Transfering files to or from a device connected to a USB 2.0 hub

[cangrejero]

I run an ACER Aspire X3950 with Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit.

I purchased a "RAYGO eXtreme Hard Drive enclosure (SATA to USB)" and installed within it a 1 Terabite HDD that was working (and can work) flawlessly in a different PC. The HDD is about 85% empty.

For no apparent reason, most of the time when I (try to) transfer large files to the external HDD, the latter stops working. However, I've been able to transfer (blocks of) files of more thann 30 Gb without a hitch.

When the external HDD does stops working, Device Manager shows "Unknown device". When it works, Device Manager shows two instances of "USB Mass Storage Device". If I restart the PC, most of the time the external HDD is ignored and not even the "Unknown device" entry appears.

The closest thing to a solution I found at "Problems may occur when you try to transfer files to or from a device that is connected to a USB 2.0 hub", where they state:

[B][B]Resolution for Windows 7[/B][/B]
 
 
To resolve this problem in Windows 7, add a [B]EnHcSoftRetry[/B] registry entry with
a DWORD value of 1 under the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\<hw id>\<instance id>\Device Parameters
 
 
[B]Note[/B] To obtain <hw id> and <instance id>, open the Device Manager property
page for each EHCI USB host controller, click the [B]Details[/B] tab, and then select
[B]Device Instance Path[/B] in the list. Most systems have only one or two EHCI
host controllers, so this should not be too difficult.

To no avail, I've tried placing the EnHcSoftRetry registry entry both as part of the "Device Parameters" entry and as a sub of it. I've tried using DWORD and QWORD to no avail, too. I'm sure I'm screwing up here somehow.

Any guidance on this issue will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[fireberd]

Does the external USB connected hard drive work OK if connected directly to a USB port on the PC? If it does, that suggests the USB hub is the problem. Is the USB hub a "powered" hub (has its own power supply) or a non-powered hub that uses the PC's USB port power? Generally, a powered hub is best, especially if the external device gets its power solely from the USB.

 

[cangrejero]

Thanks for your prompt response. Following are my comments:

1. Will try to purchase a cable to connect the HDD directly to a USB port on the PC.
2. The USB is a "powered" hub.

Agree with your other comments. Will continue to "troubleshoot" and advise.

Thanks again!