usb problem with T42

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elim · #1 Post by **elim** » Tue May 22, 2007 2:50 pm

I got a new 2.5" external hard drive mainly for my T42 laptop.
But T42 not recognize it (My Mac do and so the external hard drive seems ok. This is not a new problem wiht my T42, one of my friend's external hard drive worked well with other machines but not mine.

The usb works with my external DVD burner and memory sticks very well and I cannot say ubs on my T42 is totally dead. My guess is, some firmware/bois problem, or usb driver problem. But I cannot find usb2 drivers for T42.

Any ideas? Thanks a lot

andyP · #2 Post by **andyP** » Tue May 22, 2007 3:06 pm

Have a look in the "drive management" and see if the drive is recognised there, it may be because of a common problem that XP doesn't assign the drive letter because another drive has already been allocated the drive letter, you can change it manually.

I thought there was a "sticky" on this subject, but I can't find it

EDIT Found it: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=42200

bin.dong · #3 Post by **bin.dong** » Tue May 22, 2007 4:39 pm

I had exactly the same problem on my T42. I took it to local computer repair store. A guy spent 8 days on it and told me the motherboard was not compatible with that hard drive. His suggestion was getting a new motherboard from them. My T42 was out of warranty but everything else is working fine, I didn't wanna spend any money on it. I sold it finally.

My friend has the same problem too, he tried different brand USB hard drive, some of them are working fine but some of them just won't work. WD is working one for T42 as far I know.

Melvyn · #4 Post by **Melvyn** » Tue May 22, 2007 5:16 pm

bin.dong wrote:I had exactly the same problem on my T42. I took it to local computer repair store. A guy spent 8 days on it and told me the motherboard was not compatible with that hard drive. His suggestion was getting a new motherboard from them.

With all respect, that guy at service cener was trying to cheat you, or he was too stupid...

Hard drives uses standard design, protocols and whatever to be universal and compatible. Connected via USB, the machine don't manage the hard drive as hard drive. Your TP get connected with your USB enclouse, using drivers for mass storage devices; by the way, your usb enclosure get connected with your hard drive. It's a bridge.

Your issue was a matter of drivers (usb or chipset), or maybe, power failure (usb not receiving adequate amount of power).

#5 Post by **richk** » Tue May 22, 2007 6:39 pm

Does the drive have its own power supply?

elim · #6 Post by **elim** » Tue May 22, 2007 7:46 pm

Yes the drive can connect to an power adaptor by itself but it works on my G4 powerbook and compaq M700 without using additional power.

Maybe I should try with a power adaptor.

mitchellst · #7 Post by **mitchellst** » Tue May 22, 2007 8:55 pm

Try that.

I just replaced a guys motherboard that was having a similar problem with his MP3 player. Other devices were working fine, but the computer wouldn't recognize the MP3 player at all. I'm pretty sure it just wasn't receiving enough power. Anyway, it worked fine after the replacement.

elim · #8 Post by **elim** » Wed May 23, 2007 7:01 pm

By using dock, my T42 can work with the same external hard drive just fine. So is that indicate a problem of the hardware? Thanks

mitchellst · #9 Post by **mitchellst** » Thu May 24, 2007 9:40 am

It sounds like it. Unless you're under warranty, it probably won't be worth fixing as long as everything else is working.

usb problem with T42

usb problem with T42

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