External Hard Drive Disconnects When Fuze Connects

[Asteroid-Man]

So I'll have my hard drive plugged into my computer, and then when I plug in the Fuze, the harddrive disconnects! I need them both plugged in to transfer the files from the HD to the Fuze. (I know I could put it on the desktop and then the Fuze but I wanna fix this problem not just walk around it.) Anyone have ideas on how to fix this?

[Chili]

Which OS are you in?

You probably just need to make sure it assigns a different drive letter to your Fuze and your external hard drive. It's comparatively easy, but I need to know which OS you're in to tell you where to go to fix it.

[jbc]

I would doubt that would be the problem Chilli. I would suspect the USB port, start by switching components around on the ports and see if the problem presists. First reverse the fuze and the hard drive. The try a different USB appliance, I would suspect that you have a USB port that is in the process of going dead. You could fix this but it will require you to open the PC and install a new board.

[tenzip]

Are you using a USB hub? Perhaps the hub can't supply enough power for both devices at once.

[Chili]

Yes, we will need some more information...

[david432111]

The problem is that the harddrive takes a lot of power and when you connect the fuze it tries to use some of that power and then the harddrive can't power it self. Try connecting both directly to your pc.

[Asteroid-Man]

They are both connected to separate USB ports. I'm running windows Xp. It's not a problem with assigning letters, because I've set my computer to keep going when I put in virtual drives. Let me try again, I'll be right back.

EDIT: Funny, it's working now.

EDIT: It disconnected again.

[Chili]

Front USB ports or back ones? The back ones get more power, and more stable power than the front ones, that might be your issue.

[Asteroid-Man]

Either. The two front ones run at 1.0 speed but I re-routed it for one to work at 2.0. The ones in the back are all separate. No matter where I put it, they clash.

[Chili]

Does it happen with any other USB devices, or only with these two?

[Asteroid-Man]

Only these two. It's weird.

[Chili]

Not necessarily weird... as david43211 pointed out, external hard drives take a lot of power and so does the Fuze. You might just need a beefier powersupply

[Asteroid-Man]

Damn...

[nimicitor]

Try this:

Go into Device Manager and open up the USB part by clicking the +.
Right click the ones that say USB Root Hub (I think) and go into the Power Management tab.
Make sure top box is unticked in each item.

[Chili]

Originally Posted by nimicitor

Try this:

Go into Device Manager and open up the USB part by clicking the +.
Right click the ones that say USB Root Hub (I think) and go into the Power Management tab.
Make sure top box is unticked in each item.

Yep. USB Root Hub -> Properties -> Power Management.

[saratoga]

You have an external hard drive that doesn't have its own power supply?

[tenzip]

They do exist. I have an external laptop drive enclosure that has a 'Y' USB cable, so it can suck juice out of 2 ports. Works fine, just need 2 ports next to each other.

[Chili]

Originally Posted by saratoga

You have an external hard drive that doesn't have its own power supply?

So do I. It's a spiffy little SSD with a Y-split USB cable so if my wimpy laptop port can't give it enough power to run, I can it in to the other USB port right next to it, so the two ports can help each other out.

[pcman]

I also do, a drive salvaged from my laptop. It's a y cable as well. None of my laptops can power it though.