External HDD keeps going to sleep through USB-C hub

[Sensamic]

I've got the M3 iMac and a 5TB external HDD that I use for work attached through a USB-C hub. The cable of the HDD is USB 3.0 (Micro B I believe). I've unchecked the option to "put hard drives to sleep whenever possible" in the settings, but the hard drive turns on and off every couple of minutes, when it shouldn't.

Is it problem with the USB-C hub? Or is there another setting I'm missing?

Thanks for the help!

 

[niteflyr]

If it is a WD ext. HDD, there is a sleep setting in the HDD firmware you need to turn off. WD has a tool for this. You can get it here.

 

[Bigwaff]

I've got the M3 iMac and a 5TB external HDD that I use for work attached through a USB-C hub. The cable of the HDD is USB 3.0 (Micro B I believe). I've unchecked the option to "put hard drives to sleep whenever possible" in the settings, but the hard drive turns on and off every couple of minutes, when it shouldn't.

Is your external USB drive bus powered or does it have its own power supply? When the external drive "turns on and off", are their notifications on your Mac about disk ejection?

 

[Sensamic]

Is your external USB drive bus powered or does it have its own power supply? When the external drive "turns on and off", are their notifications on your Mac about disk ejection?

USB drive bus powered and there are no notifications. It just goes to sleep on its own.

 

[Bigwaff]

Have you tried connecting the drive directly to your Mac to see if the behavior is still exhibited?

 

[Andrey84]

Has Amphetamine been suggested already? It has an option in Settings called something like 'Keep Drive Alive'.

 

[Sensamic]

If it is a WD ext. HDD, there is a sleep setting in the HDD firmware you need to turn off. WD has a tool for this. You can get it here.

Tried this and doesn't work, sadly. I turned off the hibernation option and it still goes to sleep like every couple of minutes and then wakes up again, all on its own.

Have you tried connecting the drive directly to your Mac to see if the behavior is still exhibited?

Can't do this since my M3 iMac has USB-C only and the external hard drive is USB 3.0, so I have it connected through a hub.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"Can't do this since my M3 iMac has USB-C only and the external hard drive is USB 3.0, so I have it connected through a hub."

Ummmm....
Did you ever see one of these?

Cable Matters USB C to USB Adapter 6 Inches (USB to USB C Adapter, USB-C to USB 3.0 Adapter, USB C OTG) in Black

The Cable Matters USB 3.1 Type-C to Type-A adapter provides a convenient connection between the newest devices with USB Type-C and legacy USB peripherals with Type A. It adapts the Type-C port on a computer to connect all legacy equipment, peripherals, cables, hubs and chargers that ...

www.amazon.com

 

[Sensamic]

OP wrote:
"Can't do this since my M3 iMac has USB-C only and the external hard drive is USB 3.0, so I have it connected through a hub."

Ummmm....
Did you ever see one of these?

Cable Matters USB C to USB Adapter 6 Inches (USB to USB C Adapter, USB-C to USB 3.0 Adapter, USB C OTG) in Black

The Cable Matters USB 3.1 Type-C to Type-A adapter provides a convenient connection between the newest devices with USB Type-C and legacy USB peripherals with Type A. It adapts the Type-C port on a computer to connect all legacy equipment, peripherals, cables, hubs and chargers that ...

www.amazon.com

Yeah, I'm just not sure if it's worth it. I'm using a hub, isn't it supposed to be the same?

 

[seggy]

Tried this and doesn't work, sadly. I turned off the hibernation option and it still goes to sleep like every couple of minutes and then wakes up again, all on its own.

Can't do this since my M3 iMac has USB-C only and the external hard drive is USB 3.0, so I have it connected through a hub.

just buy a $2 adapter as pointed out above, doesn't even need to be like a super official one

Yeah, I'm just not sure if it's worth it. I'm using a hub, isn't it supposed to be the same?

The most important question is, is the hub powered, either by plug-in or PD?

USB-C is, I think, actually kinda of a disaster for Macs. While the port is flexible, it's very flexibility and the fact that for non-PD-connected devices you need to have a basic idea of the total power draw of whatever you have connected vs the host device's ability to supply power over the C port means the average Mac user and PC users who're like Mac users doesn't have a clue what's going on.

And that's also why so many all-C hubs get bad reviews, because idiots be slapping phones, tablets etc on an unpowered hub and going "it doesn't charge, this hub sux".