# Hopper states external hard drive has no files but 60% full after Hopper Hdd 311 error code



## goinsledn (Jun 2, 2013)

I have a 2.5" WD 1TB external hard drive that we loaded up with recordings on our old 722. We then upgraded to a Hopper last year and loaded it even more.

It was only 60% full, and last week after a power outage, the Hopper stated it had an error 311 and the hard drive ceased to function. 

We got a new Hopper receiver from Dish, actually two, as the replacement had a dead USB port in the front. Neither of these replacement Hoppers will read the data on my 2.5" 1TB external hard drive that is USB powered and worked in two prior Dish receivers (722 and original Hopper). 

When I try to have the hard read on the new Hopper, it wants to format it (which I haven't done) and states that there are no events on it, although the Hopper says the external hard drive is 60% full. 

Anyone have any ideas on how to make the replacement Hopper read my external hard drive with over 100 recordings on it? Thanks!


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

Contact the DIRT team and have them send a "hit" to the receiver reconnecting it to your account, this usually fixes the problem.


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## goinsledn (Jun 2, 2013)

I had the Dish tech support send the signal to my Hopper earlier today, and they said it was authorized again for an external hard drive. It didn't work, and the Hopper still states there are no events, but the drive is 60% full.

Are the external hard drives that we use on the dish receivers somehow authorized for just my account? Is it possible to take the external hard drive to another Hopper or 722 at a friends house to try and see if it will work there? 

Is it possible it might work with my old Hopper if I took the replacement Hopper's hard drive out and put it into the "bad" Hopper that had a hard drive failure, and was the cause of the problem to start with? I'm new to the forum, so sorry for all the questions.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

EHDs are tied specifically to your account. Do you still have your new and old Hopper?

Sometimes when swapping receivers, if they deactivate your old receiver before activating the new one, the EHD "key" is lost... I don't know if that is what happened in your case, but it could be possible.


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## goinsledn (Jun 2, 2013)

Yes, I still have the old Hopper with the defective hard drive.

Is it possible to swap out the current Hopper's harddrive into the old Hopper, and then re-activate the old Hopper, to see if the external hard drive will let the Hopper see it's events again?

If that isn't possible, how do I get the EHD "key" back onto my external hard drive? Thanks.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

it possible, but . .. not owning the boxes could lead you to hefty fine especially if you'll explain them all steps what you will do or doing


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## patmurphey (Dec 21, 2006)

goinsledn said:


> ...my 2.5" 1TB external hard drive that is USB powered and worked in two prior Dish receivers (722 and original Hopper)...


That may be your problem - USB powered MAY work, but it isn't supported or recommended.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

That's a good catch... I missed that part. Yes, USB-powered drives are not officially supported and may not work... so you might be experiencing the unpredictability of that right now.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

oh, that small print is fall of the discussion ! well, time to get a 5VDC brick with tiny connector to power the USB enclosure (if it has such connector)


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## goinsledn (Jun 2, 2013)

i tried an external usb power supply tonight with the external 2.5" hard drive using a usb Y cable and got the same response by the hopper of No Events. What is the external hard drive "key"? Anyone ever have this issue before?


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

you'll spend your time for salvage recordings if it still possible - see how ppl did that before using Linux (keyword is DishArc folder)


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

goinsledn said:


> i tried an external usb power supply tonight with the external 2.5" hard drive using a usb Y cable and got the same response by the hopper of No Events. What is the external hard drive "key"? Anyone ever have this issue before?


The key is assigned to your account and to any EHD you connect to it. It is not something you have any control over.

I obviously did not understand your initial post correctly, because I had missed that you were using a USB-powered EHD... Dish has never supported those, so it is entirely possible that it worked for a while and then stopped working... and if it has become corrupted, your recordings may be lost already.


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