With more than 1 USB storage device at power-on, a Pi4 can get 'confused' where it should boot from. That might be an issue as well. There are ways to mask 1 or the other device pre-linux, see docs, but I consider all this as a no-go if I want reliability. Maybe it is just a bit of hobby getting unused 2.5. inch HDDs running/used again, then workarounds hacks and tweaks are maybe fine I guess.
I can confirm what pidd indicates, RSTECH hub works also for me, but the adaptor shipped with it is only 2A. So 4x USB3 can never deliver 4x 900mA as I think was once what we could expect from USB3 ports. The barreljack of mine is not common 5521 or 5525, so I just cut the wire and soldered a 3A DC-DC converter to it that taps its energy from a car-battery +12V PSU. Same separate/own DC-DC for Pi4 itself. Only 1 storage device (Samsung 840 Evo).
In the past still issues with a hotplugged WD Elements 5T (SMR). That thing is completely ruined now. I am not sure if the 2A PSU (and still some power issues?) was the problem or just that it is SMR and was rather cheap for its 5T. Anyway WD fooled people w.r.t. SMR.
I use the Samsung 840 Evo SSD as an alternative to SD-card simply as that Pi4 has high storage I/O, speed and volume and latency are important. I keep it running now as I put a lot of work in it, also watchdog setup as due to this whole Pi4 USB3 drama that was the only way to keep it up and running for months without manual interaction.
With the know-how I have now, I simply use other ARM SBC that have SATA and/or M.2 M-key connectors.That also means no permanent USB only storage devices like the WD Elements. You usually do not know what interface chip is in there, maybe there is no intermediate SATA, maybe ATA/IDE?
I can confirm what pidd indicates, RSTECH hub works also for me, but the adaptor shipped with it is only 2A. So 4x USB3 can never deliver 4x 900mA as I think was once what we could expect from USB3 ports. The barreljack of mine is not common 5521 or 5525, so I just cut the wire and soldered a 3A DC-DC converter to it that taps its energy from a car-battery +12V PSU. Same separate/own DC-DC for Pi4 itself. Only 1 storage device (Samsung 840 Evo).
In the past still issues with a hotplugged WD Elements 5T (SMR). That thing is completely ruined now. I am not sure if the 2A PSU (and still some power issues?) was the problem or just that it is SMR and was rather cheap for its 5T. Anyway WD fooled people w.r.t. SMR.
I use the Samsung 840 Evo SSD as an alternative to SD-card simply as that Pi4 has high storage I/O, speed and volume and latency are important. I keep it running now as I put a lot of work in it, also watchdog setup as due to this whole Pi4 USB3 drama that was the only way to keep it up and running for months without manual interaction.
With the know-how I have now, I simply use other ARM SBC that have SATA and/or M.2 M-key connectors.That also means no permanent USB only storage devices like the WD Elements. You usually do not know what interface chip is in there, maybe there is no intermediate SATA, maybe ATA/IDE?
Statistics: Posted by redvli — Sun Jul 06, 2025 7:18 am