USB External HDD Drops Connection- then regains it!

[Saket]

Hello FMs,

I am going through a really annoying problem with my desktop/ Transcend external 500GB HDD.

When I attach & play a video from my external HDD, suddenly it loses connection with the USB. The player stops the video of course and state the error that the location is not valid. Then without my intervention, the drive will be read automatically and will regain the connection.

Is it to do with low USB Voltage? Any more thoughts guys?

Please help. If this is achieved, my old desktop will successfully turn up into my media pc!

Regards,
Saket

 

[mowgli80]

Since you PC is 10 years old, does it support USB 2.0? I am not sure how to check windows logs but if you boot into any linux distro and reproduce this error, running dmesg on terminal will give you some indication whats happening.

 

[rud3dawg]

Few things before anything Saket...

Q. Can you give us the config of your system pls ?

After which I can only come up with the following trial and errors
1. Did you try copying huge files from the USB HDD to HDD to reproduce the same error ?
2. Can you re-install the MB drivers especially chipset & the USB drivers

3. if this is done the next step would be trying with another USB HDD...because I have had a similar problem only when dumping huge files on my smartphone this was sorted with after meddling with Windows & re-installing everything ofcourse..... so give it a try then

 

[haisaikat]

Hello FMs,

I am going through a really annoying problem with my desktop/ Transcend external 500GB HDD.

When I attach & play a video from my external HDD, suddenly it loses connection with the USB. The player stops the video of course and state the error that the location is not valid. Then without my intervention, the drive will be read automatically and will regain the connection.

Is it to do with low USB Voltage? Any more thoughts guys?

Please help. If this is achieved, my old desktop will successfully turn up into my media pc!

Regards,
Saket

There can be many possibilities, better take this HDD to some friends house who has a modern laptop / pc and see if the problem replicates over there. If not, it is your PC USB port definitely and you may try adding a powered usb hub or a pci usb card. IF it replicates then it is with your USB drive and try replacing the usb cord.

 

[Saket]

Few things before anything Saket...

Q. Can you give us the config of your system pls ?

After which I can only come up with the following trial and errors
1. Did you try copying huge files from the USB HDD to HDD to reproduce the same error ?
2. Can you re-install the MB drivers especially chipset & the USB drivers

3. if this is done the next step would be trying with another USB HDD...because I have had a similar problem only when dumping huge files on my smartphone this was sorted with after meddling with Windows & re-installing everything ofcourse..... so give it a try then

There can be many possibilities, better take this HDD to some friends house who has a modern laptop / pc and see if the problem replicates over there. If not, it is your PC USB port definitely and you may try adding a powered usb hub or a pci usb card. IF it replicates then it is with your USB drive and try replacing the usb cord.

Thanks a lot friends.
BTW, the PC is P4/ 2.8 GHz, 640 MB RAM, don't know about MOBO but its made by gigabyte.

I should have made it clear that the HDD works pretty fine with my laptop. Also, in my other desktop (not the one we are talking here) this problem replicates again. At times, my other desktop is not even able to spin the drive without both usb ports of Y cable in place.

Although I updated the chipset drivers but will try doing it all over again & see if it helps.

Thanks,
Saket

 

[shibashis]

Thanks a lot friends.
BTW, the PC is P4/ 2.8 GHz, 640 MB RAM, don't know about MOBO but its made by gigabyte.

I should have made it clear that the HDD works pretty fine with my laptop. Also, in my other desktop (not the one we are talking here) this problem replicates again. At times, my other desktop is not even able to spin the drive without both usb ports of Y cable in place.

Although I updated the chipset drivers but will try doing it all over again & see if it helps.

Thanks,
Saket

Are you connecting the drive to the front panel USB ports or at the back? If you are attaching the drive at the front, very often these are not powered properly and can cause various problems.

 

[just4kix]

It is quite possible that the USB port has loose connections. Try in different ports. Borrow a USB connector cable from a friend and try.

 

[rud3dawg]

1 more Q: you connect both the USB connectors??? Even inspite of that if you are getting the same problem.. may be you should check to use the HDD (If it can be connected directly internally ) directly in your system check for errors on the disk even.
2. Or it could be some loose contacts too like what just4kix said

 

[vivek.saikia]

It could be either the USB cable or the mini USB socket in the hard drive enclosure. In my case it was the cable. Once replaced with a good quality cable, it worked like a charm.

 

[haisaikat]

Well the cable is definitely a possibility but why is that not happening on the laptop then? It may be possible that both PCs have low powered USBs and nowadays the new USB 3.0 drives do pull lot of current. So if cable does not solve the problem then better try powered usb hub, pci usb card, etc