MitchRapp

Always wondered about this...

here's what i've seen so far (i'll follow up with my question)

- 160gb Maxtor Portable 2.5in --> safely remove from computer --> shuts off after 5-10 seconds
- external 2.5in enclosure with any hard drive in it (enclosure has a power on/off switch) --> safely remove from computer --> hard drive stops spinning after a few seconds, and you can power off the enclosure...
- LaCie 120gb P.O.S. 2.5in hard drive --> safely remove from computer --> hard drive shuts down on its own

now my new hard drive...
- WD My Passport Elite 320gb 2.5in USB --> safely remove from computer --> hard drive spins and spins and spins and never shuts down on its own

This is in Windows XP

in Windows Vista x64 Ultimate, the WD hard drive stops completely after 5 seconds of being safely ejected



so... why Windows XP? and why this hard drive in particular?

2nd question, I guess, is ... is it harmful to remove a hard drive's usb cable while it's still spinning ....

MitchRapp

I'm actually torn between the causes
1) Windows XP doesn't like the WD My Passport Elite 320gb USB
2) DELL Optiplex 7xx desktops have crappy usb ports (that is a fact)
3) the USB cable the WD drive comes with is a 1-usb slot cable with power/data inside

Wavelabs

I'm sorry to break it this way, but I learned the hard way that DeLL really REALLY sucks.
I hate them, many of their so called new computers and laptops have so many problems its just ridiculous.

My brother who works for UPS says to me, that people buy DeLL and several weeks later they are returning them back.
He said that people return back DeLLs like water.

They have crappy drivers, and they can not be updated as much as we like to.

I don't think the problem is with your HDD,
I believe that certain HDDs are performing very crappy, because of DeLLs crappy support drivers
for that particular drive.


Here is my suggestion to you from my heart bro.
Custom build your own computer and dump that DeLL as fast as you can.

At least with a custom built computer, you can have the option to upgrade it when ever you feel fit,
and not be tied down to proprietary hardware and sofware from DeLL.
you will be 100% happier.


Trust me bro, I used to have 2 DeLL computers,
and I am so happy I dumped them.

Every several years I can upgrade to newer parts if I want to.
with DeLLs you really can't unless your planning to be broke for the rest of your life.
Because DeLLs upgrade hardwares are very expensive and NOT that fast anyways.

I don't know how else to put it.

Sell the DeLL on line, and save the money and go to Newegg and build your own computer.



Also about your USB problem, usually you should right click the drive and select Eject.
but some motherboard BIOS have a setting for Hot Swapping called ( AHCI ).
you can turn this on, and you are able to hot swap cold,
without the need of booting.
DeLLs are bad for this particular thing.

Some newer board have solutions,
but older boards have been reporting problems doing AHCI.
read more here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahci


Before enabling AHCI in the BIOS, users must first follow the instructions found at
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976
This fix also works with the Windows 7 Beta.



thats it.
my 2 cents.
sorry

__________________
Pro-Tools v8 / Reason v4.1 / CubaseSX v4 / Wavelabs v6.1 / M-Audio 1814 / GT-66 MIC / TC Electronic Triple C / DBX Gate
Event 20-20 Powered / Genelec 1030A / Pioneer EFX-1000 / Avalon VT-737sp Mic-Pre / Aphex Aural Exciter 104-C2

MitchRapp

thanks man but the DELL Optiplex issue is from work (we have a contract with DELL ... nothing I can do about it)

At home it's fine ... I've custom built all my computers since I was 15 ... and it ejects and shuts down just fine on vista x64
but yeah I think DELL mobo is the real issue here not the OS


screw it ... DELL is P.O.S. anyways.

dipstick

I think it depends on the external enclosure and if it has any power saving features. I know both of my cheap Aluratek external drives (WD drives inside) never go to sleep if unplugged(usb) or not used. Some will go to sleep but not all of them

MitchRapp

yeah
this WD Passport Elite 320gb goes to sleep on all systems (Dell+XP and customPC+Vistax64)
the only odd part is the ejecting


oh well
what have we learned?

DELL = sucks
well nothing new really...