all USB "randomly" disconnect and reconnect

Solution 1:

I believe that the problem is with Windows 8 USB drivers and not from your hardware.

Recently a bought a WD Elements 1TB external HDD to backup all my stuff and I'm experiencing a similar problem: I was able to backup everything without any problem from my Windows 7 system. Then I installed Windows 8 (Pro x64) and when I'm trying to backup my data, the HDD just keeps disconnecting and reconnecting randomly.

I already tried to copy everything to another computer and I could do it without any problem. But when I connect the external HDD to the computer, it just keeps disconnecting and the reconnecting again, even when I'm not using it. And the HDD is the only thing that I have connected to USB ports, so it can't be any other USB device messing with it.

Have you tried to change the power settings and change the "USB selective suspend setting" to disabled? I heard some people saying that this solved their problem (but not for me).

Solution 2:

I had these disconnections and reconnections occur frantically while either copying files between 2 USB hard drives, and also when I ALWAYS had 2 or more USB devices that needs drivers installed in windows(ie no disconnections with USB fan devices). This occured with XP, VISTA, WINDOWS 7, and unfortunately with WINDOWS 8 as well. When I chose to trouble shoot only using 1 USB device HD plugged in, and copying files from USB HD to onboard motherboard HD, then I NEVER get disconnect RECONNECT issues. Only when I add ANOTHER USB device(altogether for this test 2 USB devices altogether) that appears to DRAW MORE power to operate the EXTRA devices, then when I intend to COPY files from 1 USB device to the onboard HD, OR copying between USB to USB HD's, then the disconnect RECONNET issues occur MORE frequently. When I use 1 usb HD connected and only a USB laptop fan connected, I NEVER get any disconnect reconnect problems. It appears ONLY with USB devices that draw MORE power than the USB FAN laptop base, THEN the EXTRA power being drawn from the motherboard to OPERATE the USB devices(with windows drivers), the motherboard tends to try to share the USB power among ALL the USB devices, and the voltage drop may cause one of the USB devices to stop working momentarily then reconnect after the motherboard tries to share power to the device again.

There is a limit to the voltage being used(SHARED) for ALL the USB ports, and when you use the device like USB HD's, for that momentary OPERATION request(copying reading writing files), there is an EXTRA draw of power to that USB device. IF there are MULTIPLE USB devices, then if ALL of them DRAW power to operate a function(keyboard/mouse and MOST OBVIOUSLY HARD DRIVES), then the device needing MORE power may fall BELOW its minimum power requirement and so cannot operate efficiently, and momentarily stops working, UNTIL the power level returns to its EFFICIENT level.

******BASICALLY, If copying FILES, I just removed ALL the other devices, and plugged in 1 USB HD and copied FIRST to the motherboard HD, then to copy to the 2nd USB HD I removed the 1st USB HD, plugged in the 2nd USB HD, and copied/moved from the motherboard HD to the new 2nd USB HD.******

NO ISSUES there after.

This is the only work around, since the DISCONNECT RECONNECT is a power sharing issue with the USB ports. This is really a motherboard design issue, so nothing you can do about it. This problem occured with ALL the laptops I used.

This might not work with the USB SHARING HUBS that use external power supply to MAINTAIN the voltage shared by all devices. However this has OTHER issues related to USB 2 or 3.0 supported devices, and whether the LAPTOP has the same USB 2 or 3.0 ports(either only 1 of the ports are USB 3.0 or ALL of them are the same).

BE COOL

Hope this makes thing clear.