USB disk disconnects randomly

Hello,

I'm experiencing an annoying problem with my external USB disk. At random times (these can be short or long periods), it starts making some noise (like when it's intensively reading or writing) and then it vanishes (like if I had unplugged it). Of course, the system complains with a message like "You have not ejected your disk properly...".
Sometimes it happen 3 minutes after I turn the disk on, sometimes it happen after some hours of use.
And, in the Console, I don't see anything useful (only mds stating "Media not present", but that's obviously after the problem).

An idea what I can do/check?
(P.S: I hope to be in the correct discussion board: the Leopard board had "internal errors" and I could not post there).

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Apr 6, 2009 3:43 PM

53 replies

Anic264b Author

Level 1

36 points

Jan 8, 2010 4:22 PM in response to Arbitrary_Arbiter

<quote>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.</quote>

Why? (how does "HFS resolvelink" mean a bad thing?)
(always curious)

Anic264b Author

Level 1

36 points

Jan 8, 2010 4:33 PM in response to bronbron83

Hmm... My original problem has vanished, but the problem you explain seems the same as a new one I have: I have a small (in physical size) drive that I can connect either in Firewire or USB. It has no external power source.

When I plug it, there are two possible cases:
either it suddenly stops working (the disk still spins, but that's all: the light is off (while it is usually always on, even when the disk isn't accessed)). At that point, the Finder (first) and then every process start to hang (the so-well-known coloured disk cursor). Finally, all the computer hangs until I unplug my hard disk (which means the computer tried to access the disk but it has become in an "offline" state, weird...) This seems happening when I open applications on this external disk (or when starting off it since it has leopard installed).
I guess unplugging the disk that way is the opposite of preventing the problem to re-appear.

either I can use normally until I finish using it. Strangely, when I only copy files (even big files where the copy takes 10 minutes), the disk does not freeze (while it may freeze soon in the other case).

Very weird... I'd like to have some explanations to give, but... Apple has become a secret since some years...

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Jan 9, 2010 8:43 PM in response to Anic264b

Anic264b wrote:
<quote>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.</quote>

Why? (how does "HFS resolvelink" mean a bad thing?)
(always curious)

Anic264 (and Anic264b),

Some of your other posts indicate that you have a very severe battery problem. If this results in the computer shutting down suddenly from time to time (as I'm sure it must) then it is very likely that significant directory corruption occurs.

*Every time* this happens you MUST either boot up from your OS DVD or an external drive (whoops, see you don't even have a backup according to one of your other posts) , and use Disk Utility from the DVD or External Drive to "Repair Disk" on the internal drive if you want predictable results. Sudden shutdowns of this kind can create havoc with directory structures.

Your battery problem may also be related to your USB problems, with power supply issues intruding on the equation.

Time you bit the bullet and bought a new battery, methinks. It is a bit pointless seeking (or the rest of us here keeping on giving!) advice about other problems while your MBP hardware suffers from a problem that has the potential to produce such obvious problems, don't you think!?

Get a new battery, run the basic hard drive repair processes using Disk Utility, and then it may be worth you (and we) spending time addressing any issues that are still outstanding! Until then, though, curious or otherwise as you may be, there isn't much point in getting others to spend their time trying to help you to sort things out!

Cheers

Rod

Feb 11, 2010 12:56 PM in response to Anic264b

I have the same problem with a 27" Core i5 iMac.

I've posted in this thread, including console log messages:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=11061461#11061461

- Matt

Mar 4, 2010 11:11 AM in response to cjlavesser

Migrating from a 1.0 to a 1.5TB external drive and rsync keeps failing because of this issue.

Mar 28, 2010 1:46 AM in response to Anic264b

Moved from a Bytecc firewire 400 enclosure to a Vantec Nexstar 3 USB2.0 enclosure due to an enclosure power issue.

Mac recognizes external HD for approx 1-5 mins and then external HD freezes (spinning wheel). Eject attempts (incl vis Disk Utility) causes Finder to freeze, forcing hard shutdown.

No resoluation with any of the followiing: reinstalling Mac OS 10.5.8 combo update v1.0; PRAM zap; disk repair; disk permissions and repair from start up disk; different USB port ... nothing.

Here is the recent system log:

Mar 28 04:05:20 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: jnl: disk1s10: replay_journal: from: 15460352 to: 16300544 (joffset 0x1051000)
Mar 28 04:05:20 Macintosh-8 fseventsd[38]: event logs in /Volumes/Seagate BarracudaHD160GB/.fseventsd out of sync with volume. destroying old logs. (1505 0 3618)
Mar 28 04:05:20 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: jnl: disk1s10: journal replay done.
Mar 28 04:05:20 Macintosh-8 fseventsd[38]: log dir: /Volumes/Seagate BarracudaHD160GB/.fseventsd getting new uuid: D1F39C25-CE02-413C-9E62-5AFA30CF2379
Mar 28 04:06:44 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 940.383 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:06:50 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: IOHIDSystem::relativePointerEventGated: Capping VBL time to 20000000 (was 20902354)
Mar 28 04:07:15 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 971.385 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:07:46 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1002.386 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:08:17 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1033.395 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:08:48 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1064.396 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:09:19 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1095.405 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:09:50 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1126.442 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:10:21 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1157.473 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:10:52 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1188.474 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:11:23 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1219.475 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:11:54 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1250.477 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:12:25 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1281.478 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:12:56 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1312.479 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 1)
Mar 28 04:13:27 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1343.481 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:13:58 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1374.482 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 1)
Mar 28 04:14:29 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1405.489 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:15:00 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1436.526 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 1)
Mar 28 04:15:31 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1467.533 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:16:00 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: IOSCSIPeripheralDeviceType00::setPowerState(0x4d12700, 3 -> 2) timed out after 100158 ms
Mar 28 04:16:02 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1498.535 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 1)
Mar 28 04:16:33 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1529.536 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:17:04 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1560.537 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 1)
Mar 28 04:17:35 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1591.538 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:18:06 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1622.540 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:18:37 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1653.541 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:19:08 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1684.542 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:19:39 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1715.543 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:20:10 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1746.545 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:20:41 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1777.546 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:21:12 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1808.547 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:21:43 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1839.549 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:22:14 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1870.550 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:22:46 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1901.558 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:23:13 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: IOSCSIPeripheralDeviceType00::setPowerState(0x4d12700, 2 -> 1) timed out after 100143 ms
Mar 28 04:23:17 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1932.569 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:23:48 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1963.571 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:24:19 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 1994.585 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:24:50 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 2025.587 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:25:21 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 2056.589 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:25:52 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 2087.590 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:26:23 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 2118.591 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:26:54 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 2149.592 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:27:25 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 2180.623 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:27:56 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 2211.629 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:28:27 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 2242.634 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:28:58 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 2273.652 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:29:29 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 2304.654 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 1)
Mar 28 04:30:00 Macintosh-8 kernel[0]: USBF: 2335.655 AppleUSBEHCI[0x3d06800]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 2, EP: 2)
Mar 28 04:34:05 Macintosh-8 /usr/sbin/ocspd[261]: starting

Mar 28, 2010 2:13 AM in response to blowagasket

P.S. external hard drive works fine on my old iMac G3 500MHz, running 10.3.9, although I must access it using USB1 speeds.

Anyone know if original Leopard install has this issue? Is it worth reverting OS to original, pre updates?

May 19, 2010 5:56 AM in response to cjlavesser

I don't know what fixed it however I just tested this again (after not using these drives for months) and it seems to be working now. Not sure if it was directly fixed by something in 10.6.2 or 10.6.3 but something definitely fixed the bug. All of the drives that failed previously for me are now working!

Edit:
Been looking through the 10.6.2 and 10.6.3 update information and it looks like theres a chance that it was 10.6.3 that resolved this. Below are the two items listed from the 10.6.3 update page ( http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4014) that could potentially be related:
# an issue in which the Finder reports a -36 error when copying directories to a drive formatted as FAT32.
# the reliability of certain third-party USB devices.

Message was edited by: smokey7722

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USB disk disconnects randomly