From Newsgroup: uk.comp.homebuilt


I set up a 4 TB Crucial SSD using Mini Tool Partition Wizard this morning. I've had the SSD for a while and I plugged it in via an Orico cradle, USB3.

Mini Tool was slow to start and then stuck at 97% for a while before it
said it was finished.

Windows Tools Scanner (is it actually FDISK?) said no problems, I told it
to scan anyway, still no problems.

AS SSD Benchmark indicated 124 Mb/s read, 34 Mb/s write. I tried the
benchmark on a 2 TB SSD in the same cradle which returned close to 500
Mb/s for each.

I planned to use the 4 TB as a backup drive but I think I need to take
hammer to it.

Any thoughts?

PS it is not under warranty, in fact I think it may be a warranty
replacement.
--
Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
I take full responsibility for what happened - that is why the person that
was responsible went immediately.
(Gordon Brown, April 2009)
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From Newsgroup: uk.comp.homebuilt

On 06/08/2026 10:34, Jeff Gaines wrote:

I set up a 4 TB Crucial SSD using Mini Tool Partition Wizard this
morning. I've had the SSD for a while and I plugged it in via an Orico cradle, USB3.

Mini Tool was slow to start and then stuck at 97% for a while before it
said it was finished.

Windows Tools Scanner (is it actually FDISK?) said no problems, I told
it to scan anyway, still no problems.

AS SSD Benchmark indicated 124 Mb/s read, 34 Mb/s write. I tried the benchmark on a 2 TB SSD in the same cradle which returned close to 500
Mb/s for each.

I planned to use the 4 TB as a backup drive but I think I need to take hammer to it.

Any thoughts?

Have you looked at the SMART data?

I wouldn't be too quick to rule out a problem with the USB cradle (or
even a problem caused by poor seating of the drive within the cradle).

Try it with a proper SATA connection.
--
Cheers,
Daniel.
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From Newsgroup: uk.comp.homebuilt

On 06/08/2026 in message <11522om$3rtq1$2@dont-email.me> Daniel James wrote:

On 06/08/2026 10:34, Jeff Gaines wrote:

I set up a 4 TB Crucial SSD using Mini Tool Partition Wizard this >>morning. I've had the SSD for a while and I plugged it in via an Orico >>cradle, USB3.

Mini Tool was slow to start and then stuck at 97% for a while before it >>said it was finished.

Windows Tools Scanner (is it actually FDISK?) said no problems, I told it >>to scan anyway, still no problems.

AS SSD Benchmark indicated 124 Mb/s read, 34 Mb/s write. I tried the >>benchmark on a 2 TB SSD in the same cradle which returned close to 500 >>Mb/s for each.

I planned to use the 4 TB as a backup drive but I think I need to take >>hammer to it.

Any thoughts?

Have you looked at the SMART data?

I wouldn't be too quick to rule out a problem with the USB cradle (or even
a problem caused by poor seating of the drive within the cradle).

Try it with a proper SATA connection.

I used the same USB cradle for both tests deliberately to test it.
--
Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
Every day is a good day for chicken, unless you're a chicken.
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From Newsgroup: uk.comp.homebuilt

On 06/08/2026 15:36, Jeff Gaines wrote:

I used the same USB cradle for both tests deliberately to test it.

Yes, you said that. It's a good test, but not an infallible one. Are the
two SSDs the same make/model? Even if they are it's not a guarantee that
the cradle supports both.

Did you try the 4TB SSD again after verifying that the 2TB one worked?
You may just have not inserted it fully.

I recall, now that I stop and think about it, that I have a USB cradle
that doesn't work with drives over 2TB (and another that does). I
believe it's a chipset limitation, from the days when SATA drives just
weren't big enough to need >2TB support.

I've never heard of your "Orico" cradle ... so could it be one that
doesn't? I'd guess probably not if it's new enough to be USB3, but it's
worth checking.

I've just looked at the prices of 4TB SATA SSDs ... I know the world of
IT has gone crazy but those prices are obscene. I hope you find yours
does work after all!
--
Cheers,
Daniel.
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From Newsgroup: uk.comp.homebuilt

On 06/08/2026 10:34, Jeff Gaines wrote:

I planned to use the 4 TB as a backup drive but I think I need to take hammer to it.

Sell it on E bay
Or send to me to give it a good home.
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From Newsgroup: uk.comp.homebuilt

On 6 Aug 2026 09:34:44 GMT, Jeff Gaines wrote:

8< snip >8

I planned to use the 4 TB as a backup drive but I think I need to take hammer to it.

Any thoughts?

I can't help you with your problem, but you may want to look at this
when you're planning to use an SSD as a backup drive: <https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/storage/unpowered-ssd-endurance-investigation-finds-severe-data-loss-and-performance-issues-reminds-us-of-the-importance-of-refreshing-backups>
--
s|b
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From Newsgroup: uk.comp.homebuilt

On 06/08/2026 in message <ndk1vtFfd98U2@mid.individual.net> s|b wrote:

On 6 Aug 2026 09:34:44 GMT, Jeff Gaines wrote:

8< snip >8

I planned to use the 4 TB as a backup drive but I think I need to take >>hammer to it.

Any thoughts?

I can't help you with your problem, but you may want to look at this
when you're planning to use an SSD as a backup drive: ><https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/storage/unpowered-ssd-endurance-investigation-finds-severe-data-loss-and-performance-issues-reminds-us-of-the-importance-of-refreshing-backups>

That is very interesting, thank you :-)

My backups are all kept on spinning drives now, because of cost rather
than any inner knowledge, but it seems it may have been a good decision.
--
Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
Captcha is thinking of stopping the use of pictures with traffic lights as cyclists don't know what they are.
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From Newsgroup: uk.comp.homebuilt

I've just looked at the prices of 4TB SATA SSDs ... I know the world of
IT has gone crazy but those prices are obscene. I hope you find yours
does work after all!

I have 10 off 4TB drives, 4 currently in a DVR and 6 for quick swap
overs if one of the 4 in the DVR fails.

Thankfully I have 8 cameras that covers every inch of the house's vicinity.

I also have a commercial grade 2 alarm system and every room the house
has a PIR. This also includes the bathrooms and utility room.....

So the 10 hard drives are very well protected :-)

Or perhaps I should sell all 10 drives and retire? :-)


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From Newsgroup: uk.comp.homebuilt

Or perhaps I should sell all 10 drives and retire? :-)

or maybe alarms systems should have some purpose in life apart from
securing the alarm system hardware ?
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From Newsgroup: uk.comp.homebuilt

On 2026-08-07, SH <i.love@spam.com> wrote:

I've just looked at the prices of 4TB SATA SSDs ... I know the world of
IT has gone crazy but those prices are obscene. I hope you find yours
does work after all!

I have 10 off 4TB drives, 4 currently in a DVR and 6 for quick swap
overs if one of the 4 in the DVR fails.

Thankfully I have 8 cameras that covers every inch of the house's vicinity.

I also have a commercial grade 2 alarm system and every room the house
has a PIR. This also includes the bathrooms and utility room.....

So the 10 hard drives are very well protected :-)

Fire!
--
Ian

"Tamahome!!!" - "Miaka!!!"
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From Newsgroup: uk.comp.homebuilt

On 07/08/2026 10:24, Ian wrote:

On 2026-08-07, SH <i.love@spam.com> wrote:

I've just looked at the prices of 4TB SATA SSDs ... I know the world of
IT has gone crazy but those prices are obscene. I hope you find yours
does work after all!

I have 10 off 4TB drives, 4 currently in a DVR and 6 for quick swap
overs if one of the 4 in the DVR fails.

Thankfully I have 8 cameras that covers every inch of the house's vicinity. >>
I also have a commercial grade 2 alarm system and every room the house
has a PIR. This also includes the bathrooms and utility room.....

So the 10 hard drives are very well protected :-)

Fire!

LOL!
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From Newsgroup: uk.comp.homebuilt

On 06/08/2026 in message <1152c3s$3vd4e$1@dont-email.me> Daniel James wrote:

On 06/08/2026 15:36, Jeff Gaines wrote:

I used the same USB cradle for both tests deliberately to test it.

Yes, you said that. It's a good test, but not an infallible one. Are the
two SSDs the same make/model? Even if they are it's not a guarantee that
the cradle supports both.

Did you try the 4TB SSD again after verifying that the 2TB one worked? You >may just have not inserted it fully.

I recall, now that I stop and think about it, that I have a USB cradle
that doesn't work with drives over 2TB (and another that does). I believe >it's a chipset limitation, from the days when SATA drives just weren't big >enough to need >2TB support.

I've never heard of your "Orico" cradle ... so could it be one that
doesn't? I'd guess probably not if it's new enough to be USB3, but it's >worth checking.

I've just looked at the prices of 4TB SATA SSDs ... I know the world of IT >has gone crazy but those prices are obscene. I hope you find yours does
work after all!

I followed up after you post and tested the drive connected in 3 ways, 5
runs for each test, results from AS SSD Benchmark:

Crucial 4TB Test (MB/s)

SATA SSD cartridge

Read 68 170 232 191 313

Write 250 29 247 251 251

Orico USB 3 Cradle

Read 329 222 191 309 251

Write 397 390 388 392 389

Fitted in motherboard SATA Express

Read 237 201 340 269 220

Write 420 427 419 436 436

The cartridge is hard wire into the PC but connected to an extension card, looks as if it may be the only SATA 1 card I have!

The USB cradle is interesting and read faster than mounting the drive on
the motherboard.

The motherboard figures are also interesting with slower read but faster
write than USB.

It supports your suggestion it may not have been plugged in properly for
the previous test but also raises questions about the plug in SATA card
and the on board SATA compared to USB!
--
Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
You can't tell which way the train went by looking at the tracks
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