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#1 2007-07-18 4:46 am
- PipSqueak
- Member
- Registered: 2007-07-18
- Posts: 12
MacBook USB doesn't have a lot of power?
I have a 2.5" external hard disk, and most of the time when I plug it in, it is easily disconnected. So there's a constant "external device removed" popup message. I've tried this with a windows pc, and it works perfectly without as much hiccups as my macbook. I believe it's because the USB port doesn't give enough power to these devices. Is anyone having the same problem as me?
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#2 2007-07-18 4:52 am
Re: MacBook USB doesn't have a lot of power?
I've recall reading somewhere before that the USB power on macbooks / ibooks is definitely lower than on PCs for battery savings.
Can someone verify this?
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#3 2007-07-18 9:44 am
Re: MacBook USB doesn't have a lot of power?
i have an external 2.5 and on the case there is a power port adn usb port...i have 2 cables, one the is a power AND mini usb to standard usb and the other is a mini usb to TWO standard usb's
i have never had a problem using the latter cable
Core Mini 1.66ghz 2048ram 320gb
DLSuperDrive Tiger uses for stupid intel stuff
12 Aluminum 1.5ghz 1280ram 250gb
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#4 2007-07-18 2:58 pm
- D'Eyncourt
- OMGDICTATOR
- Registered: 2001-12-27
- Posts: 8806
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Re: MacBook USB doesn't have a lot of power?
It's true that Apple laptops have less power sent via the USB ports. What size hard drive is in the enclosure? I was able to connect a 2.5" 10 GB external drive powered via USB without any problems, but I could not connect an 80 GB external drive in the same enclosure via USB without using external power. BTW: the 80 GB external drive works fine via its FireWire connection, requiring no external power that way.
Have you tried replacing/swapping the USB cable? It could be that the contacts in the particular cable that you are using with the Mac aren't connecting properly, giving you these problems.
BOYCOTT SONY
"I think the question now is not whether you went to Vietnam or whether you didn't, whether you fought in the war or fought against the war. I think the only question is whether we can find a president smart enough never to make a mistake like that again"--Molly Ivins, way back in 1992
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#5 2007-07-18 3:20 pm
- manwe
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- Registered: 2006-01-28
- Posts: 125
Re: MacBook USB doesn't have a lot of power?
I've tested my G4 iBook and was getting 4.6-4.7 V. A bit low.
G4 iBook 933 MHz 1.12 GB Ram running 10.5.1
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#6 2007-07-18 4:36 pm
- PipSqueak
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- Registered: 2007-07-18
- Posts: 12
Re: MacBook USB doesn't have a lot of power?
NSX wrote:
i have an external 2.5 and on the case there is a power port adn usb port...i have 2 cables, one the is a power AND mini usb to standard usb and the other is a mini usb to TWO standard usb's
i have never had a problem using the latter cable
I understand what you mean here, connecting that end of the USB split cable to 2 ports, of course, gave no problems. But because macbooks only have 2 USB ports, this is unacceptable as I'll be using USB for other things like mouse and thumbdrive. The 4-port USB hub I bought proved useless since the power is so low. I wonder if anyone knows any way to increase the power of these USB ports 
Last edited by PipSqueak (2007-07-18 4:37 pm)
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#7 2007-07-18 7:24 pm
- D'Eyncourt
- OMGDICTATOR
- Registered: 2001-12-27
- Posts: 8806
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Re: MacBook USB doesn't have a lot of power?
Using a 4-port hub only worsens the problem since it spllts the power among the devices connected unless you get a powered hub. I realize that this makes your MacBook less readily mobile if you want to reconnect it to other USB devices, but this is the only way if you are only going to use the USB.
Or you could get an enclosure with FireWire and USB ports and connect it to your MacBook via the FireWire.
BOYCOTT SONY
"I think the question now is not whether you went to Vietnam or whether you didn't, whether you fought in the war or fought against the war. I think the only question is whether we can find a president smart enough never to make a mistake like that again"--Molly Ivins, way back in 1992
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#8 2007-07-19 12:26 am
Re: MacBook USB doesn't have a lot of power?
agreed w D'Eyncourt, u should get firewire if you wanna keep it minimal, and it's faster a lot faster to boot...
but back to my setup using the 3way usb one of the ports is pass through, and works fine if you're usin usb1.1 things but if u really need the usb you cannot go wrong w a firewire enclosure...1 cable, and oodles faster
Core Mini 1.66ghz 2048ram 320gb
DLSuperDrive Tiger uses for stupid intel stuff
12 Aluminum 1.5ghz 1280ram 250gb
SLSuperDrive Panther uses for Logic Express
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#9 2007-07-24 6:13 pm
- tigerwolf7
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- Registered: 1999-10-12
- Posts: 1270
Re: MacBook USB doesn't have a lot of power?
This is why I avoided the smaller 2.5 inch external drives. They either only come with a single connection, which dosen't really provide enough power, or Seagate/Maxtor's drives have two connections, which of course ties up all the USB ports on a lot of laptops.
Got a larger drive external drive that comes with an external power connection instead.
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