WD MyPassport SE disconnects very easily from 2012 MBA

[HarryWarden]

I bought a Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 750 GB USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 Ultra Portable External Hard Drive WDBACX7500ABK-NESN in 2010 on Amazon and have used it first for my 2009 MacBook Pro and now for my 2012 MBA. The problem described below didn't occur with the MBP.

No matter if I plug it in the right or left USB port on my 2012 Air, if I move it just slightly while connected, it disconnects even though it still by all appearances, is plugged in to the USB port. As stated above, I didn't experience this problem when using it on my previous 2009 MacBook Pro.

 

[flowrider]

I also have a 2012 Air. My external drive is a Seagate Hybrid in an Orico USB3 enclosure. I use that drive as my boot drive when the machine is being used in a stationary place (not mobile). I have it mounted using the right side USB connector, and the connection seems quite secure.

Lou

 

[DisplacedMic]

I bought a Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 750 GB USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 Ultra Portable External Hard Drive WDBACX7500ABK-NESN in 2010 on Amazon and have used it first for my 2009 MacBook Pro and now for my 2012 MBA. The problem described below didn't occur with the MBP.

No matter if I plug it in the right or left USB port on my 2012 Air, if I move it just slightly while connected, it disconnects even though it still by all appearances, is plugged in to the USB port. As stated above, I didn't experience this problem when using it on my previous 2009 MacBook Pro.

the first thing i would do would be test another drive and make sure it's not that. i always test the cheaper of two potential problems first ;-p

just because it happens on this computer and not the old one doesn't necessarily mean the problem is on the computer side. Do you still have the 2009 machine? If so see if it still works there. Even then it could still be a problem on the drive end rather than the computer that you were just "getting away with" thanks to the build of the larger machine for example.

 

[HarryWarden]

the first thing i would do would be test another drive and make sure it's not that. i always test the cheaper of two potential problems first ;-p

just because it happens on this computer and not the old one doesn't necessarily mean the problem is on the computer side. Do you still have the 2009 machine? If so see if it still works there. Even then it could still be a problem on the drive end rather than the computer that you were just "getting away with" thanks to the build of the larger machine for example.

Just tested it on the older machine (15-inch MBP) and it still works there. Could it have to do with the age of the WD drive being older than the computer as the drive was newer than the 2009 computer and thus maybe manufactured to fit it and existing computers better than the ones that came after.

I don't experience the problem with USB flash drives I plug into the 2012 Air but those aren't connected via a cable like the WD Drive is as they plug directly into the machine because they are a lot smaller in size.

 

[DisplacedMic]

Just tested it on the older machine (15-inch MBP) and it still works there. Could it have to do with the age of the WD drive being older than the computer as the drive was newer than the 2009 computer and thus maybe manufactured to fit it and existing computers better than the ones that came after.

I don't experience the problem with USB flash drives I plug into the 2012 Air but those aren't connected via a cable like the WD Drive is as they plug directly into the machine because they are a lot smaller in size.

i'm out of my depth here mate but yes i suppose that could be part of it. it could also have something to do with the USB 2 (your old machine) vs USB 3 (your new machine) standard being different... i am harping on it being a bad sata cable in the hopes that this is a better problem to have than something wrong w/ your usb port on your newer computer. got another drive you could test? do your usb keys do the same thing?


EDIT - sorry, i see you've tried usb drives and those work - so that's good!
i suspect it's related to the HD.

 

[HarryWarden]

i'm out of my depth here mate but yes i suppose that could be part of it. it could also have something to do with the USB 2 (your old machine) vs USB 3 (your new machine) standard being different... i am harping on it being a bad sata cable in the hopes that this is a better problem to have than something wrong w/ your usb port on your newer computer. got another drive you could test? do your usb keys do the same thing?


EDIT - sorry, i see you've tried usb drives and those work - so that's good!
i suspect it's related to the HD.

Thanks a lot for your help I agree with your assessment as to the likely culprit given that the other flash drives work fine.

 

[DisplacedMic]

Thanks a lot for your help I agree with your assessment as to the likely culprit given that the other flash drives work fine.

maybe it's just the cable itself and not the drive? those are cheap. although if your drive is older than your 2009 it might be time to upgrade.

i got a 2tb passport for $115 shipped... it's smaller, quieter and holds more storage than my more expensive older drives.
the technology on these things is amazing. for your next laptop your $100 external drive will almost certainly be a SSD....or maybe even the size of your usb flash drives. i just recently lost a 32gig flash drive not that long ago.

edit - ok, serious reading comprehension fail on my part today. i went back and looked at what you bought and see they're not that dated. but never the less, drives are fairly cheap, so something to consider

good luck!

 

[oftheheavens]

I bought a Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 750 GB USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 Ultra Portable External Hard Drive WDBACX7500ABK-NESN in 2010 on Amazon and have used it first for my 2009 MacBook Pro and now for my 2012 MBA. The problem described below didn't occur with the MBP.

No matter if I plug it in the right or left USB port on my 2012 Air, if I move it just slightly while connected, it disconnects even though it still by all appearances, is plugged in to the USB port. As stated above, I didn't experience this problem when using it on my previous 2009 MacBook Pro.

my TB HD same make/brand does the same thing on my imac next to the bed. like everytime i roll over i get a "disconnected HD bla bla boa" but before i can even make my way to itunes all the media still shows. I think that this HD has a faulty usb port on its end, not your MBA