USB 3.0 Y cable and my portable drive

[lok3sh]

Hey guys,

I have a Toshiba Canvio 1TB HDD that is USB 3.0. When plugged into my front USB 3.0 port though, it works but its slow and makes clicky noises. It works fine on my front USB 2.0 port. In the back USB 3.0 it works better, but also stalls and clicks sometimes. I figured this was due to it being underpowered.

I am looking into buying a USB 3.0 Y cable. Two questions:

1. Can I use this Y cable by pluging the Y into one USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0? I ask because my two USB 3.0 front ports are kind of far apart and all the Y cables I seem to see online look like they might not reach the second USB 3.0 port.

2. If I do manage to get both plugged into USB 3.0 slots, might this be too much power for the drive and end up blowing it or something?

Also if anyone know of a good reliable USB 3.0 Y cable with a long split for the Y part, please do point me in that direction!

Thanks

 

[FireWire2]

USB3.0 provides more power than USB2.0

If your USB2.0 works. but not USB3.0 then I'm afraid there is something else is going on.. I would ask toshiba to replace it

 

[lok3sh]

USB3.0 provides more power than USB2.0

If your USB2.0 works. but not USB3.0 then I'm afraid there is something else is going on.. I would ask toshiba to replace it

I am under the impression that its my USB 3.0 ports and not the hard drive because I tried a friends Seagate USB 3.0 drive on my USB 3.0 port and it had the same problem. It worked fine on the USB 2.0 port though.

 

[FireWire2]

In that case - check the system BIOS
make sure the power setting on the USB is set correctly

Can you use the external power adapter to see your USB3.0 works or not?

If it does, then I would seriously look at the computer USB3.0 port

 

[lok3sh]

In that case - check the system BIOS
make sure the power setting on the USB is set correctly

Can you use the external power adapter to see your USB3.0 works or not?

If it does, then I would seriously look at the computer USB3.0 port

What do I look for in the BIOS? I have a GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD4-B3 and I have the c1e and c3/c6 are disabled if that makes any difference...

What exactly of you mean by use the external power adapter? You mean plug my hard drive into an outlet? I can't do that because this is a portable HDD and is just powered by USB only.

 

[cody206]

I have two portable drives that came with Y cables, but normal straight male-to-male cables work for me. One is a 1TB 2.5" the other is 500 GB 7200 RPM 2.5". So I don't think Y cables are really necessary based on my experience with these two drives.

 

[lok3sh]

I have two portable drives that came with Y cables, but normal straight male-to-male cables work for me. One is a 1TB 2.5" the other is 500 GB 7200 RPM 2.5". So I don't think Y cables are really necessary based on my experience with these two drives.

Not necessary for you maybe, because your ports must be fine.

 

[photonboy]

Front USB3 ports:

Your front, case ports don't properly support USB3 unless BOTH of the following are true:

1) the motherboard front case output is USB3
2) the case front USB officially supports USB3

In fact, if your motherboard was USB3 but the case only supported front USB2 you will likely have major errors trying to use a high-speed USB3 device. Many "USB3" devices don't exceed 60MB/second yet but once they speed up they need the wires connecting the case to the motherboard to meet the proper specification.

 

[lok3sh]

Front USB3 ports:

Your front, case ports don't properly support USB3 unless BOTH of the following are true:

1) the motherboard front case output is USB3
2) the case front USB officially supports USB3

In fact, if your motherboard was USB3 but the case only supported front USB2 you will likely have major errors trying to use a high-speed USB3 device. Many "USB3" devices don't exceed 60MB/second yet but once they speed up they need the wires connecting the case to the motherboard to meet the proper specification.

My case is the Cooler Master Storm Enforcer that has two USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 ports in the front. My motherboard, the GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD4-B3 also has support for front USB 2.0 & 3.0 if I'm not mistaken, and I have them plugged in correctly I think because they are two different connectors. So I wonder if its something else?

 

[FireWire2]

have u try to connect to the back I/O panel USB3.0 connector?

I look at the BIOS, there is nothing to set

 

[lok3sh]

have u try to connect to the back I/O panel USB3.0 connector?

I look at the BIOS, there is nothing to set

Yes I did actually! It was MUCH better on the back USB 3.0, but still slightly problematic... Would start clicking once in a while. I still think the USB 3.0 Y cable should solve it. I just need to know if there is a possibility of too much power going to the HDD that could blow it and if I can use one USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0 with the Y cable.

 

[FireWire2]

Heheh there is NO too much power to your USB drive Provide there is NOTHING wrong with the HDD enclosure portion

If you have to use 2x USB port to power your USB3.0, and 1x of them is USB3.0 that is VERY ODD!

USB3.0 suppose to overcome the under power issue that USB2.0 has

 

[lok3sh]

Heheh there is NO too much power to your USB drive Provide there is NOTHING wrong with the HDD enclosure portion

If you have to use 2x USB port to power your USB3.0, and 1x of them is USB3.0 that is VERY ODD!

USB3.0 suppose to overcome the under power issue that USB2.0 has

What could it be then

Any chance that its bad drivers or some conflict with the USB 3 ports?

 

[lok3sh]

Heheh there is NO too much power to your USB drive Provide there is NOTHING wrong with the HDD enclosure portion

If you have to use 2x USB port to power your USB3.0, and 1x of them is USB3.0 that is VERY ODD!

USB3.0 suppose to overcome the under power issue that USB2.0 has

Is it possible that it is due to the Etron USB 3.0 not being a good chip or whatever? I've heard that before they updated their drivers for this controller, it had a ton of disconnection issues etc... I have the latest 105 drivers though, and this problem really sucks... I don't know if I should complain to Gigabyte and see if they have anything to say, because I don't even know what the root of this problem is...

 

[lok3sh]

Hey guys, a small update on this. My friend bought a USB 3.0 Y cable a couple days ago and I borrowed it to test with my drive. So I plugged my drive in the front port with that cable, and the drive now works perfectly like it should! Also I realized that with that cable, I don't even need the second usb for extra power plugged in. It works with just a single which means that the cable that Toshiba sent with the Canvio is bad. But this is strange because the cable works fine on USB 2.0, and my back USB 3.0 but NOT on my front 3.0! Is this even possible? What could be the explanation?