Recognize ext4 formatted drive for FW update?

I happen to have a spare WD Blue WD60EZRZ drive which I’m using in my QNAP NAS (yes, I know it’s not meant for NAS use :wink:). It’s then necessarily formatted in the ext4 filesystem.

I want to do two things:

  • update my drive firmware
  • set as long sleep time as possible

So I’ve installed WD Drive Tools and FW Update on my PC and connected the drive via the USB-SATA adapter (with external power). But it’s not being recognized neither by WD Drive Tools nor by the FW Update tool. I’ve tried different cables, 2 adapters, and multiple USB ports with no offers.

The only reason that comes to my mind is the ext4 filesystem. I’ve tested one of my WD Reds and it also wouldn’t get recognized.

Is there any way I can setup/update ext4-formatted drive from Windows?

The format is irrelevant. I did a similar thing with four WD GREENs (also in a QNAP TS410) to use the wdidle3 tool. They’d already been formatted and in use in the QNAP, but I had no problem using the tools.

The issue is more likely that the tools don’t work across USB; they’re expecting to talk directly to the SATA interface.

So if you happen to have a spare SATA port on your PC’s motherboard, use that instead of the dock.

Thank you for this!

It’s a bit weird, though… Those drives are common in the WD external storages, so I’d expect them to be able to communicate via USB even on technical items… :astonished:

I’m actually running laptops only, I have no regular SATA port to connect to… Well, I have those in my NASes, but this is the place where it won’t work for sure. :grinning: