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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Consumer Hardware & Components > External Hard Drive + MacBook Air

External Hard Drive + MacBook Air
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kylef
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Dec 24, 2008, 10:34 AM
 
Hope this is the right section, thought it should be here.

For christmas my brother and I bought my other brother (see, it's confusing already) an external hard drive to use with Time Machine. It's 100GB (his HDD is 60GB so we're set) and I tested it and it works fine. But there's one problem - we (I) just found out it needs two USB ports to actually function - don't ask.

Can anyone just confirm that if we just use a USB hub then it should be absolutely okay to use? I tested it on my MacBook and it worked fine.

Thanks, and happy holidays
     
chabig
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Dec 24, 2008, 11:34 AM
 
I have to ask...why would a hard drive require two USB ports? That's just not right? If the drive maker says it needs extra power, then you should run it off of a power brick.
     
zacharydz
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Dec 24, 2008, 01:47 PM
 
Originally Posted by chabig View Post
I have to ask...why would a hard drive require two USB ports? That's just not right? If the drive maker says it needs extra power, then you should run it off of a power brick.
Some 2.5 inch external USB enclosures use two usb ports so they can run without a separate power brick. As long as you plug the usb cables into a powered usb hub, it will work fine.
Macbook 1.83 Ghz CD, 2 GB RAM, 320 GB HD, OS 10.6.2
     
tooki
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Dec 24, 2008, 06:41 PM
 
Key phrase there: powered USB hub -- it will need to be plugged into an outlet to work.

That said, try it out on the Air first -- the Air's USB port has a little extra power, and it might just be enough for the hard drive.
     
Hg2491
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Dec 24, 2008, 09:41 PM
 
I've seen hard drives that even though they have two USB heads, you only need to plug the main one. Can you physically tell which is the main USB head?

Hope this helps,
Hg+
     
kylef  (op)
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Dec 26, 2008, 12:29 PM
 
Hg - you were right, for some reason one actually powers the drive and works fine. I have no idea why there is a second one there but it certainly wasn't necessary. A time machine back-up was a nice gift!
     
Hg2491
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Dec 26, 2008, 02:30 PM
 
Happy Holidays
     
0157988944
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Dec 26, 2008, 04:36 PM
 
On a regular USB port without the extra power, the second one would be required. I have one.
     
Hg2491
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Dec 26, 2008, 04:39 PM
 
Really? I think it depends on the hard drive. I used to boot my first gen MacBook from one and would only connect the main head.
     
0157988944
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Dec 26, 2008, 04:41 PM
 
Huh. Interesting. I know that my 250 GB Maxtor OneTouch Mini has a lead for Power + Data and one just for Power. I'm pretty sure that connecting only the Power/Data one still leaves it useless.
     
Hg2491
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Dec 26, 2008, 04:49 PM
 
Weird, lol. I was using a random enclosure with another MacBook's hard drive.
     
   
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