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jeff k · Oct 12, 2009, 07:41 PM

I have external Lacie, about 75GB.
It's copying about 5 GBs per hour. It's so slow is this normal?

I think it's USB2, it's only a couple of years old. It's plugged into a Belkin USB2 hub. I'm pretty sure the cable is also USB2. thanks!

ibook_steve · Oct 12, 2009, 07:50 PM

You don't mention what computer you are using. Older machines did not have USB 2. Edit: Just saw your sig. I hope you mean 10.4.11 since there was no 10.4.12, but the G5 should be USB2 so that's not the problem.

75 GB, not 750 GB? If it is an old drive, it could be only USB 1.1, but that's doubtful.

Cables don't matter. Same for USB 1 and 2.

The hub could be a problem. Since you're not sure if it is USB 2, why don't you connect the drive directly to your computer to test?

Steve

Andy8 · Oct 12, 2009, 07:51 PM

Sounds like one part of the chain is not USB 2, my guess it is the Lacie drive.

CharlesS · Oct 12, 2009, 08:00 PM

Well, that can be figured out easily enough by going to System Profiler, finding your drive under USB, and seeing whether it says 480 Mb/sec or something slower.

Another thing you may want to do: even if the hub itself is USB 2.0, make sure you don’t have any USB 1.1 devices plugged into it. If you plug in a mouse, for example, you could slow down the entire USB bus.

jeff k · Oct 13, 2009, 03:25 PM

Thanks, guys, the drive is away now, but when I get it back I'll check that. Did not ever think other devices could slow it down. will report back

cgc · Oct 13, 2009, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by jeff k

Thanks, guys, the drive is away now, but when I get it back I'll check that. Did not ever think other devices could slow it down. will report back

Is it on vacation somewhere?

jeff k · Oct 16, 2009, 08:32 PM

Ok, the intern took the hardrive home, got it back today.
Speeds up to 12 mb sec.
What the heck? I just got this couple years ago?
So this is just for documents only?? (I put large tiff images on it)

I loaded up my mobile FW drives and then intern says her windows machine has to FW outlets. Can that be?

shifuimam · Oct 16, 2009, 08:59 PM

Um, yes.

Apple's the only computer manufacturer other than Sony that ever offered FireWire as a standard port on their machines. There are more machines these days with four-pin FireWire, but finding a six-pin FW port standard on a non-Mac machine is going to be difficult.

Which is why God made FireWire PCI cards.

Get yourself a nice FW/USB 2.0 enclosure and stick the hard drive in it, and you'll be good to go.

CharlesS · Oct 16, 2009, 10:16 PM

If the machine has a four-pin port, you can use one of these to connect it if your drive has a six-pin port on it, or one of these if the drive has a nine-pin (FW800) port.

jeff k · Oct 16, 2009, 10:52 PM

Guys, it's the interns laptop.
She's going to check her desktop at school, but these compters out off site. thanks!
Just amazed she may not be able to use my external Lacies. May have to buy an external usb 2 drive.
I thought I had one!

jeff k · Oct 21, 2009, 10:53 PM

I just bought a usb cable extension on Amazon, made by Belkin.
It arrives today and packageing says, "fastest 12mbs" cable.

CharlesS · Oct 21, 2009, 11:06 PM

Don’t buy Belkin for USB cables. I’m guessing you probably paid around $20-$30 for it, right? Well, you can get a cable that’s just as good (gold plated, even) for about a buck if you know where to look.

jeff k · Oct 21, 2009, 11:50 PM

no, it was $6, and I found a usb 2 for that price. just couldn't believe they are still selling these.

shifuimam · Oct 22, 2009, 08:50 AM

A USB cable is a USB cable. There are certain requirements to grant the official "USB 2.0 certified" sticker, but otherwise, it's just four wires with a connector on either end. I doubt that it's your cable - it sounds entirely like the drive simply doesn't support 2.0.

Have you googled the model number to see what the official specs are?