Why not 2x320 GB USB disc to my T40 at the same time?

[koden]

I have 2 USB 3,5 disk plugged 2 my 2 USB ports in my T40.
But one of them the pc won't accept.

It says that it can run faster if i plug it into USB 2 standard or maybe it can't reconize it at all.

If i only connect 1x320 GB disk there is no problem.
It just opens up and data is there

[rssb]

may be the bios limits only to 512GB at a time, something to do with LBA addressing.

[ss284]

For some reason my bottom USB port always has problems with certain devices. Is the drive that wont accept plugged into your bottom port by any chance?

[andyP]

I think I may have seen some similar instances with usb storage device problems.

I am assuming that win XP is the OS. I don't know why, but sometimes XP has a problem allocating drive letters when more than one usb storage device, (or memory card), are attached to the usb ports.
It would be interesting to know the result to the following:


(a) Connect one of the usb drives. XP should say new hardware found and install it automatically, wait untill it's installed and you normally become a window that asks what you want to do - play music / open a file etc. ... Then have a look in "My Computer" to see if it's been allocated a drive letter.

If it has a drive letter and you can address the drive normally, everything is OK - If not go to point (c).

(b) Assuming (a) was OK, attach the second usb drive and wait for the normal "new hard ware found" - let it run it's course as above. The difference may be that you don't get the window asking about music or files etc. .. Wait about the same amount of time that it took for (a) to complete.

(c) Then, (this could be the interesting part), r click on my computer and choose "manage" , when it's open choose "drive management" . If everything is as I presume the 2nd usb device will be shown, but doesn't have a drive letter; r click on the drive in the lower part of the window and choose the option to change the drive letter, you get a pop down menu with available drive letters to choose from. Choose a letter which isn't allocated e.g. U (for usb) and OK it - you get a warning that some services / programs will not work, (assuming the usb drive has only data and no programs on it), just click OK.

The drive should now be visible and accessable in "My Computer".

Hopefully it is and BINGO no problem, if it isn't - sorry - someone hopefully has a solution for you

[_erazor_]

try bying a cheap usb hub for $5 (passive hub will do) and connect that to one port of the thinkpad. connect the 2 harddisks to the hub then.

that might work better.

you ofcourse use external power for the harddisks, right?

[koden]

XP pro danish and extern power to my disk. I will try...returning soon..