Member Avatar for Emma_9

3 metre USB cable with portable DVD writer will not work with Dell laptop.

The same laptop and DVD writer will however work with a short 60cm cable.

Any reason why?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by rproffitt

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Because confirms the same 3 m cable + DVD works on a friend’s laptop but the Dell accepts only the short 60 cm cable, the problem is very likely the Dell’s USB power/port behavior rather than a bad drive or cable. was right to flag power as the likely area. Below are the typical causes and practical checks to isolate and fix it.

Long cable + thin conductors = higher resistance and a voltage drop at the drive. Different ports also deliver different current (USB 2.0 nominally 500 mA, USB 3.0 about 900 mA), and some laptop ports are routed through internal hubs or power‑sharing circuitry that reduces available current. OS/BIOS power management can also suspend or limit a port.

Quick checks and fixes

  • Try every USB port on the Dell (rear, side, any port marked “SS” or with blue plastic). Front ports are often weaker.
  • Watch the symptom: brief spin-up then disconnects or repeated connect/disconnect strongly indicates insufficient power.
  • Temporarily disable USB selective suspend (Windows power plan) and uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” for USB root hubs in Device Manager.
  • Use a high-quality, shorter cable or an active/repeater USB extension (these boost signal and help with voltage over distance).
  • Use a powered USB hub or an externally powered DVD drive. A Y-cable (as suggested) can provide extra power but only plug both connectors into the same PC—never into two different hosts.
  • Update the laptop’s chipset/USB drivers and BIOS; if nothing helps the port hardware itself may be faulty and require service.

These steps focus on confirming the Dell’s port is the limiting factor and on safe, practical ways to supply the drive with sufficient power.

Recommended Answers

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Member Avatar for rproffitt

Power. Most likely the power isn't enough on the long cable. I use a Y cable to get around this.
The Y cable taps two USB ports for power. It's a common cable, found on Newegg and Amazon for example.

Member Avatar for Emma_9

I have tried the same cable and DVD writer with a friends laptop and works fine. Could that still be a power issue with my laptop?

Member Avatar for rproffitt

Yes. Not all USB ports are the same in this area. Can confuse the issue.

Edited by rproffitt because: Grammar.
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