USB 2 problems with slimdrive

alti · 03-23-2005, 01:08 AM

I have the popular panasonic slimslot dvd cdr and a slim to IDE and then a IDE to USB 2 adapter. The adapter I am useing is called the sabrent here is a link to it.

The problem I have to assume is with the USB-> IDE adapter and I am curious if anyone else has had a simular issue with this or a differnt settup. the problem is that the drive will stop working randomly while connect throught the usb adapter. If for instance I am watching a dvd, at a random moment in playback the movie will just freeze and then about 20 seconds latter I will hear the do-dot noise windows makes to tell you a usb device just disconnected. If I connect the drive up directly on ide it works fine. The power for the drive is supplied from a floppy molex connector either way.

The only other thing that I can think that could be the cause is a power issue? but this does not make sense to me as the drive is powered off the molex either way.

Thanks

drait · 03-23-2005, 01:58 AM

As long as you're not maxed out on your 5V rail, it should be fine. I had similar problems with my Pana slim drive w/ the Centrix USB2 enclosure/adapter. My USB cable run was over 6', which didn't help. From a previous thread about this drive, someone found the specs on it and I think the max draw at full speed is around 2.5A, so make sure your 5V rail has headroom for this.

Since I didn't feel like running yet another long cable from the back of my car to the dash (for +5V) I just put a standalone 12V->5V regulator and have it running from the switched ignition source. Works like a champ now

alti · 03-23-2005, 02:25 PM

I dont think that it is a power issue, possible but i dont think likely, because the drive is powered on the same molex connector wether it is on the USB bus or the IDE. The only difference is that it works fine on the IDE but will randomly decide to dissapear as a USB device in the middle of a movie. I am guessing that some others here may have this adpater as it is the only one sold on newegg, anyone else have simular problems? I don not have it on a long usb cable (yet) the adapter is plugged dirrectly into the ports on the back of the mobo.

Stray · 03-23-2005, 04:34 PM

It is also possible that there are problems with the USB driver and your main board. My adapter worked fine on my regular computer with a fully updated windows XP. On my epia however, the adapter didn't even get recognized after installing SP1 (even with the USB fix)

Maybe you can opt for a clean install without updating windows and test if the DVD still freezes.

alti · 03-26-2005, 02:51 AM

I am still banging my head on the walls with this problem. It makes no sense. I have tried running dvd's in differnt players, EDIT: I Have also tried differnt dvds includeing one that was still sealed and never watched. (power dvd and mediaplayer) in powerdvd it freezes like I said I hear the sound windows makes when you pull a usb device out of the computer and I cannot get it to reconize the drive again until I reboot. In mediaplayer the dvd freezes, the cpu useage for mplayer process shots to 100% and stays there. Just hitting ctrl -alt-del and getting task manager takes 5-10 minutes. After I reboot, the drive comes up fine, there does not seem to be any drive issues.

as for drivers I searched and searched and found nothing. The simple cd provided with the adapter just has drivers for win 9x and the instructions state that no drivers are necassary for xp, they are already provided by windows. I found the manufactures site and no drivers are listed there either, also tried searching google and got nothing.

The lenth of time that the drive will function before disapearing as a usb device seems completely random, and can range from 5 minutes to 30-40 minutes. I have win XP sp2 and want to avoid wiping the drive and starting over as I just spent alot of time loading everything and configuring the softwares.

any ideas? I am going to try it out later on my laptop and desktop and see if they have the same problem, cant believe I did not think to try that ealier.

Thanks all

Mad Ad · 03-26-2005, 08:12 PM

you may already have set up this way, but if not, try the usb connected directly to a single usb socket in the motherboard, no hubs, no sharing or chaining, just directly into the mobo (a 10 foot lead would be acceptable if you really cannot get it to reach)

alti · 03-26-2005, 08:31 PM

I do currently have it connected directly to its own port on the mobo. It was connected directly in too, no extension.

I was able to run it on my desktop, but my desktop is old and only has 1.1 so the playback was choppy but it did not stop, I let it run through a whole movie and then started the movie again and ran half. Being that the desktop was only running 1.1 I have to guess that it is a usb 2.0 driver issue, but i dont know if it is the adapter or the mobo. Since my mobo is of pretty good quality and the adapter looks shoddy, I am going to guess it is the adapter, plus no other usb devices are having issues. They are however all 1.1 devices and the dvd is 2 so that might not mean anything either.

I think I am going to get a usb enclosure for the drive instead of the adapter and see if it makes any difference. I hate buying more stuff when I am unsure of the cause of the problem, but other then reforrmatting (which I do not think will help) I tried everything else i can.