be mounted/unmounted successfully on the router before copying you data to it.

But if Windows can't detect the device at all as well as the router that would suggest some sort of physical problem. Perhaps check for faulty, loose or dirty plugs, sockets or cables.

 

[Niklas Malmqvist]

FAT32 is the most compatible format to use with disparate operating systems (Linux, macOS, Windows). I would format the drive on a Windows PC (make sure you select FAT32 and not exFAT). Then check that the drive can be mounted/unmounted successfully on the router before copying you data to it.

But if Windows can't detect the device at all as well as the router that would suggest some sort of physical problem. Perhaps check for faulty, loose or dirty plugs, sockets or cables.

I don't know what the different things are called......my Windows is in Swedish......but I could see the drive under devices, but it did't show up in explorer.....I couldn't access the content of the drive.....so it does recognize that it is connected......just the same as the router. And connected to my Mac there is no problem. I did run some diagnostic test on the drive with no error showing up...

 

[ColinTaylor]

If you go to Computer Management > Disk Management do you see the device having a "healthy" partition?

 

[Niklas Malmqvist]

If you go to Computer Management > Disk Management do you see the device having a "healthy" partition?

View attachment 20853

I can't find the drive in there for some reason. It was only visible under devices.....not sure what it's called in english.....but where you can find information about what graphic card, sound card e.t.c is connected.....and it said that it was "working fine" ;-)

 

[ColinTaylor]

I can't find the drive in there for some reason. It was only visible under devices.....not sure what it's called in english.....but where you can find information about what graphic card, sound card e.t.c is connected.....and it said that it was "working fine" ;-)

I think you're looking at the Device Manager.

If you can't see it in Disk Management then I think it might be a hardware compatibility issue. Have you ever successfully used this device on your Windows PC before? What is the exact make and model number of this device?

 

[Niklas Malmqvist]

I think you're looking at the Device Manager. View attachment 20854

If you can't see it in Disk Management then I think it might be a hardware compatibility issue. Have you ever successfully used this device on your Windows PC before? What is the exact make and model number of this device?

Yes, Device Manager......it shows up there, saying it's working properly.

Yes, I have had it connected before to the windows computer.....but not since the last time I formated the drive, which I did on my Mac.....but it is in Fat32, so it should work in Windows as well right?

The drive is an Intenso 1TB 2,5" 6026660