USB3 not working on my Retina MBP

I do not have an Apple store in this area as I oredered directly from Apple. Looks like others are now reporting about the same issue with the USB 3. Some have mentioned power so I took the LaCia 500GB portable USB 3 Hard Drive and used the power adapter (AC) that came with it and still no go. Only shows "Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec". So I do not feel it is a power issue. It does seem like more and more people are starting to report this problem with the USB 3.

Like I stated before one of the reasons I went for this system besides the Retina Display and the 16GB Ram was the USB 3 ports. Even though Thunderbolts are faster they are just to costly. USB 3 drives are easy to fine and price it good.

I am still wondering if any who has purcahsed the new MacBook Pro (Retina Display) have been abel to run the USB 3 portable hard drives at the USB 3 speed?

This morning when I opened my MBPwR, timemachine asked if I wanted to use my usb3 drive as a backup location...

GoFlex Desk:

Capacity: 3 TB (3,000,592,977,920 bytes)

Removable Media: Yes

Detachable Drive: Yes

BSD Name: disk1

Product ID: 0x50a5

Vendor ID: 0x0bc2 (Seagate LLC)

Version: 1.00

Serial Number: NA0MD60Z

Speed: Up to 5 Gb/sec

Manufacturer: Seagate

Location ID: 0x14a00000 / 1

Current Available (mA): 900

Current Required (mA): 0

Partition Map Type: MBR (Master Boot Record)

S.M.A.R.T. status: Not Supported

Volumes:

FreeAgent G:

Capacity: 3 TB (3,000,579,915,776 bytes)

Available: 2.96 TB (2,955,401,527,296 bytes)

Writable: Yes

File System: Case-Sensitive Journaled HFS+

BSD Name: disk1s1

Mount Point: /Volumes/FreeAgent G

Content: Apple_HFS

Cool as I see you are showing the high speeds. I am going to go look at some other USB hd today.

Also checking out the Western Digital Thunderbolt drives. In then mean time I need to get this USB issue resolved.

Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec

That's a USB 2 drive.

Unibody MacBook Pro's with USB 2.0 ports put out twice the required amount of power per port (1000mA instead of 500mA). I see no reason that they would have crippled the USB 3.0 ports by not supplying enough power. I seriously doubt this is a power issue.

Take that laptop to the store and show them your issues. This sounds most like a faulty software implementation to me.

I'm wondering if your checked out this Apple article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5172

It has trouble shooting and requirements for USB 3.0?

Does your cable have the blue insert?

I just got off the phone after spending a good hour with the Tech people at Apple.

Trying to figure out why the USB 3 external Hard Drives are only showing USB 2 rating 480/MB sec.

In fact I was even moved up to higher up Techs trying to resolve this issue.

They are working on it now and will be getting back to me. Hopefully soon.

Not to many have this new MacBook with the Retina Display so I was one of the first to contact them.

jws1982 wrote:

Unibody MacBook Pro's with USB 2.0 ports put out twice the required amount of power per port (1000mA instead of 500mA). I see no reason that they would have crippled the USB 3.0 ports by not supplying enough power. I seriously doubt this is a power issue.

Take that laptop to the store and show them your issues. This sounds most like a faulty software implementation to me.

USB ports supplying enough power on newer MBPs has been a problem for a while with certain USB powered drive.

Changethursday

Keep us informed if you get this USB 3 issue resolved. I am still waiting to hear back from Apple Tech Support. Called them on Saturday and was also informed I was one of the first calling about issues with the new MacBook Pro with Retina Display. Hope they resolve this issues soon.

Stu

There is definitely something amiss with the new USB 3 based macbooks.

I just purchased a LEXAR USB 3 card reader (CF+ SD) and it does not work at ALL on my new macbook air with USB3. Not even at USB 2 speeds. The card reader works on my old macpro tower but just blinks on my MBA. Lexar confirmed the issue and says to expect an update from Apple and/or Lexar. fail.

@StuartOnline

I have a HGST (Hitachi) Touro Mobile 1TB USB 3.0 (http://www.hgst.com/external-drives/mobile/touro-mobile) -- and it works as a USB3.0 device on my MBP Retina. It's bus-powered as well.

I have the OWC Elite Pro USB3/eSata enclosure populated with a Kingston 128gb SSD. I also show full USB 3 speed in system profiler. I ran the AJA speed test on the drive and got around 175 MB/s read/write as opposed to 25 MB/s when connected via USB2 to an older non-USB3 machine. So I would say that USB 3 is working for me at full speed.

Ned, thanks for posting that!

Is this Bus Powered as well?

If so, you are adding fuel to the argument that a whole lot of USB3 devices may be taking liberties with the Specs, and Apple may only have a small problem, not a disaster.