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Next: Hardware Help: dual and quads ?
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Joined: Nov 23, 2005
Posts: 23
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(Msg. 1) Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 11:37 pm
Post subject: external HD freezes laptop
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Hello
I have been trying to set up a backup system and increase available drive space in a Dell 2500 laptop with a 20 gig hard drive. I put a powered Belkin PC Card into the slot and hooked up a 4 port powered hub. I then hooked a maxtor mini 160 gig drive to the hub. The computer read this without difficulty. I then hooked up a second maxtor mini 160 gig drive. The system froze with the first drive continuusly flashing and the second drive LED showing solid. I added a second hub to the other Belkin port and added the second drive to this new hub and all worked well.
After using it for a day, when I rebooted, it immediately froze again. I tried different combinations of hubs and cables to no avail. Finally plugged one hub into the original USB 1.1 port and everything works again. Can anyone give me an idea of what is going on and what I can do to get both drives to work on USB 2?
Thanks, Dave |
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Joined: May 27, 2005
Posts: 824
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(Msg. 2) Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 3:07 pm
Post subject: Re: external HD freezes laptop [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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| Are both drives 2.0 compatible? They are supposed to be backward compatible, but... Do either of the external drives have an operating system on it? If so, the laptop may be confused as to "which" drive to boot from. You may have to make changes in your BIOS setup.
If your "native" port is 1.1, you can't use 2.0 at full value. In desk-tops with 1.1, you have to add a USB 2.0 card to get true 2.0.
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Joined: Nov 23, 2005
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(Msg. 3) Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 7:21 pm
Post subject: Re: external HD freezes laptop [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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Hi Micker377
Thanks for the reply. The native usb port on the computer is 1.1. I used a pcmcia card that provides two ports of high speed usb 2.0. The drives are maxtor mini 4s in the one touch series. They are identical and neither has an operating system on it. The operating system remains on the laptop on the C drive.
Dave |
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Joined: Nov 08, 2006
Posts: 45
Location: Hampshire, England
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(Msg. 4) Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 7:51 am
Post subject: Re: external HD freezes laptop [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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The disks may be objecting to being run through a hub. I've also had probs with reading disks via a Belkin usb card.
The USB 1/2 shouldn't be an issue - except for the speed (!) - as USB 2.0 is backwardly compatible with earlier versions. |
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Joined: Nov 23, 2005
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(Msg. 5) Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 10:10 am
Post subject: Re: external HD freezes laptop [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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I guess I didn't think of the pcmcia card being the limiting factor since both drives work perfectly through it when run singly. The powered hub was necessary in order to get enough ports to get power to the drives since each drive requires two ports, one for power and data and one for power alone. Thanks for your input. |
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Joined: Nov 08, 2006
Posts: 45
Location: Hampshire, England
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(Msg. 6) Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 3:09 pm
Post subject: Re: external HD freezes laptop [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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You may get better results (I did) by just using the standalone 4-port powered hub, although the outcome may be machine-dependant. Mine's a Samsung R40+.
The power supply rating was critical in my case - 2 amps were needed (500ma per port) to get satisfactory results. |
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Joined: Dec 07, 2002
Posts: 8586
Location: Southern California
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(Msg. 7) Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 2:27 am
Post subject: Re: external HD freezes laptop [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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Hello,
As TeeDee noted, power is most likely the limiting factor here. Try plugging an external power source into each Maxtor Mini 160GB external USB hard disk drive instead of trying to run them directly off of USB hub power. That should ensure the external hard disk drives receive enough amperage to spin up, as they typically require more when power is first applied.
Regards,
Aryeh Goretsky |
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Joined: Nov 23, 2005
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(Msg. 8) Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 12:35 pm
Post subject: Re: external HD freezes laptop [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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The one touch mini 4 drives are USB powered - how do I hook up an external power source? The only connection I see on the drive is the USB plug in port. The supplied cable has a single end that goes into this port and then splits into 2 standard USB plugs one of which is labeled power and data and the other just labeled power. Thanks for your info.
Dave |
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Joined: Nov 08, 2006
Posts: 45
Location: Hampshire, England
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(Msg. 9) Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 1:09 pm
Post subject: Re: external HD freezes laptop [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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All that can be done, then, is to ensure an adequate current supply to the hub: 5V at 2.5A will be more than enough, and has the extra capacity to be able to give a bit of momentary 'headroom' during the heavier current drain on spinup, as goretsky pointed out. |
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Joined: Dec 07, 2002
Posts: 8586
Location: Southern California
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(Msg. 10) Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 12:45 am
Post subject: Re: external HD freezes laptop [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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Hello,
If the USB hub does not provide enough current to the power connector of the Maxtor Mini 160GB external USB hard disk drive's two-headed cable then you may need to try plugging it into a 110-240 VAC to +5VDC power adapter such as one of these.
Regards,
Aryeh Goretsky |
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Joined: Nov 23, 2005
Posts: 23
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(Msg. 11) Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 8:19 pm
Post subject: Re: external HD freezes laptop [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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Hi Goretsky,
Thanks for the link. I will obtain the appropriate one and boost the power.
Dave |
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