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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > does this mean my PB doesnt have enough juice to power an external HDD?

does this mean my PB doesnt have enough juice to power an external HDD?
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RMXO
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Dec 3, 2004, 05:11 AM
 
I just recently bought an external USB 2.0 laptop HDD. when plugged into my PC, it works fine but when plugged into my PB. I hear a clicking noise from the HDD or the lights would flash red/green. does this mean there is not enough juice to power up the external HDD or there is something wrong with my USB 2.0 ports? i tried both ports & get the same results.

is there a way i can test my ports? my laptop didnt come with the Hardware Test CD.

my mouse works fine when plugged into the USB ports.

my laptop drives range from 6gb-10gb 2.5" drives

many thanks
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RMXO  (op)
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Dec 3, 2004, 05:20 AM
 
I restarted my laptop & it recognized the drive. do you have to restart everytime you plug in an external drive for it to be recognized? some laptop HDD are not recognized after restarting.

im kinda paranoid ever since i had to take my my laptop for repair after two weeks of owning it. this laptop is a refurb.
( Last edited by RMXO; Dec 3, 2004 at 05:59 AM. )
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Dr.Michael
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Dec 3, 2004, 06:48 AM
 
Originally posted by RMXO:
I restarted my laptop & it recognized the drive. do you have to restart everytime you plug in an external drive for it to be recognized? some laptop HDD are not recognized after restarting.

im kinda paranoid ever since i had to take my my laptop for repair after two weeks of owning it. this laptop is a refurb.
This sounds more like a formating problem.
Did you mean that you use your hd on a windows pc? Than its fat32?
I found out that there could be problems in fat recognition with mac os (thats probably where the noises come from).
What I do is to format the drive as fat32 on windows and check the file system from time to time ON WINDOWS. This works but my impression is that access to fat32 from OS X leaves the fat filesystem in a sub-optimal state.

Of course you don't have to restart your powerbook. Plug in the hd should mount it within seconds.

Does this help?
     
USNA91
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Dec 3, 2004, 09:12 AM
 
Not to hijack, but my PDA doesn't seem to charge from the USB port, even though the PDA says it is.

The PDA charges just fine off a Juice adapter, so it's fine.

Are the USB ports on Macs "underpowered"?
     
fisherKing
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Dec 3, 2004, 10:41 AM
 
i have a small fw/usb 2.0 drive i carry around.
on some macs i have to use BOTH usb ports (the drive has a splitter cable with 2 usb plugs)

that clicking sound is the drive unable to mount, because there is not enough power.

a nuisance.

see if you can find a similar cable, or try an ac adaptor; that should do it.
"At first, there was Nothing. Then Nothing inverted itself and became Something.
And that is what you all are: inverted Nothings...with potential" (Sun Ra)
     
RMXO  (op)
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Dec 3, 2004, 01:02 PM
 
Originally posted by fisherKing:
i have a small fw/usb 2.0 drive i carry around.
on some macs i have to use BOTH usb ports (the drive has a splitter cable with 2 usb plugs)

that clicking sound is the drive unable to mount, because there is not enough power.

a nuisance.

see if you can find a similar cable, or try an ac adaptor; that should do it.
the casing did come with 2 plugs. so u can plug both of them for more power? i wasnt sure if you just used one or both. didnt want to fry my power. thanks.


Doc:
yes i originally formatted the drive FAT32 on my PC since my PB had a hard time mounting the drive.

are the USB ports underpowered?


thanks.
( Last edited by RMXO; Dec 3, 2004 at 02:49 PM. )
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Drakino
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Dec 4, 2004, 04:09 PM
 
From a person I know with a lot of hard drive knowledge:

The basic spec is that many 2.5" drivers draw 5W of power during spin-up. Since they're running off of 5VDC, that means 1Amp. USB2 ports deliver 0.5Amp.. thus..

Some 2.5" enclosures include a funky cable with TWO USB-A connectors, so that it can draw power from two ports instead of one, for a total of 1Amp.
Apple builds USB ports exactly to spec. Problem is, most USB ports on the PC side are above spec, and USB devices have grown accustom to this.

I recently bought this enclosure off NewEgg for $30. It has the 2 USB solution for my PC laptop, and 6 pin Firewire for my Powerbook.
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fisherKing
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Dec 4, 2004, 04:16 PM
 
Originally posted by RMXO:
the casing did come with 2 plugs. so u can plug both of them for more power? i wasnt sure if you just used one or both. didnt want to fry my power. thanks.


Doc:
yes i originally formatted the drive FAT32 on my PC since my PB had a hard time mounting the drive.

are the USB ports underpowered?


thanks.


is it a Y cable? one end for the drive, the others to usb on the mac.
try it, should do the trick.
"At first, there was Nothing. Then Nothing inverted itself and became Something.
And that is what you all are: inverted Nothings...with potential" (Sun Ra)
     
RMXO  (op)
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Dec 4, 2004, 08:49 PM
 
Originally posted by fisherKing:
is it a Y cable? one end for the drive, the others to usb on the mac.
try it, should do the trick.
yeah one end goes to the case & the two others to the usb ports. i wasnt sure since i had to send my PB for power issues. didnt want to plug it in & cause any problems.

thanks. i think in the future i will stick to firewire instead.
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Dr.Michael
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Dec 5, 2004, 08:05 PM
 
Originally posted by Drakino:

Apple builds USB ports exactly to spec. Problem is, most USB ports on the PC side are above spec, and USB devices have grown accustom to this.
If this is true I would instantly give back the non spec case and drive.
I use a dvico momobay and a toshiba drive. This works.
     
fisherKing
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Dec 5, 2004, 08:57 PM
 
on some macs, i need to use 2 usb ports to power my portable drive (which has firewire as well); no biggie, works everytime (and on most macs one port works)
"At first, there was Nothing. Then Nothing inverted itself and became Something.
And that is what you all are: inverted Nothings...with potential" (Sun Ra)
     
   
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