Need USB card with enough power for external hard drive

To all on this thread...

I cam in late but you have 3 choices on this subject:

1) An external USB HD with its own power adapter.

2) A USB HD *designed* to use USB2 power
(note your system's USB port must be USB2, see your BIOS Setup)

3) A USB Adapter with its own power



I can suggest you checkout offerings at Acomdata

http://www.acomdata.com/app/stx.products.asp?cid=1

One example is their "2.5" Samurai USB/eSATA" which is "Bus Powered"
(aka via your USB2 power).


I have an older version which even includes "Nomad Mobile Desktop" OS
that I use for temporary backups for clients.

Also, if their newer external drives are like my old one, you can
order and external AC Adapter if you wish. This would be an option
required if the client system does NOT have USB2 support.


Note, Seagate (I think) also carries and external USB HD that powers
via your USB2 Port.



--
======== Tecknomage ========
Computer Systems Specialist
IT Technician
San Diego, CA

On Mon, 24 May 2010 21:44:38 -0400, Paul
wrote:


I'm not a laptop repair guy. I've just seen the odd picture
of laptop components. I know they use adapters for hard drives,
even in cases where it doesn't make a lot of sense. That's
probably what you're seeing, is an adapter that is removable.

Paul


I think they use the adapters to create a 2nd flex point
which (hopefully) decreases the stress from impacts to
reduce the chance of cracking the drive or mainboard solder
joints. Then again, a tight fit and/or padding should've
done that too.

In
,
Carl typed on Mon, 24 May 2010 11:17:37 -0700 (PDT):
On May 24, 2:10 pm, J G Miller wrote:
On Mon, 24 May 2010 10:51:12 -0700, Carl wrote:
Seagate 80GB

So the maximum fastest transfer rate for that will be 100 MBytes per
second, will it not?

Have you considered upgrading to something newer?

500 Gbyte 2.5 inch Western Digital Caviar Blue SATA perhaps,
or Seagate equivalent?

No. That's a lot faster than USB 2.0 can do, and I don't have an
eSATA port on my laptop.

Even if your laptop doesn't have an eSATA port, you can buy them in
Cardbus or ExpressCard versions.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Windows XP SP3

In article ,
Carl wrote:
I have an HT-Link Cardbus/PCMCIA USB 2.0 2-port card (NEC / 32-bit).
My external hard drive w/USB adapter won't work with it, and it will
work plugged directly into a USB port on a different laptop. (My USB
ports got fried.) I got the card off E-Bay. My MP3 player works
plugged into that card. The drivers for the card say "Known
limitations: High Speed Isochronus, USB Composite Devices." (No other
details provided.) I don't know if the hard drive adapter is
"isochronous" or "composite." I've read there are problems with too
little power being supplied to the drive. The cable to the drive has
two USB plugs on one end, and it doesn't make any difference if I plug
both of them into the Cardbus card.

What card should I get? I see many different brands on E-Bay. I need
one that supplies sufficient power for an external hard drive, and
doesn't have any "known limitations" in the way.

Sorry for delayed reply, I had no PC for about 2 weeks and am catching
up as fast as I can.

This may be more than what you want, but I have a StarTech adapter that
will allow just about any HD to a USB port and supplies power to the HD
with a wall wart. It takes 2.5", 3.5" or 5.25" IDE or 2.5" or 3.5" SATA
drives. No model # on the box, just "USB 2.0 to IDE or SATA Adapter
cable. See www.startech.com. Cost was $30-35.


--
Rich Greenberg Sarasota, FL, USA richgr atsign panix.com + 1 941 378 2097
Eastern time. N6LRT I speak for myself & my dogs only. VM'er since CP-67
Canines:Val, Red, Shasta & Casey (RIP), Red & Zero, Siberians Owner:Chinook-L
Retired at the beach Asst Owner:Sibernet-L