"The driver detected a controller error". Event ID 11. Anyone else familiar with this?

Since December I’ve had a few of these with Harddisk1/ 2/3. Last night this error was logged four times in a row, one right after the other. If memory serves, it was around when I ejected the Easystore from my computer, if not a few seconds earlier when I was trying to eject and Windows kept saying it was busy (I’ve always had that problem).

I cannot say for certain if circumstances were the same for earlier errors, but I’ve had one in December (Harddisk2), two in February (Harddisk 1 and 3 respectively), and one in March (Harddisk 1).

These are all Easystores with the exception of one Elements drive.

I’ve put the drives in question through several tests, and they all check out. There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with them, and I haven’t had any issues using them either. S.M.A.R.T. data checks out for everything. They all range between two and three years old, but the actual power on time for most of them is barely a few weeks. They’re used for periodic backups.

I’ve already checked my computer, cables, cleaned out dust, etc. Pretty much everything that’s usually suggested, I’ve already checked and double-checked. Everything within reason: I’m not about to replace my motherboard or entire chunks of hardware in the absence of greater problems.

The Device Manager says there are no compatible drivers for the “WD SES Device USB Device”. But it’s been that way since I first started using these drives.

I find it unlikely that there’s something wrong with all of these drives at the same time, and given that I’ve found a few threads in other places where WD externals are specifically mentioned in conjunction with this error, I’d say if there’s any commonality here at all, it’s that or Microsoft themselves. Googling Event ID 11 doesn’t yield much: there’s not a whole lot in general, and what is there is either a shrug, or assertions that the drive will probably need last rites, which again, seems unlikely in my case unless these drives are taking a really long time to die, and they’re all doing it in the exact same way, i.e. tip-top S.M.A.R.T. readings, no bad sectors, no read/write errors, the general absence of any other discernible problems, etc. IF these drives were actually dying, I’d think at least one of them would have had problems connecting, or given me a BSOD, or crashed Windows explorer, or whatever these things usually do when they’re giving up the ghost. At least ONE of them would have done something by now.

I’d contact WD and ask what they think, but I’d rather not as previous experience has shown me that unless the issue conforms to a checklist, their call center scripts don’t allow them much leeway in terms of actually solving the issue.

Note: After cross-referencing the times and dates I’ve just realized that all but one of these errors was related to either connecting a drive to my computer, or ejecting it. Odd. And the one that wasn’t related to a connection/removal was a Cruzer flash drive (which is still working fine, by the way).

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Hi @BXNYCer,

Have you opened a Support Case? If not opened, for more information, please contact the WD Technical Support team for the best assistance and troubleshooting:
https://support-en.wd.com/app/ask

“The ‘driver detected a controller error’ with Event ID 11 typically indicates a problem with a storage controller or its associated drivers. It could be a hardware or software issue, such as a failing hard drive or outdated drivers. Troubleshooting steps would involve checking hardware connections, updating drivers, and running diagnostics on the storage devices.”

Yes, the “The driver detected a controller error” message with Event ID 11 is a common issue that indicates a problem with the disk controller or the hard drive itself. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can take:

  1. Check Cables: Ensure that all cables (SATA/IDE) connected to the hard drive and motherboard are secure and not damaged.
  2. Update Drivers: Update your disk controller drivers from the manufacturer’s website. Sometimes outdated or corrupted drivers can cause these errors.
  3. Run Disk Check: Use the built-in Windows tool to check for disk errors. You can do this by running chkdsk /f /r in the command prompt.
  4. Check Event Viewer: Look for additional error messages in the Event Viewer that could provide more context about the issue.
  5. Test the Drive: Use diagnostic tools from the hard drive manufacturer to test the drive for errors. They often provide tools that can check the health of the drive.
  6. Replace Hardware: If the error persists after trying the above steps, there might be a hardware failure, and you may need to consider replacing the hard drive or the controller.

The “The driver detected a controller error” with Event ID 11 is a common Windows error, usually indicating an issue with hardware connections or drivers. Here are a few troubleshooting steps:

Check the hardware: Ensure all cables, especially for external drives or USB devices, Mobcup are securely connected. Sometimes a loose connection triggers this error.
Update drivers: Go to Device Manager and update drivers for any connected storage devices or USB controllers, as outdated drivers often cause conflicts.
Run diagnostics: Use tools like CHKDSK or diagnostic software provided by the drive manufacturer to check for errors on your drive.
Inspect for bad sectors: Errors can be due to bad sectors on the drive, so running a full scan might help detect issues.
Others have reported similar issues on forums and sites like Mobcup, and updating drivers or replacing faulty cables often resolves it.