Guest johngood_____ Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 A while ago I bought a small portable external hard drive (the size of hard drive they put in laptops) and an aluminium casing for it. It was at a computer fair and i'm not able to go back and ask about it, but the lead that was included has one end to go to the external hard drive and at the other end *two* separate usb connectors to go to the computer. One of these usb connectors is coloured red. Why would there be two usb connectors, please? Should I use the red one? The neutral coloured one, or both?
Guest Pegasus \(MVP\) Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: external Hard Drive has two USB connectors "johngood_____" <void@void.net> wrote in message news:DkvGi.62874$sI3.25973@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net... >A while ago I bought a small portable external hard drive (the size of hard >drive they put in laptops) and an aluminium casing for it. It was at a >computer fair and i'm not able to go back and ask about it, but the lead >that was included has one end to go to the external hard drive and at the >other end *two* separate usb connectors to go to the computer. One of these >usb connectors is coloured red. Why would there be two usb connectors, >please? Should I use the red one? The neutral coloured one, or both? > > > The connector with the fatter cable has four connections: Two for the USB signal, two for power. It must always be plugged in. The connector with the thinner cable has two connections: for power. It is required for PCs/notebooks where a single USB socket delivers marginal power. You can find out by trial and error if you need it or not.
Guest RalfG Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: external Hard Drive has two USB connectors I have a similar connection for my USB2 Hub (actually a second cable) which functions as an auxiliary power connector. Individual USB ports only provide 500milli Amps each for USB powered devices. What the extra connector does is take power from a second USB port on the computer in order to double the power available in the hub to 1000mA. I can't say for certain but I suspect that your double ended USB cable does the same thing for that external drive enclosure. "johngood_____" <void@void.net> wrote in message news:DkvGi.62874$sI3.25973@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net... >A while ago I bought a small portable external hard drive (the size of hard >drive they put in laptops) and an aluminium casing for it. It was at a >computer fair and i'm not able to go back and ask about it, but the lead >that was included has one end to go to the external hard drive and at the >other end *two* separate usb connectors to go to the computer. One of these >usb connectors is coloured red. Why would there be two usb connectors, >please? Should I use the red one? The neutral coloured one, or both? > > >
Guest Xenomorph Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: external Hard Drive has two USB connectors Like others have stated, it has 2 USB plugs because 1 USB plug does NOT supply enough power. The drive requires more power than what the USB standard allows, so it must use 2 USB connections to get fully powered. "johngood_____" <void@void.net> wrote in message news:DkvGi.62874$sI3.25973@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net... >A while ago I bought a small portable external hard drive (the size of hard >drive they put in laptops) and an aluminium casing for it. It was at a >computer fair and i'm not able to go back and ask about it, but the lead >that was included has one end to go to the external hard drive and at the >other end *two* separate usb connectors to go to the computer. One of these >usb connectors is coloured red. Why would there be two usb connectors, >please? Should I use the red one? The neutral coloured one, or both? > > >
Guest Rey Santos Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: external Hard Drive has two USB connectors The cable used to connect to your PC is a Y splitter, a mini USB and two USB for the PC side, it should work with only 1 USB connected, but for hard drives which require more power you’ll need to plug in the second one. Make sure you have enough USB ports to accommodate this device. This link had infos: http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&articID=549 -- Rey "Xenomorph" wrote: > Like others have stated, it has 2 USB plugs because 1 USB plug does NOT > supply enough power. > > The drive requires more power than what the USB standard allows, so it must > use 2 USB connections to get fully powered. > > > > "johngood_____" <void@void.net> wrote in message > news:DkvGi.62874$sI3.25973@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net... > >A while ago I bought a small portable external hard drive (the size of hard > >drive they put in laptops) and an aluminium casing for it. It was at a > >computer fair and i'm not able to go back and ask about it, but the lead > >that was included has one end to go to the external hard drive and at the > >other end *two* separate usb connectors to go to the computer. One of these > >usb connectors is coloured red. Why would there be two usb connectors, > >please? Should I use the red one? The neutral coloured one, or both? > > > > > > > > >
Guest Harry Ohrn Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: external Hard Drive has two USB connectors Typically just use the neutral one. You may need 2 connections if the usb port isn't supplying enough power to the external drive. -- Harry Ohrn MS MVP [shell\User] http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp "johngood_____" <void@void.net> wrote in message news:DkvGi.62874$sI3.25973@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net... >A while ago I bought a small portable external hard drive (the size of hard >drive they put in laptops) and an aluminium casing for it. It was at a >computer fair and i'm not able to go back and ask about it, but the lead >that was included has one end to go to the external hard drive and at the >other end *two* separate usb connectors to go to the computer. One of these >usb connectors is coloured red. Why would there be two usb connectors, >please? Should I use the red one? The neutral coloured one, or both? > > >
Guest dobey Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: external Hard Drive has two USB connectors Ooohhhhhh, so that's what the tail was for. I wish they would include a note with the product about this sort of thing. I brought a 2.5 in external enclosure when my sisters laptop died, but there was nothing indicating the other end had a special use. The second cable was slightly thinner but it wasn't obvious through the insulation they used on the cables. Initially I though it was some kind of extention, or adapter. But it was a plug and not a socket. I assumed the manufacturer had included this as some kind of "feature" I tried both initially and one didn't work but the other did. I guess that would explain why there was power running through it, as when I was using the correct end the other sparked against the back of the PC. Wrapped some tape around it to prevent this. "Harry Ohrn" <harry---@webtree.ca> wrote in message news:%23ekpF0t9HHA.464@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > Typically just use the neutral one. You may need 2 connections if the usb > port isn't supplying enough power to the external drive. > > -- > > > Harry Ohrn MS MVP [shell\User] > http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp > > > "johngood_____" <void@void.net> wrote in message > news:DkvGi.62874$sI3.25973@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net... >>A while ago I bought a small portable external hard drive (the size of >>hard drive they put in laptops) and an aluminium casing for it. It was >>at a computer fair and i'm not able to go back and ask about it, but the >>lead that was included has one end to go to the external hard drive and at >>the other end *two* separate usb connectors to go to the computer. One of >>these usb connectors is coloured red. Why would there be two usb >>connectors, please? Should I use the red one? The neutral coloured one, >>or both? >> >> >> > >
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