Compaq Laptop locks up when USB drives are connected

[Rob356]

I have a Compaq Evo n800c running Windows XP SP3. Whenever I plug in any USB drive after about 10-15 seconds the computer completely locks up, no mouse or keyboard and the screen is frozen. The drive works on other computers, and it does the same thing with multiple drives. I have the latest BIOS version.

I know it has to be something to do with Windows because I have Ubuntu 10.10 installed on the same laptop and the same drives that lock up Windows work fine in Ubuntu.

I would really like to avoid a re-install if possible.

 

[Rob356]

How can it work in ubuntu then? Besides that, the drive has two USB plugs, and I used both.

 

[tigsounds]

Your USB port on that machine may not be capable of delivering sufficient power to the drive.
You may need a power insertion adapter that either plugs into another USB port or one that plugs into a PS2 port for the purpose of getting more power to your USB device.