USB External Hard Drive keeps disconnecting.

[beckhamstef]

Hey,

Windows 7 x86

I've got an USB External Hard Disk Drive (Samsung S2 Portable 500 Gb). In the last 3-4 days it keeps randomly disconnecting when in use... So, Windows starts, it runs fine for an hour or so (in use), then the magic sound strikes. After a couple of seconds it's detected again, and the whole show starts again. Sometimes it reconnects for 3-4 times in a minute. It's driving me crazy!

My USB drivers are up to date, I've unchecked all those Power Management things, I've installed the KB976972 update (tho I'm not quite sure I was suited for it ). I thought it was the cable's fault, so I left it on my brother's Vista PC for about 5 hours playing movies, and it worked...


LE: Now I'm thinking it could be one of the updates 7 made on the 10th of this month...

LE2: It was working fine since Christmas.

 

[computersplus]

is it the only USB device that's giving you issues? is it connected to a USB hub or direct connected to PC also some system specs would be helpfull

 

[beckhamstef]

It's the only USB that's giving me problems. I've tried switching ports, same thing. Yes, directly connected.

Windows: Microsoft Windows 7 6.1.7600
Internet Explorer: 8.0.7600.16385
Memory (RAM): 3072 MB
CPU Info: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E4600 @ 2.40GHz
CPU Speed: 2398.1 MHz
Sound card: Speakers (High Definition Audio
Display Adapters: NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT | NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT | RDPDD Chained DD | RDP Encoder Mirror Driver | RDP Reflector Display Driver
Monitors: 1
Screen Resolution: 1920 X 1080 - 32 bit
Network: Network Present
Network Adapters: Atheros L2 Fast Ethernet 10/100Base-T Controller
CD / DVD Drives: E: HL-DT-STDVD-RAM GSA-H55N
COM Ports: NOT Present
LPT Ports: LPT1
Mouse: 3 Button Wheel Mouse Present
Hard Disks: C: 23.8GB | D: 125.3GB | F: 465.8GB
Hard Disks - Free: C: 8.7GB | D: 18.4GB | F: 62.0GB
USB Controllers: 5 host controllers.
Firewire (1394): Not Detected
PCMCIA (Laptops): Not Installed
Manufacturer: American Megatrends Inc.
Product Make: System Product Name
AC Power Status: OnLine
BIOS Info:
Time Zone: GTB Standard Time
Battery: No Battery
Motherboard: ASUSTeK Computer INC. P5LD2-X/1333
Modem: Not detected
:

 

[computersplus]

how many USB devices do you have plugged in to this machine?

 

[beckhamstef]

Keyboard, Mouse and the External HDD.

 

[computersplus]

go back to device manager and look at the USB Root Hub properties look at the total power available per port like mine is 500 mA per port it will also tell you what the devices plugged in require make sure that the external USB drive does not require more that what is available per port like if I plugged in a device that required 750 mA into ports that can only deliver 500 mA you would have to use a seperate Powered USB hub to power such a device

 

[zap]

You might be exceeding the current carrying capability of the USB port. Try hooking a powered USB hub to the port and then plugging the external hard drive to the powered USB hub.

 

[beckhamstef]

I've got 500 mA available per port. 5 ports.

Keyboard - 100 mA
Mouse - 100 mA
HDD - 2 mA

 

[computersplus]

HDD only 2 mA are you sure about that

 

[beckhamstef]

Yep! USB Mass Storage Device - 2 mA.

 

[computersplus]

that seems odd to me that it would only draw 2 mA

 

[beckhamstef]

What bothers me is that it worked for almost a month and a half in the same configuration. It can't become power-hungry suddenly.

This guy has the same thing... from 3:58

How To Troubleshoot USB Power Issues (Technology & Cars: Computer Troubleshooting)

 

[beckhamstef]

Right! So happy to inform you that I've cracked the little devil! YES! It was the electric lengthener! I guess it was kinda sensitive or something, causing a voltage fluctuation. . I was charging my hair cutting machine, when my USB mouse started doing the same thing... Nailed it! So happy!

Thanks to everyone that replied . So to others that come across problems: check your gear!

 

[duncpol]

solution

So you solved it by changing your lengthener or connecting to other electrical outlet? Because I have the same problem and it's especially annoying when listening music from external HDD. Maybe I should connect power adapter of HDD somewhere else.

 

[dwarfer66]

I had that happen with a 1TB WD drive except it kept connecting/disconnecting all the time then found out I have a power outage in the area, and suddenly my drive became a raw drive, lost everything, now it is an internal drive!

 

[sevenshaven]

so u guys sayin' this happens bcoz of power outage like a black-out or low voltage ??
Mine have been acting like this for the past one month or so .

I have a 1TB seagate external drive . For two years everything worked fine until now it automatically disconnects while copying data and re-connects . It even asks me to format the external drive , but i cancel that option ... and then i MANUALLY disconnect & reconnect the device to make it work again ;(
... So is there anything i can do to prevent it ? Mine connects directly to the usb port .

So suppose there is low voltage in my area , and at that time if i DO NOT charge my PC while the external drive is plugged in , like running my PC on battery , then will this "disconnect reconnect" thingy occur ??
Im extremely worried of losing all my data , so planning to buy another one to copy all the stuffs there but until that happens, my current one must survive . Please help me out guys