Problems with a #@$^ing external laptop drive enclosure

**wardemon666** · 09-06-2006, 01:13 PM

I bought a Vantec NST-250U2 laptop drive enclosure and im having problems with it.

It works great except for one thing. If the enclosure is plugged in before windows boots, the drive is not found in windows. But if I wait for windows to boot (as soon as i can see the mouse) the drive is recognized properly.

If I open the device manager I see "The device cannot start. (code 10)" when plugging the drive in before windows boots.

Simply unplugging the drive and plugging it back in resolves this problem. I am using the supplied Y cable on two different USB ports, i am sure it is getting enough power. This problem happens with ALL computers ive tried it on (5 different computers, all running winxp, SP1 and SP2 still the same problem)

Ive also tried disabling / uninstalling all the usb devices after a boot and it still says "The device cannot start. (code 10)". The only way I can get the drive to start properly again is to remove the cable, wait for the drive to spin down, and plug it back in.

Ive noticed that it only does this on a shutdown. If i restart windows the drive is still recognized on boot.

I have a fujitsu 80gb hard drive in the enclosure.

What could be causing this problem?

Any help would be greatly apprechiated.

Thanks

**wardemon666** · 09-07-2006, 07:15 AM

29 views no replies?

**Tidder** · 09-07-2006, 07:24 AM

hmm... get another enclosure?

**AllThingsEnd** · 09-07-2006, 07:27 AM

how old are the computers you're trying it on. i just did a search on that and one place says that on older computers theres not enough power during bootup to the usb ports to start the external hdd

**wardemon666** · 09-07-2006, 07:27 AM

Originally Posted by Tidder

hmm... get another enclosure?

but but, i just spent $$$ on this thing!

Maybe theres a way to fix this? some how? I thought of putting a relay on the usb power wire, and when windows boots it would turn on the relay when would turn on the enclosure, but that would be a lot of trouble for nothing i guess. :P

**Tidder** · 09-07-2006, 07:29 AM

Oooh yeah, that reminds me of a prob with a laptop I had. Had a cheap external enclosure, the PC didn't have enough power thru the USB to power it. Got a different drive (Pocketec) works fine with the same laptop. Perhaps your enclosure is just kinda crappy?

**wardemon666** · 09-07-2006, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by AllThingsEnd

how old are the computers you're trying it on. i just did a search on that and one place says that on older computers theres not enough power during bootup to the usb ports to start the external hdd

3 of the computers are over 2 years old (they are all at least 1ghz) the other two are new from this/last year. Amd64 3500+ for the desktop and a amd duron 1.7ghz for the carputer (it was cheap ok!!

)

**AllThingsEnd** · 09-07-2006, 07:31 AM

it might just be the enclosure not using the power given efficiently enough.

**AllThingsEnd** · 09-07-2006, 07:36 AM

did more researching and it is the enclosure, sorry buddy but either you're going to have to plug it in everytime the comp boots up or see if you can get a refund and get a different enclosure. heres my reference:
http://www.somacon.com/p129.php

**wardemon666** · 09-07-2006, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by AllThingsEnd

did more researching and it is the enclosure, sorry buddy but either you're going to have to plug it in everytime the comp boots up or see if you can get a refund and get a different enclosure. heres my reference:
http://www.somacon.com/p129.php

ive had it for over 1 year and a half now.... dont think they'll do anything about it.... ill try to find a friend that wants a hard drive enclosure.......

unless theres another way to fix this