External HHD keeps dropping out or is not recognised SOLVED

[bawldiggle]

Toshiba Satellite laptop) with two only USB ports.
First USB port I have wireless for keyboard+mouse.
Second USB port I attached a Digitech USB Hub (usb powered)
Into the hub I can have upto 4 devices connected to the hub.

Random problems:
1. Hub drops out and about 30 seconds later USB-SR recognises the hub again
2. External HDD (usb powered) is not recognised (sometimes) by USB-SR when the HDD is connected to the hub.
3. Some thumb drives are occasionally not recognised by USB-SR

I suspect the near new hub might be the problem, because when the hub is removed and I connect USB data devices I have no problems.
Is it possible that USB-SR has developed some glitches over time and should be clean installed ?

• I find PC/laptops with busy web connetions over time become a little unstable.
  All my serious work PC are never on line.

If I was to use a hub (with its own power supply) would it eliminate the drop-outs and non-recognitions?

I am not a USB expert, hope you don't mind my question.

Thank you

[Techland]

Your problems are fully hardware related (quite obvious). Nothing USBSR could change.

[bawldiggle]

Thanks techland for your response

Have done some research since my original thread-post.

Self powered external HDDs can be unreliable thru a USB powered HUB.

• My Toshiba Satellite only has 2 USB ports. I use one for wireless keyboard + mouse. Leaving one USB port for everything else. A Toshiba problem.
  I only use USB for data storage/transfer. No USB gadgets (coffee warmers, phone charging) thru USB.
  (Mains connection is far more efficient for gadgets.

When ext USB powered HDD was connected directly to the Toshiba USB port, no problems with HDD.
Self powered HUB was the weak link.

A new mains powered HUB has been my solution.

• There are HUBs and there are HUBs -- price is a guide, so I went for the middle range, 4 ports max + mains powered.
  I can run 2 USB powered HDD + 2 USB thumb-drives, without problems.
  I would guess the more USB devices I try to run might be limited by the Toshiba hardware/firmware.
  Only slight problem is after "sleep" state -- occasionally, HUB drops out but within 5 seconds it is all working again.
  ** USB Safely Remove responds quickly and all connected devices (thru the HUB) are recognised.

I have 2 PCs using USB-SR

• Biggest plus for me is how USB-SR (if used correctly) can reduce the risk of data loss when USB storage devices are removed.
  Some stubborn USB devices have been traced to older USB storage devices and in several cases factory software on HDDs.
  When reformatting did not fix devices they have been discarded. All discards were old.

Hazards of a tree-hugger

• Cheap HUBs are just that -- cheap!
  Do not expect USB devices to last forever. They do have a finite life.
  I discard all USB storage devices after 5 years.

Three rules of data management

• 1. Backup, 2. backup, 3. backup