USB disk disconnects randomly

This is a "me too" - my MacBook Pro now disconnects my external drive I use to backup with Time Machine. As the 'preparing the disk' phase is quite long, the disk never gets to back up. It disconnects after 15 minutes, and my Brother HL-2040 laser printer (usb) also sleeps at the same time. This is since updated to 10.5.8. The console messages reflect pretty much what's been posted here - 'media is not present', and :"12/08/09 8:29:22 PM kernel USBF: 6583.638 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3dbb000]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 0)" and 12/08/09 7:46:37 PM kernel USBF: 4019.774 [0x3f86200] The IOUSBFamily was not able to enumerate a device."

I would love to hear from Apple on this!!

I should say also that I have tried restarting with no devices connected, using different usb ports and using different cables.

Thanks.

I ran into this problem last night trying to copy about 100GB of data from one USB disk to another. After ~20GB one went haywire, then on my second try the other one went haywire after only a couple of GB. Multiple disconnects, one after another, inability to eject, etc.

I've had heat related issues before so I put a floor fan on it, and set up the copy again, ~2hrs later, copy done, no problems whatsoever.

Following up: I repaired disk permissions, installed the latest security update (as at 13Aug09), restarted, repaired disk permissions again for luck, and all is working as expected now.

The success I had in the previous post lasted for one event only. Since then the disk will disconnect after about 15 minutes while TM is still in 'preparing' mode, so no data is currently being backed up. Drive is a Seagate FreeAgent Desktop 500Gb - I've had no joy from their support. I have tried installing the OS10.5.8 combo (I had updated only before) - no change. I'll be considering going back to 10.5.7 next. Have tried safe booting, zapped the PRAM, repaired permissions in all combinations. Here is a console log selection showing the problem.

Thank you for your patience readers, does anybody have any ideas???

18/08/09 10:28:38 AM kernel FreeAgentDesktop: match category IODefaultMatchCategory exists
18/08/09 10:28:38 AM kernel FreeAgentDesktop: match category IODefaultMatchCategory exists
18/08/09 10:28:39 AM kernel jnl: disk1s1: replay_journal: from: 13537792 to: 14213632 (joffset 0x70b000)
18/08/09 10:28:39 AM fseventsd[43] event logs in /Volumes/External Backup/.fseventsd out of sync with volume. destroying old logs. (338 0 36122)
18/08/09 10:28:39 AM kernel jnl: disk1s1: journal replay done.
18/08/09 10:28:39 AM fseventsd[43] log dir: /Volumes/External Backup/.fseventsd getting new uuid: 3937234A-19F9-4E01-BDAF-D7EF9AFABD32
18/08/09 10:28:39 AM fseventsd[43] log dir: /Volumes/External Backup/.fseventsd getting new uuid: 3937234A-19F9-4E01-BDAF-D7EF9AFABD32
18/08/09 10:28:40 AM kernel jnl: disk1s2: replay_journal: from: 12142080 to: 12195840 (joffset 0x788000)
18/08/09 10:28:40 AM kernel jnl: disk1s2: 2: extra replay stopped @ 12195840 / 0xba1800 (seq 1009035 < 1009641)
18/08/09 10:28:40 AM kernel jnl: disk1s2: journal replay done.
18/08/09 10:28:47 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Backup requested by user
18/08/09 10:28:47 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Starting standard backup
18/08/09 10:28:47 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Starting standard backup
18/08/09 10:28:47 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Backing up to: /Volumes/External Backup/Backups.backupdb
18/08/09 10:28:47 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Backing up to: /Volumes/External Backup/Backups.backupdb
18/08/09 10:28:48 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Event store UUIDs don't match for volume: Laptop Mac
18/08/09 10:28:48 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Waiting for index to be ready (906 > 0)
18/08/09 10:28:48 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Waiting for index to be ready (906 > 0)
18/08/09 10:28:53 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Waiting for index to be ready (906 > 0)
18/08/09 10:28:53 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Waiting for index to be ready (906 > 0)
18/08/09 10:29:08 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Node requires deep traversal:/ reason:kFSEDBEventFlagMustScanSubDirs|kFSEDBEventFlagReasonEventDBUntrustable|
18/08/09 10:29:08 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Node requires deep traversal:/ reason:kFSEDBEventFlagMustScanSubDirs|kFSEDBEventFlagReasonEventDBUntrustable|
18/08/09 10:44:48 AM kernel USBF: 37455.523 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:44:48 AM kernel USBF: 37455.523 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:45:19 AM kernel USBF: 37486.524 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:45:19 AM kernel USBF: 37486.524 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:45:25 AM kernel USBF: 37492.525 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:45:25 AM kernel USBF: 37492.525 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:45:31 AM kernel USBF: 37498.525 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:45:31 AM kernel USBF: 37498.525 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:46:02 AM kernel USBF: 37529.526 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:46:02 AM kernel USBF: 37529.526 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:46:08 AM kernel USBF: 37535.526 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:46:08 AM kernel USBF: 37535.526 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:46:14 AM kernel USBF: 37541.527 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:46:14 AM kernel USBF: 37541.527 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:46:45 AM kernel USBF: 37572.528 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:46:45 AM kernel USBF: 37572.528 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:46:51 AM kernel USBF: 37578.528 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:46:51 AM kernel USBF: 37578.528 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:46:57 AM kernel USBF: 37584.528 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:46:57 AM kernel USBF: 37584.528 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:47:28 AM kernel USBF: 37615.529 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:47:28 AM kernel USBF: 37615.529 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:47:34 AM kernel USBF: 37621.530 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:47:34 AM kernel USBF: 37621.530 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:47:40 AM kernel USBF: 37627.530 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:47:40 AM kernel USBF: 37627.530 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:48:11 AM kernel USBF: 37658.531 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:48:11 AM kernel USBF: 37658.531 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:48:17 AM kernel USBF: 37664.531 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:48:17 AM kernel USBF: 37664.531 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:48:23 AM kernel USBF: 37670.531 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:48:23 AM kernel USBF: 37670.531 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:48:44 AM [0x0-0xe80e8].com.apple.systempreferences[2090] Failed to send message to backup server: error = -2
18/08/09 10:48:44 AM [0x0-0xe80e8].com.apple.systempreferences[2090] Failed to send message to backup server: error = -2
18/08/09 10:48:54 AM kernel USBF: 37701.533 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:48:54 AM kernel USBF: 37701.533 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 1)
18/08/09 10:49:00 AM kernel USBF: 37707.533 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:49:00 AM kernel USBF: 37707.533 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel USBF: 37713.533 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3db3800]::Found a transaction which hasn't moved in 5 seconds on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 3, EP: 0)
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel IOUSBMassStorageClass[0xb866400]: The device is still unresponsive after 6 consecutive USB Device Resets; it will be terminated.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s1: device/channel is not attached.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel ype Read] [PBlkNum 89136] [LBlkNum 511] [FSLogMsgID 1857821165] [FSLogMsgOrder First]
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s2: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM mds[37] (/Volumes/External Backup/.Spotlight-V100/Store-V1/Stores/B72CAAFD-7D18-4F42-BB8B-5B826589ED1F)(Er ror) IndexCI in open index_filelazy:open file error: 6, 0.indexGroups
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel HFS resolvelink: can't find iNode83583
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:06 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s2: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s2: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s2: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s2: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s2: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s2: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel HFS resolvelink: can't find iNode83772
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel HFS resolvelink: can't find iNode83773
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel HFS resolvelink: can't find iNode83774
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel HFS resolvelink: can't find iNode83775
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel 300296] [LBlkNum 13771] [FSLogMsgID 38735436] [FSLogMsgOrder First]
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:07 AM kernel Volumes/External Backup] [FSLogMsgID 931014617] [FSLogMsgOrder Last]
18/08/09 10:49:08 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:08 AM kernel disk1s1: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:08 AM kernel jnl: disk1s1: close: journal 0x400fd10, is invalid. aborting outstanding transactions
18/08/09 10:49:08 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Stopping backupd because the backup volume was ejected!
18/08/09 10:49:08 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException: * -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
18/08/09 10:49:08 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException: * -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
18/08/09 10:49:08 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException: * -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
18/08/09 10:49:09 AM kernel disk1s2: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:09 AM kernel HFS: err 6 reading VH blk (External Storage)
18/08/09 10:49:09 AM kernel jnl: disk1s2: flushing fs disk buffer returned 0x6
18/08/09 10:49:09 AM kernel disk1s2: media is not present.
18/08/09 10:49:09 AM kernel jnl: disk1s2: do jnlio: strategy err 0x6
18/08/09 10:49:09 AM kernel jnl: disk1s2: write journalheader: error writing the journal header!
18/08/09 10:49:09 AM kernel com maxtorIOPowSec00 overriding stop
18/08/09 10:49:09 AM kernel com maxtorIOPowSec00 overriding stop
18/08/09 10:49:09 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException: * -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
18/08/09 10:49:09 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException: * -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
18/08/09 10:49:09 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException: * -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
18/08/09 10:49:09 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException: * -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
18/08/09 10:49:10 AM /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[2013] Backup failed with error: 27

I have the same issue here with 2 WD MB Studio Edition 1TB Fw800...

Tried with 10.5.7, 10.5.8, reset PRAM, reset firewire ports with AC Wire disconnect more than 2 hours...

And nothing...


Maybe SL fix this problem ?

I am hoping that snow leopard will solve this

sseligson: "I am hoping that snow leopard will solve this"

No joy. I didn't actually have this problem until I upgraded to 10.6. Now my external Time Machine drive disconnects randomly.

Drive: Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000BEVT
Enclosure: Coolmax HD-250L-eSATA (bus-powered).

In another post, your system.log returns a string containing "HFS resolvelink" - if this is still the case, there may be an error in the system on the volume.

You need to move everything off the volume, format your disk using Disk Utility enabling the Security Options and zero out the entire disk. After that, you should be able to move everything back onto the disk and you'll come up roses.

Post any success back to the forum to let people know if that worked for you.

I have the same problem!

Hello,
seem to have same problem with my 2,53 MBP15' _ and two different usb disks ....

NB : MBP full updated - MacOS 10.6.2

Message was edited by: Philippe BILLET

I don't use TM, but when my system disk is on high I/O load (uncompressing a big file and doing some more writing in other processes) and I copy files from my system drive to a usb drive, I suffer from USB disconnection. The Logs say something like " IOUSBMassStorageClass[0x1486de00]: The device is still unresponsive after 6 consecutive USB Device Resets; it will be terminated."

I have witnessed this often on my late 2008 MBP and today even on my Mac Pro 2x2GHz. The solution is to let the system come to rest on its system disk and then to copy file off to my external usb drive.

That probably doesn't help for TM issues though.

I am having random disconnects also, both on USB pen drives and a bus-powered USB WD portable hard drive. Running 10.6.2 on MBP mid-2009.

Any ideas on how to fix this??

I have been having this problem with my first gen Macbook Unibody 13inch since the day I bought it back in Oct 2008. Every update has done nothing to fix the problem, it does it with any size drive any kind of usb reader etc.... Apple seems to have no fix for this, if there is one please let us know.

I have this problem with my 8month old 13" aluminum unibody. Mac worked perfectly for the first 6 or 7 months, but then started disconnecting USB sticks/thumb drives randomly. The spinner in finder would whirl for 10seconds to 3 hrs to show the program is in use/unresponsive, before I get pop-up saying USB stick was incorrectly removed even though it is still plugged in and usb stick's indicator light is lit. The usb stick does not have external power source.

The problem is getting worse, and I can no longer open or copy any item from USB stick to my mac.

The USB stick works fine on other computers (macs and pcs), and USB port works fine with other devices (lacie external drive, iphone, keyboard etc). Problem only with USB sticks.

HELP PLEASE! I'm about to go overseas for conferences, and will need to transfer files from mac to conference computers using USB...