Question about USB

[Sudden Impact]

I have a lap top. It seems when I plug my external hard drive into the USB, the other USB seems to slow down, which is my wireless mouse.

Is there any way to fix this problem?

And also why does it exactly slow down my mouse speed?

[redwudz]

USB is limited on bandwidth. But the computer also has to address the USB devices for housekeeping and monitoring, so there is a lot of OS traffic going through the USB bus back and forth to the devices. With a high bandwidth external device like a hard drive, I would remove other USB devices or you may have problems. You may be lucky it just slows down your mouse and you haven't been getting dropouts.

[guns1inger]

Are the ports USB 1.1 or USB 2 ?

[Sudden Impact]

USB 2.0

[SCDVD]

If it's important for you to use a mouse when you have your USB hard disc attached, you can use a PS/2 mouse instead if your laptop has a PS/2 port.

[hech54]

I had the same problem with a USB wireless internet device eating up all of my speed. There is definately a limit to what even 2.0 can handle.

[ofbarea]

Is there any way to fix this problem?

And also why does it exactly slow down my mouse speed?

Workaround: Use a firewire port for your external hard disk as firewire requires less CPU than USB counterpart.

You face the problem because USB (by design) cannot reserve bandwidth for a given device. On the other hand firewire allows this.

[ViRaL1]

...or you could get a cardbus USB card.

[Sudden Impact]

I don't even know if my E-Book hard drive has a firewall...aren't those hard drives more costly because it allows fire wire?

[Sudden Impact]

I'm looking at my lap top, i dont even see a firewall connection outlet...but then again, im a retard.

[tgm4883]

I'm looking at my lap top, i dont even see a firewall connection outlet...but then again, im a retard.

Oh it's just too easy

Get a pcmcia usb or firewire card

[ofbarea]

Probably this is the most simplest/cheapest option.

[redwudz]

I use a combo USB 2.0/FireWire PCMCIA card with my laptop. The laptop just has USB 1.1 on board. And if you are shopping for a hard drive enclosure, getting one that has both USB 2.0 and FireWire will give you more options for just a few dollars more. With a HD enclosure, you can use most any available and compatible hard drive.

A couple of combo PCMCIA cards are on this NewEgg page: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=pcmcia+firewire

For enclosures take a look here: http://www.usb-ware.com/drives.htm

[theewizard]

make sure you are using a 'powered hub' do not plug devices that need power like an external usb pocket drive , into a NON-powered hub along side the mouse, the power requirements and voltage drop will affect the mouse