[tlug] USB HDD Startup

[CL <az.4tlug@example.com>]

My Lubuntu 19.04 machine has three attached 4Tb USB 3.1 external HDDs, 
formatted HTFS.  They are reformatted from their original factory 
formatting with Gparted and named with sequential numbers -- 3,4,5.  Two 
plug directly into USB 3 connectors on the motherboard and one into a 
USB 3 add-on card in a PCI16 1x slot.  I have entered all three of them 
in my fstab file, identifying them by their UUID. They have booted 
properly for over a year in this configuration.

Recently, HDD 4 -- connected to the motherboard USB 3 connector -- 
refused to boot properly and the system hung as the startup routine 
tried to start it, first by location name, then UUID.  I started the 
system using a Lubuntu Live DVD, then ran KDE Partition Editor.

The file manager could see the HDD plugged into the add-on card but 
could only see whichever of the HDDs was plugged into the left-hand 
(viewed from the back of the machine) motherboard connection.   HDD 4 
was viewable once, but file manager said it had no files saved on it 
when it had been about 70% full before rebooting.  Put it on a box with 
a WIN10 virtual PC on it.  It couldn't be read by either the Debian host 
or WIN10 guest until the box was rebooted.  Then it was seen, but could 
not be read, so I ran chkdsk /f, which reported no problems and made the 
contents visible.  When I returned the disk to the Lubuntu box, plugging 
it into the motherboard USB 3 connector, it was readable, so I rebooted 
... and it would not load, dropping me into repair console.  I commented 
out the startup information for HDD 4 in fstab and rebooted.  I promptly 
had a clean boot and the HDD was visible, readable, has all files 
visible, and seems to be running fine.

One strange thing just noted is that the UUID of HDD 4 is no longer the 
one I used to identify it in fstab but I think it was correct until I 
ran chkdsk /f on WIN10.  Does WIN rename removable disks?

So ...

1. Do I just ignore this issue and keep using the PC as is?
2. Do I edit fstab, change the UUID, remove the comment out, and restart?
3. Do I worry that this HDD is dying even if SMART has no warning flags 
visible?
4. Is this an indication that one USB 3 connector on my motherboard will 
soon pine for the fjords?
5. Can anyone think of a reason for this behavior?
6. 42?

CL