01-25-2009, 04:36 AM
Does anyone know what determines whether a USB 2.5" external drive will work from just the supplied USB connector? Is it based on the drive's power requirements, the case's bridge-board power requirements, or the supplying computer's USB power requirements?
The reason I ask this is that I built up a drive with enclosure using a spare 80GB SATA 2.5" drive from a Macbook Pro, and the USB-only drive enclosure from OWC. Fortunately I purchased the optional power adapter, as I cannot get the drive+enclosure to mount on either of my two machines. The one is a Sawtooth G4 with a third-party USB 2 card, and the other is a Mac Mini going through a Ministack v2.
I plug the drive in by itself, and the power light comes on, but it will not mount. Only after I add the power adapter will the drive mount.
The reason I ask this is that I built up a drive with enclosure using a spare 80GB SATA 2.5" drive from a Macbook Pro, and the USB-only drive enclosure from OWC. Fortunately I purchased the optional power adapter, as I cannot get the drive+enclosure to mount on either of my two machines. The one is a Sawtooth G4 with a third-party USB 2 card, and the other is a Mac Mini going through a Ministack v2.
I plug the drive in by itself, and the power light comes on, but it will not mount. Only after I add the power adapter will the drive mount.