# [SOLVED] USB HDD "Click click click click"

## Clete2

I have a PCMCIA to USB 2.0 card installed. Today I received a power adapter for it so that it could power more devices. All I have plugged into it right now is a USB 2.0 -> Ethernet adapter. When I plug in my external HDD (needs only USB power), it gives off a "click click click click..." sound repeatedly. The sound lasts for ~.25 seconds and then repeats. It sounds as if it is trying to spin-up but won't for some reason. The click is not a hard click like a failing drive, but more of an electronic whining.

When I plug it into my main laptop or anything else it spins up just fine and I see the partition on it. I just purchased a new USB cord to go with the power adapter, so I know that it is good there.

Any advice? Why could this be happening?

----------

## Jaglover

Apparently USB is not providing enough power to spin it up.

----------

## monsm

 *Jaglover wrote:*   

> Apparently USB is not providing enough power to spin it up.

 

Possible, or worse, the hd might have crashed.  Do you see it on the system?  I.e. do you see it when running dmesg? Have you tried the hd on a different machine recently?

Mons

----------

## Clete2

 *monsm wrote:*   

>  *Jaglover wrote:*   Apparently USB is not providing enough power to spin it up. 
> 
> Possible, or worse, the hd might have crashed.  Do you see it on the system?  I.e. do you see it when running dmesg? Have you tried the hd on a different machine recently?
> 
> Mons

 

The HD didn't crash. I saw it on my laptop right after plugging it in. I have the power adapter hooked up to the PCMCIA card, so that should be working just fine.

I checked dmesg earlier to no avail. I don't see it on lsusb either.

@Jaglover, I thought so too, but the power supply should be working.

PCMCIA Card

Power adapter

----------

## eccerr0r

USB HDD's tend to be on the edge for power consumption, and USB ports tend to not quite be sufficient for them.  Many 2.5" HDDs require 0.5A on 5V regulated, and most USB ports are *limited* to 0.5A (which usually means degradation already occurred by that point, probably safest to get 0.4A without appreciable voltage drop.  This, and the electronics on the USB converter...

Some USB ports are overdesigned and can supply the full current and can power 2.5" HDDs just fine.  But they tend to not have those self healing fuses...  Also resistance of the contacts and internal wiring could be a problem...

----------

## NeddySeagoon

Clete2,

Does your drive have one or two USB plugs ?

Each USB root hub (two USB connectors) can provide at most 500mA for all attached devices. Thats only 2.5W.

If you have your ethernet attached too, I expect, your USB subsystem is going into power recycles due to the overload.

Please post your /prob/bus/usb/devices so we can look at your USB device tree.

You might want to look with usbview too.

----------

## Clete2

I do believe that you are right: They can only provide 500mA for devices. I plugged that power supply straight into the HDD (a risk I took; couldn't find a datasheet saying what kind of power adapter it takes) and it worked.

The drive has a single USB plug and a small power adapter plug, but every document I have read online has no mention of the power adapter plug and most mention "Doesn't even need it!"

 */proc/bus/usb/devices with HDD online wrote:*   

> ibmlaptop ~ # cat /proc/bus/usb/devices 
> 
> T:  Bus=03 Lev=00 Prnt=00 Port=00 Cnt=00 Dev#=  1 Spd=480 MxCh= 3
> 
> B:  Alloc=  0/800 us ( 0%), #Int=  1, #Iso=  0
> ...

 

----------

## NeddySeagoon

Clete2,

You have a AX88x72A, USB to Ethernet adapter, that needs 250mA, or half what the root hub is allowed to supply.

Your SimpleDrive mini claims it needs  

```
MaxPower Needed:  2mA
```

That will just about drive the USB interface. It won't power the spin motor or the other electronics.

The Data Sheet for your drive says ...  *Quote:*   

> • All-in-one high speed USB 2.0 “Y” cable (included) also provides power

 

Thats a big fat warning.  The device needs  more power than can be provided by a single root hub. The 'Y' cable allows it to be connected to two root hubs to get the power it needs.

You must either use the 'Y' cable or an external PSU. Further, you must not connect the two arms of the 'Y' cable to the same root hub or it won't work.

You have two unused USB 1 root hubs - use one of them for the power only end of the 'Y' cable.  

A 'Y' cable is a dirty hack to not include a PSU for the device. 

An external powered USB hub will work too - as long as you use the 'Y' cable. Powered hubs will provide 500mA per port.

----------

## Clete2

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> Clete2,
> 
> You have a AX88x72A, USB to Ethernet adapter, that needs 250mA, or half what the root hub is allowed to supply.
> 
> Your SimpleDrive mini claims it needs  
> ...

 

I see. I had thought that the power supply for the PCMCIA card would have worked. I don't recall ever getting a "Y" cable for the drive and I have never used one; it just always "worked." I assume this is because of what you mentioned earlier. My USB port on my main laptop must be over the specification.

I don't know why it says I have two unused ports. It is laid out physically like this:

PCMCIA -> USB 2.0 -- Two ports, both used (USB -> Ethernet, HDD)

Built-in USB 1.x - One port.

It is possible the controller contains two ports, but that they are not physically available. If I find a "Y" cable it would be possible for me to plug in the data part to the PCMCIA card and the secondary power to the USB 1.x port on the other side of the machine.

I looked at that exact data sheet, but I wasn't looking for a "Y" cord; I was looking to see what kind of PSU was needed.

For now, I should be OK since it seems to work when using that PSU I bought directly on the drive. Thanks for everyone's help and advice.  :Smile:  Later, I may try to find a "Y" cord.

----------

## NeddySeagoon

Clete2,

There is an outside chance it would work if you removed your USN-> Ethernet dongle but thats probably not an acceptable solution.

----------

## Clete2

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> Clete2,
> 
> There is an outside chance it would work if you removed your USN-> Ethernet dongle but thats probably not an acceptable solution.

 

Unfortunately that was the first thing that I tried. It did not work. Putting the USB -> Ethernet dongle on the USB1.x port slows my throughput, although the bandwidth I use it for should be below the theoretical max (250KB/sec in and out). It seems that it is not 100% efficient.

----------

## eccerr0r

I got tired of the clicking problem so I took a broken powered USB hub's power supply and connector, and jury-rigged a connection from the PSU wall wart to the HDD.  Now the thing will always work, independently of what I plug it into...  It didn't work properly using the Y connector and the hub (if the hub worked, even) so now it's better...

Involves soldering, so not sure if people want to do it...  Plus the fact the PSU adds more space to the carry volume...

----------

