USB storage unavailable after 7.4.2 upgrade

Can someone please clarify what you all are experience. I'm trying to determine if it's the same as my issue.

With me, plugging the hard drive into the router causes the router to flash orange and go offline and, obviously, the drive isn't available.

The router work fine when the HD isn't plugged in. The external hard drive works fine when plugged directly into the computer. Until yesterday, since I bought the drive and the router 3 weeks ago, the router and drive worked well together. I've downgraded the firmware as some have suggested.

Where should I go for help? Apple store? Hire a tech? Any suggestions on how to resolve or work around?

I tried the upgrade-reset-restore and it failed just as always. My drive is full, so I'm currently doing a full backup to a new one, and once that is done, I'll upgrade my OS and the AEBS and see if that makes any difference.

Hi, Flashing orange indicates an issue that needs resolving or Firmware update. Open the Airport utility and see what causing the orange indicator. It will show you whats causing it when you open up the Utility and check the config.

What you describe is not what we are experiencing.

Exactly how do you do this downgrade?

See previous post in this topic http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=9775639#9775639

Hoping that a lot of replies will make Apple notice, so I'd like to add that I have the same problem. The disk works for a little while, but within the hour it's unavailable. It works after downgrading to 7.4.1.

Has anyone noticed upgrading to OS 10.6 (Snow Leopard) making any difference?

Nope. Its still has the same issue.... sorry.
I've decided to buy a TC as I dont want to loose my info.

I have a different version of the problem - I have 2 external drives. one is being read by AEBS as an Airport disk. The other one is not. Both drives are being read by my mac mini when plugged in and both were formerly internal drives of my mac before upgrading. I am on firmware 7.4.2. I have tried everything suggested in the post especially the suggestion by HenryS - even changed the name of the volume to remove the blanks but nothing worked. I wonder why one disk is being read by AEBS and the other one is not while both are being read by the mac mini. Any ideas?

For what it is worth - Had a similar problem that was not solved by downgrading to 7.4.1. The 500G WD MyBook would still drop out or o/w become unavailable to Time Machine. Always able to get it back via power reset on AE. What fixed the problem was +updating the firmware on the hard drive+ (jan 09, I think). Since then, perfect. Even after re-upgrading AE to 7.4.2

I was so hopeful. I have now upgraded the hard drive from an OWC Mercury Pro to an Iomega Prestige, my mac to 10.6.1, and the AEBS to 7.4.2, and... still failed. I really wanted it to work because I'm having a different problem with 7.4.1 where I can't use the internet when Time Machine is backing up, and upgrading to 7.4.2 fixed that, but in the end, it still failed to complete the backup.

BTW: What AEBS does everyone have, and does it make a difference? Mine is the Wireless-N Fast Ethernet (not Gigabit).

Updating firmware is an idea that I have not yet tried. I have looked everywhere but drawn a blank. How do I update firmware for my Hitachi drive?

My new USB drive connected to the AEBS wouldn't mount at all. After a whole day of trying out all the suggestions I could find on the internet with no success............I finally succeeded in connecting by connecting the HD directly to my Mac, changing the HD name to a shorter one, and reconnecting to the AEBS.

Does the way the disk is formatted make any difference? Mac OS Extended (HFS Plus) formatting vs FAT?
Ralf

Same issue with 7.4.2 here, random disconnects. Downgraded to 7.4.1 and that seams to work well, no disconnect while TM is running. Thanks for the downgrade instructions provided in this thread. Really ease and really fast to do the Apple way 🙂 Hope the next upgrade 7.4.3 is coming soon and fixes this problem.