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ck279 · Nov 27, 2007, 09:02 AM

...when I connect a USB 2.0 portable hard drive to my G4 1.67 Powerbook. I tried an 80Gig Samsung unit about a year ago and it would never work. Upon connecting it to the laptop I could hear a clicking noise, but not the spinning of the drive. I tried the same unit on a few PC's and it worked fine. I brought it to the Apple Store and it worked find on the laptops there.

Now, a year later I just purchased a Western Digital 160Gig USB 2.0 portable hard drive. I am having the same exact issue. When hooked to the laptop it clicks, but never spins nor is it recognized by the computer.

I can't imagine I'm the only person using a G4 this has ever happened to. Can anyone chime in??

Thanks!

Carl

seanc · Nov 27, 2007, 09:17 AM

It's clicking because it can't get enough power from the USB ports to spin up. If it has two leads you can use, use them, else look for a drive with two leads on so you can get power from the other USB port.

ck279 · Nov 27, 2007, 10:05 AM

Thanks "seanc".

Based on what you said I did some more HW and found that other manufacturers come with USB Y-Adpaters for just these reasons.

So my new question is does any company manufactuer an adapter that steps up the voltage of a USB port?

I would prefer to keep this drive I have because I got a good deal on it. (Black Friday)

Thanks,

Carl

ibook_steve · Nov 27, 2007, 12:36 PM

I seriously doubt there is such a product because you'd probably need to plug it in, and if you're going to plug something in to AC, just use an AC adaptor instead of the USB for power!

Steve

seanc · Nov 27, 2007, 12:54 PM

I suspect his drive is one of the drives with 1 x mini usb port on it and a cable with a standard usb connector on the other end.

ck279 · Nov 27, 2007, 01:09 PM

Yes, seanc...that is exactly how it is configured.

ibook_steve....the unit has no provision for an AC power source. It's sole port is the mini USB.

My question was if a device exists that is essentially a step-up transformer to raise the low voltage of the USB port, to a higher voltage.

I've been searching around the net for such a device but have not found it as of yet.

Thanks for any help!

Carl

ballison · Nov 27, 2007, 01:31 PM

a quick google search led me to this...

USB Y Cable (2 Type A to 1 Mini 5)

thats what you'll need to do, or you could also get a powered usb hub. I have a belkin one and it powers multiple power hungry devices pretty well

Tomchu · Nov 27, 2007, 01:40 PM

The voltage is not the problem, and stepping it up also would not be a solution (do you want to fry the logic board of the USB enclosure?).

The problem is that the spec for USB calls for 500 mA of power per port. Many desktops/laptops provide more (as you saw), but your Powerbook doesn't. 500 mA is not enough to spin up a drive -- they usually need about 1 A for spin-up, and 300-500 mA for operation. This is all in the data sheet for your particular hard drive.

seanc · Nov 27, 2007, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by ballison

a quick google search led me to this...

USB Y Cable (2 Type A to 1 Mini 5)

thats what you'll need to do, or you could also get a powered usb hub. I have a belkin one and it powers multiple power hungry devices pretty well

That should do it

Edit: This should also do, looks cheaper

USB A Male to Mini 5 Pin Y Cable for external hard Disk - (eBay item 300176529912 end time Nov-27-07 14:30:22 PST)

ck279 · Dec 10, 2007, 08:10 PM

Ok, I bought and hooked up one of those Y- dual USB to mini USB cables...same result.

Is this a problem that all Powerbook user's face(d)?? Or is there something wrong with my USB ports and the power they are supplying.

BTW I have tried to contact those who I think are applicable, namely Western Digital. Their phone support is useless. Outsourced support that reads from a "if this, then do this" manual which is utterly maddening, and obviously not effective.

All I want to do is back up my hard drive to a single unit rather than 15 DVD's...is that asking too much?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Carl

seanc · Dec 11, 2007, 01:37 AM

Seems like there is something wrong with the power your USB ports are outputting then. You could try it on a powered USB hub.

My Dell laptop requires me to use both USB conectors whatever drive I use on it. I do have an enclosure that can't power up any drive, even one that works in another enclosure, when it's hooked up to my laptop, but it works fine elsewhere.

peeb · Dec 11, 2007, 02:19 AM

The powerbook has notoriously underpowered USB ports. It sucks.

PER3 · Dec 11, 2007, 01:20 PM

I understand that you don't want to change your unit, but if the need to buy one should ever come up again, I'd suggest getting a portable FireWire drive. From my experience they work more smoothly than USB, and the daisy-chaining can be useful, not to mention booting off them should you need to use Disk Warrior or what-not.

peeb · Dec 11, 2007, 02:05 PM

Agreed - put it in a firewire enclosure.

ck279 · Dec 12, 2007, 03:32 PM

Thanks for the help.

I was wondering if the Firewire drive utilized more power. I will look into them now.

Thanks again,

Carl

peeb · Dec 12, 2007, 03:41 PM

The firewire ports on the powerbooks are not crippled.

olePigeon · Dec 13, 2007, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by peeb

The firewire ports on the powerbooks are not crippled.

Until you decide to plug in an 800 and a 400 at the same time, then the 800 steps down to 400.

peeb · Dec 13, 2007, 02:08 PM

I did not know that! Honestly, it annoys me constantly that I can't power most of my USB stuff on my powerbook.