USB HDD Enclosure

[Guest]

I have a Toshiba HDD w/ USB enclosure that works just fine on my notebook and
on every other computer that I've tried it on (friends) but for some reason
it will not work on my office desktop. When I plug it in it is initially
recognized as a mass storage device and a USB device but then I get an error
message that a problem occured and that my device might not work properly (it
doesn't work at all)! In the Device Manager it is listed as "This device
cannot start code 10". I have run the gammut of fixes. I have uninstalled
every USB port, reinstalled with nothing connected and tried again just to
get the same message. I have several other USB devices that work fine on this
computer. Does anyone have any idea how to get this to work?

 

[Eric P.]

I have a Toshiba HDD w/ USB enclosure that works just fine on my notebook and
on every other computer that I've tried it on (friends) but for some reason
it will not work on my office desktop. When I plug it in it is initially
recognized as a mass storage device and a USB device but then I get an error
message that a problem occured and that my device might not work properly (it
doesn't work at all)! In the Device Manager it is listed as "This device
cannot start code 10". I have run the gammut of fixes. I have uninstalled
every USB port, reinstalled with nothing connected and tried again just to
get the same message. I have several other USB devices that work fine on this
computer. Does anyone have any idea how to get this to work?

Maybe the chip in the USB enclosure is not compatible with the USB2 chip
in your desktop.
Some time ago I had troubles with a Techsolo External aluminium HDD-case
TMR-3550 that worked on the USB2 of four computers but not when attached
to the USB2.0 PC-Card inserted in my Toshiba laptop.
A different USB HDD-enclosure worked OK.
I found next message on the TechSolo website.
<QUOTE>
FAQ: USB TMR-3550
In the current revision this HDD box is not compatible to Samsung HDDs
of the Spinpoint series, as well as NEC USB extension cards.
Mainboards with a NForce 2 chipset have to be set to USB 1.1 mode to get
them work.
</QUOTE>

 

[Guest]

Maybe the chip in the USB enclosure is not compatible with the USB2 chip
in your desktop.
Some time ago I had troubles with a Techsolo External aluminium HDD-case
TMR-3550 that worked on the USB2 of four computers but not when attached
to the USB2.0 PC-Card inserted in my Toshiba laptop.
A different USB HDD-enclosure worked OK. In the "Device Status"
I found next message on the TechSolo website.
<QUOTE>
FAQ: USB TMR-3550
In the current revision this HDD box is not compatible to Samsung HDDs
of the Spinpoint series, as well as NEC USB extension cards.
Mainboards with a NForce 2 chipset have to be set to USB 1.1 mode to get
them work.

That sounds good but I checked the chip set out in one of the other
computers the enclosure works on and it uses the same chipset as my office
computer (Via). It just doesn't make sense; when I look in the device manager
at the device it says under "Manufacturer" "Compatable USB Storage Device"
Location says "Location 0 (USB 2.0 Storage Device)" it says "This device
cannot start. (Code 10)" I'm at a complete loss as to what the problem is
here.

 

[Anna]

I have a Toshiba HDD w/ USB enclosure that works just fine on my notebook
and
on every other computer that I've tried it on (friends) but for some
reason
it will not work on my office desktop. When I plug it in it is initially
recognized as a mass storage device and a USB device but then I get an
error
message that a problem occured and that my device might not work properly
(it
doesn't work at all)! In the Device Manager it is listed as "This device
cannot start code 10". I have run the gammut of fixes. I have uninstalled
every USB port, reinstalled with nothing connected and tried again just to
get the same message. I have several other USB devices that work fine on
this
computer. Does anyone have any idea how to get this to work?

That sounds good but I checked the chip set out in one of the other >
computers the enclosure works on and it uses the same chipset as my office
computer (Via). It just doesn't make sense; when I look in the device
manager at the device it says under "Manufacturer" "Compatable USB Storage
Device"
Location says "Location 0 (USB 2.0 Storage Device)" it says "This device
cannot start. (Code 10)" I'm at a complete loss as to what the problem is
here.


Bill:
The following will be of little help to you with your problem but let me
cite our experiences over the past two years or so with USB 2.0 devices,
particularly as they affect jump (flash, thumb, memory, etc.) drives and USB
external hard drives...

We have continually run into situations where apparently non-defective USB
2.0 devices connected to apparently non-defective USB ports in apparently
properly-configured systems simply don't originally work, or stop working
after a period of time, or work erratically, i.e., sometimes they do,
sometimes they don't. For no accountable reason (at least any reason that we
can discern), the device will work in one machine and not in another. It's
been an aggravating problem for many of us because we can't seem to find a
common denominator to explain all these anomalies. We hardly ever ran into
these problems with USB 1.0/1.1 devices, but of course the number of those
devices in use at the time was a fraction of the number of USB 2.0 devices
presently in use.

We are fast coming to the conclusion that either there must be some
fundamental incompatibility inherent in the USB 2.0 specification that is
causing these types of problems as it involves the design and manufacture
of these USB devices, and/or the system protocols and devices that are
employed to work with these devices, e.g., motherboards, are defective in
some way. Or perhaps it's just a matter of poor quality control in the
manufacture of these devices (even extending to the same make & model of the
device involved) in that sometimes they work; sometimes they don't. Or
perhaps some basic incompatibility existing between the XP OS and the USB
2.0 specification that results in these puzzling occurrences.

I realize all the above will be of little comfort to you in overcoming your
present problem. I wish I could be of more help to you. Perhaps others will
have some better insights. I suppose the only concrete suggestion I could
make in your case is for you to contact Toshiba and the manufacturer of the
external enclosure just on the off-chance that one might have a fix for your
problem. But (based on our experience) I'm not particularly sanguine about
that course of action.
Anna

 

[Sharon F]

We are fast coming to the conclusion that either there must be some
fundamental incompatibility inherent in the USB 2.0 specification that is
causing these types of problems as it involves the design and manufacture
of these USB devices, and/or the system protocols and devices that are
employed to work with these devices, e.g., motherboards, are defective in
some way.

This possible conclusion sounds convincing. When XP was first released it
did not include USB 2 support. It was originally planned that it should be
included but the standard had not been completed by the time XP went to the
presses. So instead, MS waited for the standard to be decided and then
patched in USB2 with a service pack. Because of the fluctuations in the
standard during the early history for these devices, it's plausible that
not all usb2 devices in existence are implementing the same standard.

Quality control is a rational conclusion as well. Getting product out with
larger storage space at reasonable prices means cutting corners somewhere.
I think the reduction for the duration of drive warranties adds credence to
this assumption.

 

[Guest]

This possible conclusion sounds convincing. When XP was first released it
did not include USB 2 support. It was originally planned that it should be
included but the standard had not been completed by the time XP went to the
presses. So instead, MS waited for the standard to be decided and then
patched in USB2 with a service pack. Because of the fluctuations in the
standard during the early history for these devices, it's plausible that
not all usb2 devices in existence are implementing the same standard.

Quality control is a rational conclusion as well. Getting product out with
larger storage space at reasonable prices means cutting corners somewhere.
I think the reduction for the duration of drive warranties adds credence to
this assumption.

So what your saying is that I'm stuck with a defect that no one can explain
and for which there is no fix? I just have to live with the problem? I can't
believe that!

 

[Anna]

So what your saying is that I'm stuck with a defect that no one can >
explain and for which there is no fix? I just have to live with the
problem? I can't believe that!

Bill:
I can understand your frustration; believe me I can. As I previously
responded to your query...

We have continually run into situations where apparently non-defective USB
2.0 devices connected to apparently non-defective USB ports in apparently
properly-configured systems simply don't originally work, or stop working
after a period of time, or work erratically, i.e., sometimes they do,
sometimes they don't. For no accountable reason (at least any reason that we
can discern), the device will work in one machine and not in another. It's
been an aggravating problem for many of us because we can't seem to find a
common denominator to explain all these anomalies. We hardly ever ran into
these problems with USB 1.0/1.1 devices, but of course the number of those
devices in use at the time was a fraction of the number of USB 2.0 devices
presently in use.

We are fast coming to the conclusion that either there must be some
fundamental incompatibility inherent in the USB 2.0 specification that is
causing these types of problems as it involves the design and manufacture
of these USB devices, and/or the system protocols and devices that are
employed to work with these devices, e.g., motherboards, are defective in
some way. Or perhaps it's just a matter of poor quality control in the
manufacture of these devices (even extending to the same make & model of the
device involved) in that sometimes they work; sometimes they don't. Or
perhaps some basic incompatibility existing between the XP OS and the USB
2.0 specification that results in these puzzling occurrences.

I realize all the above will be of little comfort to you in overcoming your
present problem. I wish I could be of more help to you. Perhaps others will
have some better insights. I suppose the only concrete suggestion I could
make in your case is for you to contact Toshiba and the manufacturer of the
external enclosure just on the off-chance that one might have a fix for your
problem. But (based on our experience) I'm not particularly sanguine about
that course of action.
Anna

In your original query you described the situation together with your
efforts to overcome this problem. Judging from this description, you seem to
have done all the "right" things, i.e., the typical course of action usually
recommended to try to overcome these USB non-recognition problems. So I, for
one, don't have any concrete suggestion for you although I was hoping others
might have. And BTW, did you contact Toshiba and the manuf. of your USB
enclosure re your problem? If you *are* able to overcome this problem,
please keep us informed.
Anna

 

[Urak]

I had a similar problem ..and have overcome it now
My desk top too gave me the same type of problem.
I had a PCI USB 2.0 card installed in my desk top.
it was an ali chipset M527X card.
I changed my card to an NEC chipset PCI USB 2.0 card.
Everything was fine.
I got the tip from a USB forum.
Thank You.
uraks