ThinkPad T30, USB 2.0, IBM 40GB Portable HD

**idanc** · January 5th, 2005, 04:00 AM

Hi,
I have a thinkpad T30, with an ST Lab USB 2.0 CardBus controller.
I am trying to connect a portable IBM 40GB HD to it, but cannot get it to work.
When first connected, the "found new hardware" message appears, and I get notices that the "usb 2.0 storage device" is found and being installed. but after several minutes I get a message saying the hardware was not installed properly and won't work. following this, if I turn the portable HD on, My WinXP SP1 system starts to stagger, the portable is not recognized, and I have to turn the portable off to resume normal windows working conditions.
other devices (flash usb stick, iPod) are working properly off of the same cardbus.

Help is welcome,

Idanc.

**xycury** · January 7th, 2005, 04:27 PM

Hello,

is it formatted as NTFS or FAT?

i've had this issue before with my usb drives and experienced the same thing. I can't explain it, but it was more of an annoyance than a nice thing so i quite using it.

i think it's the indexing on the drive. gets corrupt. if it's NTFS.

i don't think i've had an issue if it was FAT.

switching to a different hub won't work. you're better at pluggin it in, in a desktop and getting the data off of it.

if you do use FAT, make sure you back up that data then.

hope you get more answers.

X

**TechZ** · January 7th, 2005, 04:55 PM

Welcome to the forums idanc

Its probably a power issue. The drive is not getting enough power from teh Cardbus. Common problem. Though my laptops works fine with quite a few of those portable hd's, but its got dedicated USB2 ports.

**nunob** · January 7th, 2005, 08:17 PM

I'm with TechZ on this does the external hd have a power source?
Mine has an external power source and 2 usb cables. I can hook it up with 2 usb ports and use the power from both to power the device or plub in the external power adapter.

**idanc** · January 13th, 2005, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by TechZ

Welcome to the forums idanc

Its probably a power issue. The drive is not getting enough power from teh Cardbus. Common problem. Though my laptops works fine with quite a few of those portable hd's, but its got dedicated USB2 ports.

the drive has two cables, both go into usb 2 ports, one for power and one for data. anyway I got sick of it and returned the drive, which, btw, is "supposed" to be backward compatible with usb 1.1 ports, but, of course, isn't.

**idanc** · January 13th, 2005, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by xycury

Hello,

is it formatted as NTFS or FAT?

i've had this issue before with my usb drives and experienced the same thing. I can't explain it, but it was more of an annoyance than a nice thing so i quite using it.

i think it's the indexing on the drive. gets corrupt. if it's NTFS.

i don't think i've had an issue if it was FAT.

switching to a different hub won't work. you're better at pluggin it in, in a desktop and getting the data off of it.

if you do use FAT, make sure you back up that data then.

hope you get more answers.

X

could be file system format indeed. anyway it doesn't matter, got tired and returned the drive. don't have infinite time to spare on buggy **** like that.