[SOLVED] Some Hard Disks not compatible with USB 3?

[Tboneman51]

Hello, I bought a Seagate 2.5 Momentus 750 GB 3 GB/s 16MB Cache Internal Notebook Drive. I put it into 3 different USB 3 HD enclosures. My mid-2012 MacBook Pro either didn't recognize, or the drive stopped (message: This Device was not removed correctly). It seems to work fine in a USB 2 drive enclosure. Any idea why?

 

[JustSomeJoe]

Make sure you use an external power source for the enclosue, USB3 devices often require more power than USB2.

 

[Tboneman51]

Make sure you use an external power source for the enclosue, USB3 devices often require more power than USB2.

Thanks, JustSomeJoe. I know that USB 3 devices require more power, and I also understand that USB 3 ports also supply more power.
I solved the problem (I think). I first formatted the disk and answered the question, "Would you like to use this disk as a Time Machine backup disk?" in the affirmative. Then it didn't work. When I tried reformatting the disk, I said no, and now the drive works fine in the USB 3 enclosure. I have no idea why that would make a difference. I'm now using the disk as a Time Machine disk, and it has worked several times, and without a powered hub. Perhaps it was just coincidence, but it was the 3rd time I formatted the disk, and the only time it worked.

 

[wildwell]

I've never heard of that problem before, but I don't use USB 3.

I would, however, be suspicious of any HDD that I had formatting problems with... and then it suddenly worked. I've had to deal with too many bad HDDs; I'd wipe that drive with a 1 or 3 pass erase and exchange it.

 

[Tboneman51]

This is the right answer, though I didn't know it when I got it. The drive only worked a few times. After that, I couldn't get it recognized even in DiskUtility or in a USB 2 powered enclosure.

The drive was defective. You were right. I've sent it back to Amazon for replacement.

 

[Tboneman51]

Best answer selected by Tboneman51.