USB3 Drive Base Disconnecting During Write Cycle

Anonymous
2015-11-29T04:40:25+00:00

OK, this is an interesting problem.

So, I have an external SSD in a USB3 enclosure, and I've been moving my Steam Library onto it.

The SSD is a Samsung EVO 850, 500GB drive. I've tried two different enclosures, a Startech and an Orico. Both behave the same way.

The enclosure is hooked up through the keyboard base of the Surface Book via one of the USB3 ports.

The problem I'm encountering is when the drive is busy writing files the base seems to disconnect and the drive disappears. It eventually remounts, but of course the damage is done... 

To test this issue, I ran Crystal Disk Mark 5 on the external drive, and the read cycle is fine. Once the write cycle begins, it seems to hang up and then suddenly the drive disconnects.

Anyone have any idea what might be going on here?

Surface | Surface Book | Display and screen

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-03-08T08:28:53+00:00

    This is using a Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 enclosure that's Optimized For SSD and  Supports UASP SATA III.  EC-UASP on their product page.

    The SSD I'm using is an Intel 530 Series SSD.

    I already posted this earlier in this thread but just a fair warning though, I don't recommend buying the Sabrent enclosure because they use two types on controller chip, probably from different company assembly lines.  One uses a JMS567 chip and another that uses an ASMT1051.  The ASMT1051 works excellent and was used for the benchmark below, and then there's the JMS567 which  is a total disaster.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-03-08T09:41:40+00:00

    Hi,

    I think you just saved my life :-) I am having an Inatek USB3.0 enclosure that apparently uses JMS567. I got very bad results on my SB while it is working quite good with another Laptop. So it seems it is incompatibility with SB. While this is not optimal at least I hope it is not a hardware issue with Surface Book.

    Now I need to find another enclosure that works with SB...

    Regards,

    Evgeni

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-06-09T19:55:44+00:00

    Unfortunately I have exactly the same trouble with an USB enclosure using JMS567 :(

    It seems to work fine connected directly to the surface pro, but I'm unable to write anything on it when it's connected to the surface dock.

    Is it a firmware, driver or dock issue ?

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-07-30T15:20:56+00:00

    I have the exact same issue, just bought my surface book yesterday. Has this not been solved yet? I use it for video editing so I transfer videos daily. If not solved this would be a shame, render my surface useless.

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-07-30T16:00:27+00:00

    I'd advise to return it while you can. I would have done so with mine if I had noticed this issue before the 30 day policy was up.

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