What's new

Surface 3 pro USB port problem

hughlle

Super Moderator
Staff member
I didn't think folks used external players any more. Usually you rip movies and copy to disk or stream. You also create ISO's of your software programs.

Just curious, how many folks out there still using an external DVD player?

The only reason i have a dvd-rw is for burning music cd's for my car, which just got scrapped, and installing operating systems, which i now do via usb flahs. In short i have a dvd-rw still, but I no longer have any use for it. If i'm going to have things on my shelves, it'll be books, never dvd's, what a silly waste of space. (yes you can argue kindle etc, but i frigging HATE ebooks, it's not the same, wheras a rip or copy of a dvd is the same thing)
 

daonei

New Member
This is a device driver problem. I had a similar problem with one of my external hard drives. Googled and found that many people were having problems with similar issues on specific devices. I would Google online and look for an updated firmware of device driver for the product. Once I updated mine, it is working fine with no problems.
 

mlemon

New Member
This is one of the problems I'm working on, spent 4hrs on the phone yesterday when I received my (first) warranty replacement... Battery was dead on arrival, finally noticed the date was way off causing updates to not work. It charged up over night.
I have a SP3 and a Samsung portable DVD Writer Model SE-218
On the bottom it says 5v 1.3A
Microsoft lists it as compatible, tech support said I only needed to plug it in and then do a Windows Update then reboot. This temporarily appeared to solve the problem, but it is back to not working. It sees drive then drops it, may see it for a while until trying to read it.
"Power surge on the USB Port, unknown device needs more power than usb port can provide"
SP3 usb is underpowered! (external usb portable hard drive does work by the way)
Also have a bad keyboard, like is addressed here: http://www.surfaceforums.net/threads/surface-pro-3-with-type-cover-driver-issue.10990/
but, I'm getting off topic.
Will be trying the external dvd on the docking station tonight, hope that works.
 

wertzius

Member
1.3A is to8 much for a single USB Port. USB 2.0 delivers 0.5A max.

It kay work at the docking station, but there is no guarantee.
 

Englando

New Member
I have two external usb drives, one is 800ma the other is 700 ma. The 800ma cuts out with lack of power, the 700ma works fine. This is with my i7 either powered or on battery.
 

malberttoo

Well-Known Member
I have two external usb drives, one is 800ma the other is 700 ma. The 800ma cuts out with lack of power, the 700ma works fine. This is with my i7 either powered or on battery.

Awesome, thanks for the info. Just out of curiosity, how did you find out how much power the drives are drawing?
 

TonyB

New Member
Guys, a lot of chat about the power draw and I too had the same issue with the same LG drive but does anyone know of a drive that uses low power and works?
 

New2ToMe

Member
People, the SP2pro is a tablet with a STANDARD USB-2 port!
USB 2 ports provide 5vdc at 0.5 Amps
USB 3 ports provide 5vdc at 0.9 Amps.
Volts x Amps = Watts - do the Math.

It amazes me that people think it's a USB port, this is a USB cable and that's a USB drive, just plug them inn an it must work. All give yourselves a forehead slap.

Use a powered USB-hub and plug stuff into that and NEVER have problems. Some powered hubs even have higher than 0.5A and 0.9A output, like 2.1A for charging devices or running demanding peripherals like drives. Just because it is rated at 2.1A does not mean it is going to try and stuff 2.1A into a device needing only 0.5A. It just means that if the device needs 2.1A it can get it. It will suck *just* what it needs, not take all that is available, well, not unless there is a short circuit.

Now, to testing with a laptop means squat!! Laptop makers have all sorts of rules they make up themselves for USB output behavior. Not unusual to have a laptop with three USB ports, two with 0.5A and the other with 2.1A for charging. Along with that they will often have a CMOS option to enable, limit or disable the the power totally or even above 0.5A depending on the battery and/or charging status at the time.

Why create problems where there should be none. Use a powered USB hub with at least one port designated as "charging" and you will NEVER have a issue. Now, do not start on the portability of dragging along a hub. If you think that way, then let me sign you up with some free Cloud providers. :)
 

Telstar1948

Active Member
I have a external USB LG CD/DVD drive. I have some old work files on DVD's from years ago to access occasionally, and sometimes during a re-install of older software I'll use the DVD drive. I have a dock for my SP3 and the LG usually runs off it with no issues. I just plugged it into my SP3's USB port and I was able to view DVD's with old files on them, and I even began loading an old game from a DVD and it was operating normally. I don't know if it would eventually shut down or not. It appears to run off my USB port OK as far as I've taken it. I do realize that some things won't operate off the USB port without outside power too. I suppose it varies from type of USB DVD drive.
 
Top