DM500HD cannot see my WD 1T HDD

[babetko]

Mates,

I have a peculiar problem! My HDD drive (Western Digital - WDBAAF0010HBK) has just the mini USB, so I bought myself a eSATA <--> miniUSB cable (DeLock cabel eSATAp to eSATA/mini USB/DC-5V 1m). Now the external HDD is detected on my linux laptop as well as windows machine, but the DM500HD cannot find it. I use Gemini 5.0 for Enigma2 image.

When i navigate to device manager on DM500HD, i see nothing and the green and blue bullets are with no tags.

I have tried NTFS, FAT32 and ext3 formats but same result! Can someone advise what is wrong? Do i need to 'enable' the eSATA port on DM? I hope the eSATA hardware is not faulty on my DM500HD!

Hope someone will be able to advise!

cheers,

 

[redout]

Have you initialised the hard disk ?

Also try opening the box and make sure that the internal sata cable (red) has not come loose.

 

[babetko]

Ta mate!
Not sure how I would initialise a disk that i cannot see!
I am waiting for an external HDD with eSATA and see if the issue lies with the hardware or just the DM does not like eSATA <--> usb cable!

will keep posted!

 

[babetko]

Okay, so with a proper eSATA to eSATA cable dreambox could see the HDD, but i still have issues with properly recording on it. It is extremely flaky, in the sense that it would record sometime and then not at all. If it records fine, i cannot playback as dreambox just freezes! I have tried few of the epg proprammes which utilises the HDD, and those programes are very jumpy as well. I am not sure what is the issue now. Does anyone out there has had simillar issues with following setup?

DM500HD
Gemini 5.0
eSATA 320G HDD format tested with include both ext2 and ext3

Please someone help me out here, it is ridiculous to have a satelite box capable of external storage, but not to be able to use it.

 

[sblinx]

hello m8,
i have a 500gb external connected to my 500
first of all make sure u place movie folder in media/hdd on your dream
then menu/setup/system/harddisk/initialize and wait until its done

 

[babetko]

Okay, will try that. Just out of curiosity what Image you running? Gemini5.0?

 

[babetko]

sblinx, I tried what you suggested, but could not initialize! got a mkfs error Any ideas?

 

[shumifan50]

Hi,
I have not used Gemini on the DM500HD. I use DreamElite 1.0.0 (not the OE1.6 version which seems to have troubles). Problems with eSata can be down to many factors, one of which is a flaky dreambox. My eSata drive works like a charm and I have never had a failed recording, so I suspect it is not the dreambox. It might be the image using bad drivers. Or the eSata enclosure that you have might be flaky, or even a bad power supply to the eSata drive. And last but most unlikely is that the hard drive is not compatible.
Note: If you got an mkfs error it might be because the drive is in use. Through the remote remove it and then try to initialise.

 

[babetko]

Hello Shumifan50, Thanks for the response. I have tried all images on my DM500HD that are out there and with every image it is the same issue! I have given up for now as it was affecting my love life

I am asking around to see if i can get hold of a another eSATA HDD and eleminate the HDD part of the puzzle. Will keep you posted on the results, though it may take some time to find someone who is willing to let me format his HDD!

Ta