B
beetle
Having experienced this problem on two external USB HDD drives made by
different manufacturers, my situation suggests that there is a common design
vulnerability in the USB cable seating on the drive side of the connection.
On both of these drives the fitting is not snug and any vibrational movement
in the environment of the drive can cause temporary loss of data transfer
continuity. Windows reports this as a delayed write failure with loss of data
integrity on the drive. A time-consuming chkdsk to restabilize the drive is
then required.
In both cases the following technique has virtually eliminated the problem.
It is such a simple solution that any one experiencing this difficulty should
try it as a first line of defense before embarking on more involved
troubleshooting procedures.
Link four three by 1/4 inch elastic bands end-to-end essentially making one
12-inch elastic, long enough to wrap around the external drive cabinet. Loop
one end of the elastic over the drive USB cable end about two inches from the
end of the connector and lift it up towards the bevelled edge of the
connector. Wrap the elastic around the external cabinet and back to the USB
slot. Connect the USB connector through this other end of the elastic so that
the second loop rests on the connector about 1/2 inch from the end, exerting
force on the connector away from the bevelled edge.
The result is a drive to USB cable connection that is seated firmly under
constant tension from the elastic holding it in place, thus making it
resistant to ambient vibration. Place the drive in a location and position
that will not expose the connection to external movement and do not move the
drive or cables during operation.
different manufacturers, my situation suggests that there is a common design
vulnerability in the USB cable seating on the drive side of the connection.
On both of these drives the fitting is not snug and any vibrational movement
in the environment of the drive can cause temporary loss of data transfer
continuity. Windows reports this as a delayed write failure with loss of data
integrity on the drive. A time-consuming chkdsk to restabilize the drive is
then required.
In both cases the following technique has virtually eliminated the problem.
It is such a simple solution that any one experiencing this difficulty should
try it as a first line of defense before embarking on more involved
troubleshooting procedures.
Link four three by 1/4 inch elastic bands end-to-end essentially making one
12-inch elastic, long enough to wrap around the external drive cabinet. Loop
one end of the elastic over the drive USB cable end about two inches from the
end of the connector and lift it up towards the bevelled edge of the
connector. Wrap the elastic around the external cabinet and back to the USB
slot. Connect the USB connector through this other end of the elastic so that
the second loop rests on the connector about 1/2 inch from the end, exerting
force on the connector away from the bevelled edge.
The result is a drive to USB cable connection that is seated firmly under
constant tension from the elastic holding it in place, thus making it
resistant to ambient vibration. Place the drive in a location and position
that will not expose the connection to external movement and do not move the
drive or cables during operation.
