USB HDD transfer rates

jc7

I have a USB Iomega eGo 160GB Hdd, which is giving me hassle. The driver is powered by usb cable (2 usb connections to go to laptop/pc).

Each and every time I plug it in to my laptop, I get the prompt "This device can perform faster". When I bought this drive first, this never appeared & transfer rates were 'fast'. Now the transfer rate is extremely slow. I am currently using the drive on a new laptop (bought mid-oct 09). I have also tried the drive on other laptops, with the same problem.

Is there a reason for this?

I also use another ext drive (AC powered), and have no problem with the transfer speed. The problem seems to be solely with my Iomega.

===

I am currently formatting the drive (NTFS, not quick format). I began the format early this morning (1am) and it currently looks as though it is approx. 20% done.


Is it possible to increase transfer times for this drive?
Or, will it remain the way it is even after formatting?

Laptop I'm using is;
Dual-Core Processor T4300 (2.1GHz, 800MHz, 1MB cache)
3072MB 800MHz DDR2

PogMoThoin

Should've done a quick format, its doing a checkdisk as its formatting which is gonna take forever, but if You don't mind waiting it don't matter.

jc7

Can I simply press the 'cancel' button, or should I let it run to completion?

Also, do you think formatting the drive will restore the transfer rates to what they were originally?

PogMoThoin

jc7 wrote: »

Can I simply press the 'cancel' button, or should I let it run to completion?

I would if You're needing to use it, You can run checkdisk overnight later with data on the drive

jc7 wrote: »

Also, do you think formatting the drive will restore the transfer rates to what they were originally?

Can't do any harm, it will restore it to its original blank state. You're aware formatting wipes the drive?

jc7

PogMoThoin wrote: »

You're aware formatting wipes the drive?

I transferred the files I want to keep to my laptop hdd over the past 2 days (that's how slow it is).

I cancelled the format, but am unable to 'safely remove' the drive. The led on the drive is still flicking away & the drive (feels as though it) is spinning.

Any idea on what I should do?
I don't want to turn it into a paper-weight.

=====

The led eventually stopped flicking.
I am now doing the NTFS, quick format & will let it run.

I will post back how I get on.

Thanks PogMoThoin

jc7

I did the format (NTFS) on the drive and copied a file to it. The transfer rate started out at ~30MB/s but towards the end of the transfer reduced down to <1MB/s.

Is there anything else I can do to increase the t. rate?

PogMoThoin

Run this utility, save a screenshot of the results for Your external hd and paste it here.

jc7

PogMoThoin

Something very wrong there, looks fooked to me. Have You tried it on another pc?

jc7

Yeah, I've tried it on my work laptop also with same results....

One thing I used to do on work laptop (win xp) was connect the drive and play a bit of a movie file. Then I would disconnect & reconnect the drive, and then the transfer rate would be back to 'normal'. That does not work on this laptop (vista).

jc7

Anybody know how to fix this?
or,
Is it now a brick?

Overheal

Did you ever wonder if it was the USB Y-cable you were using to run and power the drive?

Try to find another cable, either something gold plated, or incredibly short (>10 inches)

jc7

No, I didn't tbh.

I'll check that out, thanks.

Dublin_Gunner

Can the drive be powered externally?

It could be a power issue, so the drive is not running at max speed possible.

Don't worry about 'gold' plated ends of cables. Doesn't help much unless the connection on your laptop is also gold. Thats just marketing rubbish. (even then its only very slight increase in conductivity).

Any decent USB cable should be fine. Its the power the drive is getting from your USB port where I'm sure the problem is occuring, though using a 'y' cable should alleviate this.

Are they small or large files you're transferring?

jc7

I tried out another 'y-cable' at the weekend and noticed the same problem. The HDTune screenshot a few posts up was also the same. I'm pretty sure the drive is getting enough current, as in some older laptops both usb connectors have to be connected for the drive to spin.

I contacted the store where I bought this & they have a receipt for my purchase. Iomega provide a 2year warranty on drives - Am I right in thinking this? - and so should be able to use their RMA process to return this as defective.

The drive has never been dropped & for the most part, is left at home.

Dublin_Gunner

Well then I'd say your best bet is to try and return it.

Did you buy it online or from a shop? If its from a shop, I'd bring it back there and let them deal with the RMA, unless of course its going to be quicker dealing with them directly.

Overheal

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

Can the drive be powered externally?

It could be a power issue, so the drive is not running at max speed possible.

Don't worry about 'gold' plated ends of cables. Doesn't help much unless the connection on your laptop is also gold. Thats just marketing rubbish. (even then its only very slight increase in conductivity).

Any decent USB cable should be fine. Its the power the drive is getting from your USB port where I'm sure the problem is occuring, though using a 'y' cable should alleviate this.

Are they small or large files you're transferring?

I've found though that the Gold cable will supply the full 0.5mA power over a longer distance - they get largely expensive, but its nicer than a Y cable or a 6 inch PoS for most occassions.

Dublin_Gunner

Overheal wrote: »

I've found though that the Gold cable will supply power over a longer distance - they get largely expensive, but its nicer than a Y cable or a 6 inch PoS for most occassions

Hmm, I find that hard to believe unless the cable itself is gold, not just the connectors.

Maybe its just the case that the cable was higher quality anyway.

Overheal

I assume at the very least the wire responsible for transmitting device power is gold if not the entire cable.

Gurgle

jc7 wrote: »

I get the prompt "This device can perform faster".

This usually means you have plugged a USB2.0 capable device into a USB1.1 hub. Could be you don't have the USB2.0 drivers installed for laptop mainboard. For some bizzarre reason, the USB1.1 drivers are often installed by default.

Also worth a try is to uninstall the device drivers, plug it in again and let it get set up again as new hardware.

Windows stores info for USB devices it has seen before and it will often stick with that info rather than re-read from the device.

E.g. if you once plugged it in via a low-speed hub, windows remembers it as a low speed device.

Dublin_Gunner

Overheal wrote: »

I assume at the very least the wire responsible for transmitting device power is gold if not the entire cable.

You'd be talking about an ounce of gold per cable. So the cable would cost about €300 all in. I seriously doubt the entire cable would be made of gold, merely the connectors. There is really no reason for gold to be used anyway, copper does just as good a job.

Gurgle

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

I seriously doubt the entire cable would be made of gold, merely the connectors. There is really no reason for gold to be used anyway, copper does just as good a job.

It would be ludicrous to make the whole cable from gold - gold plated connectors reduce capacitance at the connection (and the RC time contant), but gold wire in the lead would be no benefit.

Dublin_Gunner

Gurgle wrote: »

It would be ludicrous to make the whole cable from gold - gold plated connectors reduce capacitance at the connection (and the RC time contant), but gold wire in the lead would be no benefit.

Which, as has been stated before, would only be of any benefit if the other connector was also made of gold.

In fact, once its a same metal to same metal connection, it will be fine.

And to be honest, in this day and age, reduction in capacitance at the connection makes little or no difference considering the modern components used. The same can be said for the old modular V non-modular PSU's. There is really no difference in performance between the two.

jc7

Contacted iomega about this problem. Since the drive is still within their 2 year warranty, if I return it to them, they will send me out a replacement drive.

Overheal

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

You'd be talking about an ounce of gold per cable. So the cable would cost about €300 all in. I seriously doubt the entire cable would be made of gold, merely the connectors. There is really no reason for gold to be used anyway, copper does just as good a job.

Its a Pre-Recession gold plated cable

I dunno I didnt make the thing. All I know is its long and it works at powering my device, where as a normal cable will crap out on me if its longer than 10 inches. Maybe these cables were just using dirty copper: who knows. They were cheap.