External hard drive connection to R99 TV box

[gkitf16]

Hello all! I have an R99 Android TV box and a 2.5" SATA external hard drive in a compact USB 3.1 case. I connected it to the USB 3.0 (blue) port on the R99 box, but the drive clicks and tries to start but is not getting enough power from the box. The box comes with a 2.0A power supply stock. Tried the USB 2.0 port, same problem. It works fine on any other computer USB port. The R99 also has a USB-C connection. If it does give more current, I'm considering a 2.5" drive case like this one ORICO 2538C3 Type-C Hard Drive Enclosure Case 2.5". Anyone tried this? I'd like to be able to use the drive with the box rather than have to use a USB flash drive for external storage.

[michael2t]

hello

Always use a powered usb hub and all the problems go away ...

I use a seagate 1 tb usb external drive..

DO NOT waste your time replacing the power supply I did and the box just reboots when I
Plug the USB Drive in it did the same thing with the original power supply ... (I used a 5v/4A works fine but does not help USB Hard drive issue) but it all works fine with the USB HUB JUST Make sure it is a Powered USB HUB and USB 3.x works better for me.

I attached a picture of the USB Hub I use.
Good luck

Michael T.

[bluesmanuk]

You might find that an external hard drive in a USB 2.0 enclosure might work but it's all too often the case that the 5v/2a power is just not enough for multiple devices, especially when one of them is a USB 3 drive.

The USB-C is highly unlikely be able to deliver the required power either, so powered USB Hub is the easiest way to go, or replace the power unit with 5v/3a or more.

[gkitf16]

Looking at some of the powered hubs, they aren't cheap $40+. Weird how the drive works fine on my laptop or PC (and I though those ports were limited to 500 mA) in USB 2.0 or 3.0 ports. I don't want to throw a whole bunch of money at this, I only need a 2-3 3.0 port powered hub. May have to use flash drive for now.

[bluesmanuk]

This is relatively cheap at $16.99

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Port-2-5A-power-adapter/dp/B00DQFGH80/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520138403&sr=8-1&keywords=AmazonBasics+4-Port+USB+3.0+Hub

A USB 3.0 port will draw around 1 amp.

[gkitf16]

I ordered the AmazonBasics powered hub you linked above and guess what....the drive STILL will not show up when connected to the TV box, with or without the power adapter provided. Tried it in both the blue USB 3.0 and standard 2.0 ports on the box. Strangely, the drive shows up normally if I attach it to any USB 3 or 2 port on my desktop PC, doesn't matter if I use the power adapter or not. The drive can also connect this way without the hub.

OK, after futzing around for a while and plugging/unplugging in every possible combination with/without the hub, somehow I don't know why, I got the drive to respond and suddenly it showed up. Also tested a few various flash drives of different capacities, these showed up instantly. This is all while connected to the 2.0 port, which seems to play 1080p and other media which I had on the drive fine. I also discovered the USB 3 port is not responding to anything plugged into it, neither the flash drives or HDD's, with/without the hub. Also tried the same thing with my air mouse, nope. I hope this doesn't mean I'm going to have to return the box on a warranty claim.

I'm using ES File Explorer Pro, which works great on my Essential PH1 Android phone (which just got an OTA update to Oreo 8.1, skipping the 8.0 disaster which permanently bricked my last Samsung), so I didn't expect any issues here either. The RK3399 comes with and is running Android 6.0.1. I can also see Android notification messages as usual in the windowshade pulldown, including when the drive started finally appearing. Everything can be accessed as it should be, but I'm still suspicious of that USB 3.0 port. Unexplained as to why it took so long to get the drive to finally be accepted and appear, but it seems to be right now.

[gefattern]

I ordered the AmazonBasics powered hub you linked above and guess what....the drive STILL will not show up when connected to the TV box, with or without the power adapter provided. Tried it in both the blue USB 3.0 and standard 2.0 ports on the box. Strangely, the drive shows up normally if I attach it to any USB 3 or 2 port on my desktop PC, doesn't matter if I use the power adapter or not. The drive can also connect this way without the hub.

OK, after futzing around for a while and plugging/unplugging in every possible combination with/without the hub, somehow I don't know why, I got the drive to respond and suddenly it showed up. Also tested a few various flash drives of different capacities, these showed up instantly. This is all while connected to the 2.0 port, which seems to play 1080p and other media which I had on the drive fine. I also discovered the USB 3 port is not responding to anything plugged into it, neither the flash drives or HDD's, with/without the hub. Also tried the same thing with my air mouse, nope. I hope this doesn't mean I'm going to have to return the box on a warranty claim.

I'm using ES File Explorer Pro, which works great on my Essential PH1 Android phone (which just got an OTA update to Oreo 8.1, skipping the 8.0 disaster which permanently bricked my last Samsung), so I didn't expect any issues here either. The RK3399 comes with and is running Android 6.0.1. I can also see Android notification messages as usual in the windowshade pulldown, including when the drive started finally appearing. Everything can be accessed as it should be, but I'm still suspicious of that USB 3.0 port. Unexplained as to why it took so long to get the drive to finally be accepted and appear, but it seems to be right now.

Hi ,

there is already a 7.1.2 Rom for this Box , you can find it here on Freaktab .

greetings / gefattern

[gkitf16]

Thanks. I did give 7.1.2 a try, but decided to go back to 6 which came as stock on the R99. I tried to install my favorite launcher, Nova, which works perfectly on my phone. But try it with 7.1.2 on the R99 box, and you are met with nothing but crashes. I asked ChigzTech on Youtube he verified that it is not compatible. Another very unwanted behavior I found very quickly is once you power the R99 off with the remote control, it cannot be powered back on unless you physically unplug the power jack and put it back in. It then cold boots, not a normal boot. Version 6 always responded to the power-on command from the remote.

Strangely, I had no problems downloading or flashing the firmware, nothing to suggest any corruption. Sometimes what works is better left alone. I had no idea an upgrade would behave so badly. Except for the Oreo 8.0 update which destroyed my last phone. 128gb Samsung working just fine, gone. There was no reviving it, impossible to power it on after multiple service attempts. $850 in the trash