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Post by laverne on May 16, 2013 8:52:38 GMT -5
I just purchased a Toshiba Canvio 500 GB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive - HDTC605XS3A1. I am having some problems with my desktop computer "seeing" it.
I plug it into the USB port on the front of my Dell Inspiron 530 WinXP desktop PCs (USB 2.0) and all the drive will do is light up or sometimes not even that. I plug it into a rear USB port on the same desktop with an extension cable and it works like gold.
Any thoughts as to why it doesn't work on some USB ports?
Laverne
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Post by Jack Teems on May 16, 2013 10:35:10 GMT -5
Laverne, I found this on the Web and it may help, notwithstanding that it's rather an old response: Shut down the system normally thenUNPLUG the COMPUTERS power cordFROM its POWER SUPPLY/wall outlet. Wait for 2 or 3 minutes before reconnecting the power cord Now restart the system and try the USB device again. Should this not correct the issue, see the instruction listed here: support.microsoft.com/kb/871233 |
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drcard
Software Review Panel
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Post by drcard on May 16, 2013 21:02:30 GMT -5
Hi laverne,
It is uncommon for the front USB connections to be 3.0. The 3.0 connections are usually in the back. On a system that has both 2.0 and 3.0 USBs they will be different colors (usually the 3.0 is blue). If the drive is not backward compatible with 2.0, that would explain why it is not recognized in the front USB. However, I never seen a 3.0 external HDD that was not backward compatible. Just a thought.
I had a similar problem with 2 drives in a row that were backward compatible and ultimately that would work only on the 3.0 ports. I tried the MS suggestion which seemed to work for a while and then would lose recogniition while using the PC. Both dirves died. I know, why buy the same drive if the first one died....I'm still asking that one myself? The moral is, new or not it should not act like that and may die soon. If other USB devices (like flah drives) work in those ports, then it's the drive and not the port.
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Post by laverne on May 17, 2013 19:32:49 GMT -5
Jack and Dana --
All of my USB ports are 2.0 on my computer. However, the Toshiba external HDD is a 3.0 and backward compatible.
What I discovered -- the Toshiba HDD works on both front USB ports if I do NOT use an extension cable. However, if I use an extension cable, the HDD is not recognized at all in either USB port. I also tried two different extension cables with the same result.
However, when an extension cable is attached to a USB port on the rear of the tower, the HDD works just fine. Strange!
Thanks very much for your help. Guess I'll just have to remember to remove the extension cable when plugging in the Toshiba HDD to a front USB port. An extension cable in either of the front ports works just fine with my flash drives. I permanently leave the extension cable attached there to save wear and tear on the port on the tower itself.
Laverne
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Post by deenone on May 18, 2013 13:06:35 GMT -5
As the external drive may get signal and power from the computer the front ports may supply a different level from the rear ports but it may be a timing differance. I have something similar with a very old Verizon desktop computer.
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Post by aaronsurin on Sept 24, 2013 4:06:44 GMT -5
I just purchased a Toshiba Canvio 500 GB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive - HDTC605XS3A1. I am having some problems with my desktop computer "seeing" it. I plug it into the USB port on the front of my Dell Inspiron 530 WinXP desktop PCs (USB 2.0) and all the drive will do is light up or sometimes not even that. I plug it into a rear USB port on the same desktop with an extension cable and it works like gold. Any thoughts as to why it doesn't work on some USB ports? Laverne I also have related problem. Your this thread may be useful for me also.... ____________________ Mobile Massage |
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Peter
Software Review Panel
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Post by Peter on Dec 4, 2013 0:05:26 GMT -5
I also have had problems with the front ports of several Dell machines. Even have had the front port unable to recognize or read/write to a 4 GB flash drive, So I have to crawl around to get to a USB plug on the back. deenone may be right in suggesting that there could be a difference in the power available in the front and back ports. Being electronically illiterate, I have no way to test this hypothesis; it could even be dust, which I could check, I guess!
I try to set up my USB drives and other relatively long-term things like USB headphones, etc. to plug into a hub with its own power supply, to avoid overloading the port in the computer. I have a good extension cable from a back port to the top of my desk, which I mostly use for Flash drives,and occasionally such things as my Kobo reader or to download images from my camera.
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