Bad Review for SmartDisk FireLite portable external hard drives

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Bad Review for SmartDisk FireLite portable external hard drives

Last year I purchased a very portable external hard drive, the SmartDisk FireLite 40 GB USB model. Over the course of the year I used it somewhat regularly, perhaps maybe a couple dozen times. Up until this past fall I was satisified with it, so much so that I ordered another one for my wife, but an 80 GB model.

Just about that time I noticed my Firelite started giving me a few fits... It has an LED light that turns purple if it can connect at USB 2 speed such as when connected to a Windows XP workstation, or green if it can connect as USB 1.1 speed when connected to a Windows 2000 machine. If it has a connection the light is steady, and if it has trouble where Windows won't show the drive for the Firelite device then the light blinks rapidly.

Well, more times than not the light was blinking on mine just about the time I ordered the one for my wife. I thought it was just me. I tried Linux as well to mount it as /dev/sda1, for example, and even under linux it sometimes blinked and couldn't connect.

While using Windows, I'd plug into the USB port and Windows would give me an error: Power Surge On Hub Port -- The USB Mass Storage Device has exceeded the power limits of its hub port.

So I click on the pop-up box and I get:

The USB Mass Storage Device has malfunctioned and exceeded the power limits of its hub port. You should disconnect the device. The device cannot start. (Code 10)

Christmas arrives, and not long after my wife tries her FireLite Model # USBFLB80 for the very first time... IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

So I try hers on another Windows machine, still no luck. I try it on her laptop, no luck. I try it on my laptop, no luck. I try it on my laptop booted into Fedora, no luck. Nada, nada, nada.

After a bit of research and googling, we find out this this is a pretty common problem, and one hit turns up a suggestion to buy an external power supply since without one the USB device just runs off the power from the USB port. Ok, I put in an order for two power supplies from SmartDisk.

This was my second mistake. A week passes, the power supplies arrive, and with baited breath we plug them in and with much fan fare.... nada. Again. Nada.

So my Firelite USBFLB40 is working from time to time, but its risky enough that I don't want to get stuck leaving anything important off it.

My wife's USBFLB80, well that's a doorstop now.

In total, I think I've spent in the range of $350 on the two devices and their power supplies.

My advice: Don't walk, ... Run away from FireLite hard drives.

Now for my next trick, I'll test the limits of the Smart Disk Technical Support return policy.

posted on 26 February, 2005 at 9:45 PM.
Rants, Gadgets | Comments (25)

Comments

I submitted the following description to the SmartDisk support page:

----------------------------------------

"When using my FireLite without the external power supply, the LED indicator light turns purple and then blinks. The device is not accessible. I receive a warning for "Power Surge on Hub Port" and later a more refined error "The usb mass storage device has malfunctioned and exceeded the power limits of its hub port.".

I then purchased the appropriate power supply from SmartDisk specifically for the USBFLB80 devices. Using the power supply I do not receive the power surge error, however I don't see the Firelite drive listed under My Computer, so I cannot use the device with or without the power supply.

The 80 GB device is new, purchased for a Christmas present. It has not been dropped or damaged in any way.

I have an older USBFLB40 device from last year. This device is also having exactly the same problem, except that it occassionally works, but most often not.

Please advise. Thank you."

comment by Steven Erat, posted at 2/26/05 8:55 PM

Hello

I find your page while searching Google.com for
'smartdisk 80 gb bad block problem'

We bought Smartdisc 80 hb/usb 2.0/5400 rpm usb powered model. When I test it for bad sectors (for looking only if there is or not) I saw that, ~9-12 bad blocks voyaging on disc :)

Test to test they are changing their place as random. I think there is a power inadequte, how can bad sectors voyages like a ghost on disc ??

(excuse me for my poor english.)

comment by T.Terlemez, posted at 3/18/05 11:28 AM

Hello

Again me :)

I send a mail to Smartdisk support team for problem and said what happening. I am using notebook (Hp/Compaq 9105). They said firstly my disk is 4xxx rpm, they have no 5400 rpm model like mine. And they said source of problem is inadequate, out of standard voltage power of notebook usb slots. External power adapter may be necessary. The bad thing, I bought this usb harddisc for that, it doesn't need an external power unit :(

Good days.

comment by T.Terlemez, posted at 3/19/05 4:35 PM

Yes, I also bought this model because it did not require external power. However, I purchased the external power source and it did not solve the problem. With or without the exeternal power source, I cannot use one of the two Firelite hardrives. One never works, one sometimes works.

After contacting SmartDisk support, I sent a problem description, model, serial number, and proof of purchase and they provided an Return number and an address. I expect they will replace it, not repair it.

comment by Steven Erat, posted at 3/19/05 4:44 PM

I finally received a refurbished Firelite as a replacement for the one I returned. It worked beautifully! And then 3 days later, it stopped functioning completely. The light would never come on regardless of USB or external power. It was dead.

Do I go through the hassle of returning it yet again?

comment by Steven Erat, posted at 7/6/05 7:55 AM

Again again me :)

I bought a new external 2.5" hdd box (~20$) and I disassemled 2.5" harddisc from Smartdisc box.
And I put harddisc to new box.

The harddisc which gave many bad sector in Smartdisk box, didn't give any bad sectors at tests ! This is good for me but bad for SmartDisk.

I wanted to give information again, I hope I didn't disturb anybody.

Good days.

comment by T.Terlemez, posted at 9/25/05 2:06 PM

Very good idea. Thank you.

comment by Steven Erat, posted at 9/25/05 2:40 PM

Same failure, 80GB harddrive that does not work. I did not get the warning messages that you had. It worked one morning, and not in the afternoon.
I have not tried the external power source, but was on my way to trying that when I saw your message. Looks like I am SOL.
I'll let you know if I find a way to recover.

comment by Ken, posted at 2/14/06 1:19 AM

Same problem. My laptop has stopped detecting my 80G SmartDisk HardDrive. My other lexar jump drive works just fine. I didn't get any warning messages either, one morning it worked and the next it has stopped working. I would appreciate it , if you could let me know if the external power source worked . I have previously used it without the external power source without any issues . I have a lot of important stuff on the drive and would at least want to recover that.

comment by skatch, posted at 3/17/06 4:13 PM

Don't waste the money for external power source. It actually seemed to help for maybe a day, then the Firelite kept right on blinking and not responding.

Massive piece of crap.

comment by Steven Erat, posted at 3/17/06 4:20 PM

I have the Firelite 40g USB drive and it worked great for about a year. Then out of the blue it stopped working. Since I am electronics technician by trade, I simply took it apart and lo and behold there was the problem staring me in the face. The circuit board had developed some white corrosive looking residue near the area of the main power connector. All I had to do was clean up the connection with some denatured alcohol and a small brush. I may have touched up a solder joint or two (can't remember). It has been as good as new since. The only issue I have with it is I can't seem to use any type of usb extention cord on it without using the external power source. I have been trying to aviod reaching around the back of the PC for some time now without using the external power. No solution yet. Other than that, this is a great way to keep current backups of your HD's.

comment by Mike, posted at 4/2/06 9:55 AM

Hi,

I have the same problem like you do. So, I have to buy power supply to get rid of this problem. I planned to buy soon.

comment by Suzana, posted at 4/23/06 10:32 PM

Thanks for explanation!

comment by Miranda, posted at 8/29/06 1:17 PM

Power Supply may NOT solve your problems. I have the FireLite 60GB USBFLB. Same problem. Tried to solve it by purchasing the power supply. Worked for a little while then went intermittent again. My computer was old, so I figured it would work when I bought a new one with USB 2.0. Plugged it into my brand new Sony VAIO VGN-FE780G, and it worked for about a week. Now it's started going intermittent again, sometimes showing up, but mostly not. Also, I noticed when I have the FireLite plugged in, with or without the power supply, the computer is VERY SLOW to boot up. Apparently the FireLite is a real power hog, or WORSE, it has damaged the USB ports in my integrated chipset.

Agree with the posting to RUN AWAY from the FireLite USB drive. If there is enough of us, would like to see a class action lawsuit.

comment by Mike, posted at 12/29/06 11:24 AM

Hello. I would like to act on Mike suggestion. He posted:
I simply took it apart and lo and behold there was the problem staring me in the face. The circuit board had developed some white corrosive looking residue near the area of the main power connector. All I had to do was clean up the connection with some denatured alcohol and a small brush. Posted By Mike / Posted At 4/2/06 9:55 AM
however, I run into a problem. I cannot open it. I bought a 'glasses' flathead that works for computer screws but is too large for the usb's screws. Instaed it strips them. Do you know where I can find one smaller than the glasses flathead? Thank you.

comment by Lilliana, posted at 2/10/07 4:03 PM

Almost two years ago I got a Smartdisk Firelite 60GB disk from my brother who bought a firewire version. Last month the disk suddenly did not want to fire up anylonger, while I had about 55 GB data stored on it. After removing the disk from the cover, checking and removing the white corrosion as mentioned above, I still had no result. The only thing I heard when plugging in power was prrt prrt prrt, after some seconds the sound stopped and the lights started flashing. Also adding 5V adapter or using two USB ports with the split USB cable did not fire up the disk. Last resort, do what somebody mentioned online, tap it carefully a bit on your desk after just connected, so before the light flashes and 10 taps on the side later, wooooooooeeeeeeee, spinning again, connected again and working again. OK, it is a last resort, when all else fails, and I would only try it when the sound is the same as I described, prrrrrrt, prrrrrt, prrrrrrrt, somehow the disk hangs, is stuck, has to be forced over some threshold... No guarantees! My data was not worth bringing it to an expensive disk recovery store. I now test the disk for errors (so far none) and I made a backup of my digital cam pics already... Question remaining, is this disk really so bad? What is a reliable disk then? Anybody tested this, who can tell? Or shall we conclude, to be sure make backups, always.

comment by Sander, posted at 3/22/07 3:10 AM

For those who speak Spanish, here's another bad review of Firelite USB external Hard drive. His solution was to ditch it and buy an IOMega hard drive instead.

http://brunocapuano.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!BEF06DFFDB192125!733.entry

comment by Steven, posted at 5/31/07 1:11 PM

I agree. Don't buy a firelite drive.

comment by cash, posted at 2/9/08 8:28 AM

I tried one of the recent posts to restore power/use of my Firelite. IT WORKED! Tapped bottom lightly five times on palm of hand and then three times on side and it kicked up and I transfered my files to another drive. I'm done with this model. Any advise on replacements is appreciated.

comment by Chip, posted at 6/18/08 11:34 AM

I've been using Maxtor for a couple years now and have had no problems (other than the time I dropped one that was plugged in which caused unrepairable damage to the platters)

comment by Steven Erat, posted at 6/18/08 11:39 AM

Wow, I have this 160Gb Verbatim Firelite SmartDisk and since I've bought a Laptop I had this problem with the disk that wouldn't start spinning. It would start up normally sometimes, but there were times that it would take like more than 10 min trying to get it running.

Well, guess what... I did the "5 taps on back, 3 on side" and it worked. Brilliant. :D

comment by Sor, posted at 11/7/08 5:13 PM

I found your blog while searching for a retailer who carries Firelite hard drives. Based on your experience there seems to be a problem with Firelite USB drives.

I have been using Firelite drives without problems for what must be seven or eight years. The first three drives I purchased were only 20 GB. The remaining 20 GB drive in my possession (two were stolen) is still in use today. I currently use two 40 GB and two 80 GB drives. The only difference between the drives described here and the drives that have worked successfully for me is the interface. I use Macintosh computers and I have always used purchased Firewire Firelite hard drives. I have recommended them to friends, colleagues and on forums.

comment by Chris Gahran, posted at 11/30/08 2:58 PM

I buy this product in Argentina, and have the same problems y the same words. I think the consumers of this product go against verbatim whit an action class at a judgement. All this is a consumers injury and im very angry whit verbatim that is the really seller of firelite and smartdisk. I will watching you, my expenses were u$s 400 by a inutil device.

comment by ariel, posted at 12/8/08 11:02 AM

Just wanted to let anyone know that I have the 250 model and I did while it was lugged in to the computer tap the bottom of the drive 3-4 timew pretty hard and the side of it as well and it started working just fine!!!

comment by Jim Riggio, posted at 6/25/09 12:56 PM

@Jim Riggio: Yeah, that only works so many times. I remember doing that for a while, then the drive just never came back up.

comment by Steven Erat, posted at 6/25/09 2:11 PM

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