Storage: Short-cord External HDDs
Short-cord External HDDs
by flingwing - 10/28/09 8:57 PMSeen in a different post in this forum:
“BTW, a Passport USB requires a very short cable on some laptops because of the limited power supplied thru the USB port”.
Yesterday I saw some small (2.5 in.), USB-powered external HDDs whose cases were wrapped a silicon sleeve. What surprised me was that their USB cables were relatively short. I even asked the shopkeeper about this.
I said that if I plug one of these external HDDs into a USB port on my desktop, the HDD would be left hanging from my USB port and off the table by about 4 inches. All my USB ports are at the top of my desktop case.
Is this the correct way to use a USB-powered external HDD? I guess if you took care not to move either the desktop or the external HDD, it wouldn’t matter. But it sure would look funny to have this external HDD hanging at a weird angle by its USB cord.
What’s the deal with these short-cord external HDDs? Are they only made for use with laptops sitting on a tabletop?
You can buy extension cables but I've found they
by Steven Haninger - 10/29/09 4:38 AM In reply to: Short-cord External HDDs by flingwingdon't always work. Some will have a second USB plug going to another port in your PC for additional power.
2 USB Plug?
by flingwing - 10/29/09 5:22 AM In reply to: You can buy extension cables but I've found they by Steven HaningerYou know, it wasn't until I read that CNET forum post mentioning short USB cords that I understood why the external HDDs I saw were that way.
Also, I mentioned the extension cord problem - they sometimes don't work - to the shop guy and he agreed.
You're saying that some external HDDs have a second USB plug to gain extra power from the computer? That's a good idea and one I'll start to look for. Thanks.
They look something like this
by Steven Haninger - 10/29/09 6:52 AM In reply to: 2 USB Plug? by flingwinghttp://www.bixnet.com/5vps2powercord.html
The extra power plug will sometimes have a thinner wire. It won't work as USB but just connects the +5v for more current.
(NT) Ingenious! Never saw one before now. Thanks.
by flingwing - 10/29/09 7:33 AM In reply to: They look something like this by Steven Haninger"short cord" external HDD
by Joliet Eddie - 10/29/09 8:14 PM In reply to: (NT) Ingenious! Never saw one before now. Thanks. by flingwingI have used an external HDD with its short cord with a desktop for years by using a convenient USB hub that connects to the desktop via long cord. The hub is powered, now that I think of it. My external drive has a "Y" cable that has the second USB that could be used to provide power to the drive if needed. Never needed to use it, even when plugged into my laptop either. Obviously it's getting enough power from a single USB port on the laptop. And, no, that extra USB on the drive cord does not act as a data line. When I occasionally plug that end into the computer, the drive is not recognized by the computer.
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