Problem: Self-disconnecting external USB hard drive

[JYH]

Good morning,

I have PC with 6 USB devices.
2 AV converters
1 kbd
1 mouse
1 external HDD (with, of course, it's own power supply) that we are
calling "X" for easier reading.
1 empty

Everything work fine at that point.

When I connect another external HDD (called "Y") to the remaining USP
port, I lose my first HDD(X).

The only way for me to gain back my X drive is to disconnect Y.
The problem doesn't seem to work the other way around: Connecting X
while Y is running won't cause Y to disappear.

I have swapped USB cable with no difference.

What could be the cause?

 

[Arno Wagner]

Good morning,

I have PC with 6 USB devices.
2 AV converters
1 kbd
1 mouse
1 external HDD (with, of course, it's own power supply) that we are
calling "X" for easier reading.
1 empty

Everything work fine at that point.

When I connect another external HDD (called "Y") to the remaining USP
port, I lose my first HDD(X).

The only way for me to gain back my X drive is to disconnect Y.
The problem doesn't seem to work the other way around: Connecting X
while Y is running won't cause Y to disappear.

I have swapped USB cable with no difference.

What could be the cause?

I suspect OS shortcommings/bugs. There is no reason for the
USB bus to do anythng like this.

Arno

 

[Eric Gisin]

Plug both in then go to Device Manager and delete the USB mass storage devices.
The USB enclosures might have the same serial number (not the drive's SN).

 

[Carlos Escobar]

Plug both in then go to Device Manager and delete the USB mass storage devices.
The USB enclosures might have the same serial number (not the drive's SN).

you might as well make sure you're not draining all the energy off the
main hub.. USB Hubs soldered to PCs as I have read, usually give 0.5
A, which i think should be enough for one drive. Might not be the
actual case but, if you're not using external power on the ext. hdds
try getting enclosures with external AC... I think it should work. Now
regarding the computing part if what Erin's saying is true, then
you'll just have to live with it, unless you modify the driver for one
of the drives.. but that's another story I have seen friends do
that with Compuawre's Driver Studio. I have never used it myself
though.. I just don't have what it takes for that