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Help with a PS4 issue? Taking way too long to initialize my external HDD

DragoonKain

Neighbours from Hell
Here’s whats going on. Last year I bought an 8tb external HDD for my PS4 Pro. Had no issues with it. Lately though, every time I turn on my PS4 instead of showing the clock in the top right corner of the screen on the dashboard, the HDD icon is there just flashing. While this is happening, menus lag and load slower. For example, if I go to settings and storage it will load and load and load. If I try to go to PS Store, it will load for a long long time.

The HDD icon usually flashes in the top right for anywhere between 3-15 minutes. It varies each time I turn on my PS4, there’s no telling how long it will do it. Eventually it does stop flashing though and the time comes up in the top right corner of the screen and then menus stop lagging and start loading normally. The biggest issue this causes though is if I have a game installed on that external HDD(which most of mine are installed on now) if I start the game before the HDD icon in the top right stops blinking, it will auto delete whatever patch I have installed for that game and then auto start redownloading it. It did this last night with Rage 2 and the patch is 15gb, so I had to redownload it all over again. I think this is because the HDD isn’t fully initialized by my PS4 yet so when I start the game before it is it can’t retrieve the patch data so it deletes it and then auto downloads it.

I checked and yes this problem goes away if I unplug my external HDD and boot up my PS4 so I definitely have narrowed that down. Also, it doesn’t appear the drive is failing because I’ve had no data loss and it has been doing this for months and no more severe problems started happening.

It appears to just have started out of the blue. Anyone ever deal with a similar issue or know any fixes that don’t involve my buying a new external HDD or wiping this one and starting over? I have so many games installed on this drive it would be a total chore to load them all over again.

(Yes I have this one plugged in on the rear USB port FWIW)

Thanks
 
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DragoonKain

Neighbours from Hell
How long has the issue been present?

Since February-ish? Maybe March? I took some time away from gaming for several weeks in between, I didn't play any games the entire month of April pretty much, but I'd say late February.

I first noticed it not too long after the 6.50 firmware update(whenever that was) so right around that time, but it may have been a total coincidence, and I may just not have noticed it before. Because after that update I turned on my PS4 and I started getting a lot of games start auto downloading the newest patches even though I have that feature turned off and do manual updates only.
 

Texas Pride

Banned
It could just be a defective HD. Try using another HD in the same USB port. If it still happens maybe it's the port. If it doesn't it's the drive.
 

DragoonKain

Neighbours from Hell
Without another to test...

Have you completely powered down the PS4, not just rest mode. A complete shutdown and then power on.

Can you give a link to the external

Yeah, tried all that.

I know it's the drive, because I turned my PS4 on with the drive unplugged and never got that issue.

Oddly, this doesn't happen ALL the time. I turned on my PS4 earlier and it went right to the time, no flashing HDD icon. But I'd say 8 out of 10 times I turn it on, it does it.

Link to the HDD: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HAPGEIE/?tag=neogaf0e-20
 
Have you tried another cable? Have you tried all USB ports.

You know anyone with a external you can test or another PS4 you can test.
 

DragoonKain

Neighbours from Hell
Have you tried another cable? Have you tried all USB ports.

You know anyone with a external you can test or another PS4 you can test.

I’ve tried another cable, it doesn’t do anything, and I tried the front USB ports.

I just think for whatever reason whether it be software or hardware related, it is taking a lot time for the drive to initialize. I don’t know why.

I have a ton of stuff installed on there, but I don’t think that should matter.

I may just buy another drive eventually.
 
I’ve tried another cable, it doesn’t do anything, and I tried the front USB ports.

I just think for whatever reason whether it be software or hardware related, it is taking a lot time for the drive to initialize. I don’t know why.

I have a ton of stuff installed on there, but I don’t think that should matter.

I may just buy another drive eventually.
Booted up in safe mode?
 
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