Member Avatar for MysticalChicken

Last night I bought a 160-gig Toshiba external hard drive at Circuit City for backing up my current files and for storage of future downloads. When I plug it in, I get a message that says something to the effect of "this device has exceeded the power limits of its USB port." (Not the exact words but that's the gist of the message.) After a minute or so the E:\ drive appeared in My Computer and I was able to back up all my files (meaning that I can't return it now? I don't know). It seems to work fine, but I'm wondering if I should be worried about that message. Or buy a powered USB hub as I've seen several people mention when I googled my problem. Should I have the external HD plugged into the USB port before powering up my laptop?

Also, when I went to Device Manager in I think Control Panel it says I have two USB ports, but I can only see one on the back of my laptop. I have a Compaq Armada M700 laptop (yeah, dinosaur, I know), and I've downloaded the user manual and looked at the computer components on that as well, and I can't find that extra USB port. (Unless it's that card slot on the side of the laptop. Next to my CD/DVD-ROM drive. There's nothing in that slot.)

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Brief context: ’s drive showing an “exceeded power limits” message but later mounting is a common laptop symptom. Several replies touched on causes and quick fixes; the following fills gaps left in the thread with focused diagnostics and data‑safety steps that remain useful long after the original posts.

Practical diagnostic checklist

  • Check the System log in Windows Event Viewer for USB or disk errors timestamped when the drive was attached; look for unexpected disconnects, disk I/O errors or NTFS warnings.
  • Run a file‑system integrity check (chkdsk /f on the external volume) and run a S.M.A.R.T. health scan using the drive maker’s diagnostic tool to confirm no physical problems.
  • If the drive disconnected during writes, assume possible corruption and verify backups before further use.

How to map what Windows reports to physical ports

  • Device Manager’s “View → Devices by connection” helps show which USB host controller or root hub corresponds to each port. Microsoft’s USBView utility (part of the Windows driver tools) makes port‑to‑hub mapping explicit for troubleshooting. Laptops often expose multiple hub/controller entries that do not match one‑for‑one with visible sockets (internal hubs, docking connectors, ExpressCard paths, etc.).

Data‑protection and next steps

  • Always use safe removal before unplugging and avoid heavy writes while a port is unstable. If the drive shows repeated disconnects or file errors, create a sector‑level image (clone) before further writes and consider running a surface scan or the vendor’s full diagnostics.
  • , , and others raised power and multi‑port points; those ideas are consistent with the diagnostics above and with prioritizing data integrity before any hardware changes.

Recommended Answers

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Member Avatar for jbennet

Its common to get that on laptops. Laptops supply much less power to USB devices than desktops, so if you use a drive which does not get power from the wall, you will get that error message.

Either buy a wall-power lead for the drive, a powered usb hub, or put up with the message.

Member Avatar for MysticalChicken

I'll probably buy a powered USB hub (they don't seem to be very expensive according to Google) but in the meantime, is it going to do anything bad to my laptop (e.g. fry the mobo or anything)?

Member Avatar for jbennet

I had the error on a thinkpad and it never did any damage in my case, but i cant guarantee anything, maybe its best to err on the side of caution and not use the drive until its sorted.

Member Avatar for Stylish

It should not cause a problem to your laptop. If there is a problem, it will be that the external drive simply loses power. This is a window for dataloss, but otherwise things should be fine.

I have had similar issues with some drives, but plugging my laptop into the wall has resolved most.

I would pursue the powered USB hub route.

Member Avatar for cohen

yeah, i have the same problem, but mine has the ability to use 2 USB ports..... so that is good.... otherwise i wouldn't be able to do it.....

But the thing i find is... it varies from laptop to laptop.... same model, same everything, and it still varies....

Anyway, overall, it is a common problem.

Cohen

Member Avatar for Maverick223

There are also cables that obtain power from two separate USB ports (if available), my external case (EAGLE EB-240-00065 2.5" USB2.0 to IDE mesh External Enclosure - Retail from Newegg) came with one. This would allow you to retain the portability of the drive with your laptop and give it the power that it wants (whether it truly needs it or not). After a brief search I was unable to obtain the cable by itself however the case is cheap (@ $7.99 US) and comes with one. I would buy this and maintain the portability of your laptop. Best of luck~Mav.

Member Avatar for MysticalChicken

It seems to work if I plug the drive in before I turn my laptop on, although it seems to take a minute or two longer to start up. I always have my laptop plugged in (I don't have anywhere to take it), but I think I'll still buy a powered USB hub. So, I think I'll just mark this as solved.

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