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Can't Access my 4G Verbatim USB HD drive
Submitted by Casca on December 5, 2007 - 10:49am.
I get an error "the semaphore time out period has expired". I can see it on my "computer", but can not get onto it. I have tried a disk defrag and disk clean up. I have also tried to access it by going through the cmd prompt. I think I may be out luck. If anybody has anything else that I may try, let me know. Thanks.
GuG-Points: 153
Last Seen: 05/16/2008 - 3:28am
Location: Pahoa,HI
Re: Can't Access my 4G Verbatim USB HD drive
January 19, 2008 - 3:38am
I get an error "the semaphore time out period has expired". I can see it on my "computer", but can not get onto it. I have tried a disk defrag and disk clean up. I have also tried to access it by going through the cmd prompt. I think I may be out luck. If anybody has anything else that I may try, let me know. Thanks.
The messege means your Computer has lost communication with the Hard Drive.
This can be caused by:
1) Programs trying to control the Drive fighting with each other (Such as Nero and DVD shrink being opened at the same time)
2) Out of Date Firmware or improperly installed outdated driver(s)
3) Too many USB plug ins which are fighting each other and Drive is "lower downline" then another USB device that boots it off.
4) ASPI layer not working properly
5) Drive is in PIO (Programmed I/O) mode instead of DMA-4 mode
I didn't list another common problem...trying to run a Game like World of Warcraft off the Backup drive through the USB port and wondering why the thing gets overwhelm and crashes...lol
4) and 5) are rare and if you need help dealing with them after you checked for conflicting programs, old drivers, and clashing USBs...let me know.
GuG-Points: 153
Last Seen: 05/16/2008 - 3:28am
Location: Pahoa,HI
Re: Can't Access my 4G Verbatim USB HD drive
April 1, 2008 - 3:03am
Thx for the info I will check the drivers. I don't believe it was due to 1, 3. Not sure what 4. ASPI layer is. How does one check 5 that is in PIO mode?
Since it is a newer External Hard drive it is unlikely that it has forced Hardware input/output programing. Usually see such things in OEM devices like Panasonic digital recorder hard drives or DVD Ram Drives meant for the Digital Recorders over PCs.
There is another potential problems I just noticed I forgot to mention.....USB power and wall outlet v.s. surge protector power cords
Does the External Hard Drive have it's own power supply or does it connect to the usb or Keyboard port for power?
If so the Drive might be overloading the USB port and the Computer shuts down the power flow to the usb port cause it is going over the power draw limits on the USB port
If it draws power from the keyboard port same thing can happen but usually the computer will complain that it lost it's keyboard or a ps2 port via a driver error or such
Sometimes the power draw the Hard Drive needs might cause a spike that some surge protector plugs may not like that can trip them, or the Hard Drive's own power circutry might trip when it is trying to pull power from a surge protector and notices that it is not going to get enough power and shuts down to protect the surge protector or itself from getting a "brown out Crash".
Very few people realize that multiple outlet power cords, surge protectors, and extention cords don't provide as much power as if the device was plugged straight into the AC socket in the wall.....especially if you have multiple devices on using the multi-outlet power cord at the same time. Compaq Computers are famous for going bonkers if they are connected to a surge protector and may refuse to boot until plugged directly into a wall AC socket.
If the thing is connexted to a USB or Keyboard power connection and came with a AC adapter you might try plugging it in straight into the wall and see if being under-powered via "leeching" from USB port or Keyboard port was the problem
If the Hard drive is already on AC power but hooked up to a Surge protecter, Extention cord,multi-outlet cord or the like 1) Pull cord out from such devices 2) Count 1 minute 3) plug directly into a AC Wall Socket
GuG-Points: 4
Last Seen: 03/03/2008 - 11:53pm