External SSD only works on USB 2.0, strange behaviour using USB 3.0

LiamS98

Commendable
Nov 17, 2016
1
0
1,510
I recently got a brand new external SSD, the ADATA SV620. It's 240 Gb, and has a micro USB 3.0 port. It came with a short USB 3.0 cable. The computer I'm using is a 2015 MacBook, with the Apple USB-C multiport adapter. My SSD is formatted with two partitions: a 50 Gb ExFAT for general storage, and a 190 Gb Mac Extended Journaled partition for Time Machine backups.

When I plug my SSD into the multiport adapter with an old USB 2.0 cable, it works fine and I can read/write at the expected ~40 MB/s speed. I have absolutely no issues using the SSD with a USB 2.0 cable.

The issue arises when I use the USB 3.0 cable. When I plug it in, I can READ files at an appropriate speed with no issues. I can watch 1080p 60fps videos, and I can copy files onto my computer at over 300 MB/s. But if I try to WRITE, it will start copying the file, but once it's finished ~10 Mb, it stops, the normally blue light on the SSD turns red, my computer does the spinning colour wheel, and becomes completely unresponsive until I unplug the SSD (it doesn't even let me eject it properly, so I just have to unplug it).

I have a program called Blackmagic Disk Speed Test, and if I run a test on my SSD using USB 3.0, it gets a read speed of 2 MB/s, and a write speed of >300 MB/s.

I thought it might be an issue with my Apple Multiport adapter. So I got an external hard drive dock, plugged in a 7200 RPM hard drive, used a USB 3.0 cable, and did a speed test. I got a read/write speed of around 100 MB/s. To confirm, I repeated this test with a USB 2 cable, and got a much lower speed, so I doubt there's an issue with my multiport adapter. I thought perhaps the USB 3.0 cable wasn't working, but then it doesn't make sense that I could read, but not write. Like I said, if I try to write, it becomes unresponsive.

Could there be an explanation I'm not thinking of? Or is my brand new, one-week-old SSD defective?

By the way, I don't have another computer with USB 3.0 that I can use to test, so I can't entirely eliminate the possibility that it's an issue with my computer.
 
Solution
Hey there, LiamS98.

First, good job with the troubleshooting you've done so far!
Since you're using that drive mainly as a backup, I'll assume that the data which is already on it, has another copy on a different drive, so I'd recommend that you test the SSD for errors: How to test a drive for defects or problems on a Mac.
Even if it might sounds strange, give it a go with a different USB 3.0 cable, as a faulty one might cause all sort of problems.
You should also check the SSD manufacturer's diagnostic tool for available firmware updates for that drive model.

Hope this helps. Please let me know how everything goes.
Boogieman_WD
Hey there, LiamS98.

First, good job with the troubleshooting you've done so far!
Since you're using that drive mainly as a backup, I'll assume that the data which is already on it, has another copy on a different drive, so I'd recommend that you test the SSD for errors: How to test a drive for defects or problems on a Mac.
Even if it might sounds strange, give it a go with a different USB 3.0 cable, as a faulty one might cause all sort of problems.
You should also check the SSD manufacturer's diagnostic tool for available firmware updates for that drive model.

Hope this helps. Please let me know how everything goes.
Boogieman_WD
 
Solution