HDD/SSD Docking Station keeps ejecting on old iMac

[Conflict]

Hi all,

Have an issue i’m facing and it’s as follows:

Basically I have a HDD DOCKING STATION which runs on USB3.0.

It’s brand new, works on its own DC adapter (not powered by bus) and works fine with a brand new iMac which is running on USB 3.0 as well.

When it’s plugged into an older iMac which runs on USB 2.0, it constantly gets ejected. Can’t even read the files inside.

From my understanding and researches from online;

- constant ejecting could be bus powered related issue, but it runs on DC so shouldn’t be.
- Faulty mechanisms: eliminated also as it works with the new iMac.
- USB2.0 ports are not faulty, working well with normal thumb drives, bluetooth mouse and etc
- Doesn’t USB3.0 work backwards with USB2.0?

What’s the sorcery or explanation behind this anyone knows?

*New iMac is 2017 - OS Catalina
**Old iMac is 2009 - OS El Capitan (Vintage), i’m trying to clone all files and port over to the new iMac

 

[USB3foriMac]

What model? Powered how? Voltage?
What disks? Spinning HDD or SSDs? A photo of the disk label might help, too.

 

[Conflict]

Hi USB3foriMac,

What model? Powered how? Voltage?
What disks? Spinning HDD or SSDs? A photo of the disk label might help, too.

Model of Dock Station: https://www.orico.cc/usmobile/product/detail/id/3551

Disks images as attached.

Apparently has issues with my MacBook Pro Mid-2012 which is running El Capitan as well.

PS: I've tried to use USB2-typeB but same problem persists.
PSPS: Has no issues with an iMac 2017, transfers, reads and writes just fine.

 

[Fishrrman]

"Doesn’t USB3.0 work backwards with USB2.0?"

Yes, it does.

"Model of Dock Station: https://www.orico.cc/usmobile/product/detail/id/3551"

This might have something to do with it.
The dock you bought is a "2-bay" design. Also, it's a "cloning dock" (which I believe is generally intended for PCs).
I've never owned a 2-bay dock, but I've read before that they can have problems with Macs, perhaps related to the controller chip, etc. Of course, these complaints are "from years ago".
I'm thinking that the problems may have been resolved with the "evolution" of USB, and perhaps that's why your new Mac works fine, but the older one has problems.

You could try a different USB connecting cable, but the chances of that solving the problem aren't great.

For the older iMac, you might consider buying a SINGLE BAY docking station if you can find one cheap.
That may work better.

 

[Conflict]

"Doesn’t USB3.0 work backwards with USB2.0?"

Yes, it does.

"Model of Dock Station: https://www.orico.cc/usmobile/product/detail/id/3551"

This might have something to do with it.
The dock you bought is a "2-bay" design. Also, it's a "cloning dock" (which I believe is generally intended for PCs).
I've never owned a 2-bay dock, but I've read before that they can have problems with Macs, perhaps related to the controller chip, etc. Of course, these complaints are "from years ago".
I'm thinking that the problems may have been resolved with the "evolution" of USB, and perhaps that's why your new Mac works fine, but the older one has problems.

You could try a different USB connecting cable, but the chances of that solving the problem aren't great.

For the older iMac, you might consider buying a SINGLE BAY docking station if you can find one cheap.
That may work better.

Hi Fishrrman,

I’ve tried changing the cable to a USB2.0-TypeB to connect the dock and my Macs, but same problems arises with the constant ejecting issue.

This is actually the second dock I’ve bought. First one was this: https://www.orico.me/product/orico-2-5-3-5-inch-sata3-0-usb3-0-external-hard-drive-dock/

The same problem arises with both my MacBook Pro Mid 2012 (which supposedly runs on USB3.0 as stated in all websites I’ve found, and also my iMac early 2009).

Both my MBP and iMac runs on El Capitan (Didnt update the MBP as I’m sharing files for Logic, will have different plugins and updates if I’m editing the same file on 2 machines).

I’m wondering if this is a common issue with El Capitan OS? I don’t have other older machines with different OS versions to trial and error for this.

Really frustrating

 

[USB3foriMac]

You are not showing the power adapter you are Cs, too) using for the dock.
Two things:
1. The power adapter is 12V. This is only to provide the 12V power needed for spinning HDD. The 5V still come from USB!
2. Both your disks draw more than 500mA from the 5V. Older Macs (and PCs, too) were very strict and do not deliver more than 500mA on USB.

So what you can do is try to add a powered USB hub which comes with a separate 5V power supply. If it's a newer model, it will likely deliver more than 500mA. So one might work, another might not.
The 2.5" HDD only uses 5V, no 12V, and the current draw is even higher. You could try a powered USB3 hub if such thing exists.

Another alternative are those double-cables. Two USB A plugs into a single USB cable. They uses to come with those external 2.5" housings years back. That should do the trick, too.