Reading from a 2.5" usb drive on a S8

jtvang125

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 2004
5,399
51
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The new galaxy phones come with that little usb-c to usb-a dongle that let you connect a variety of usb devices. I have success reading from usb flash drives but a 2.5" portable drive isn't recognize. Probably because there's not enough power but since there was data on it I didn't want to mess with it too much. I do have a powered SATA to usb2.0 backend from a 3.5" enclosure that I tried with spare 2.5" drives but they're not being seen either. I read that it needs to be exFat formatted and made sure they were. I don't a spare SSD to try though.

Does anyone know the limitations of this? People have reported that using 2.5" drives does work.
 

ZGR

Platinum Member
Oct 26, 2012
2,052
656
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It should work. My Note 4 and Asus Tablet power laptop hdd's.

What I usually do is plug it in, and hold the hdd to my ear to hear it spinning, or just feel the hdd spinning in your hand.

If the drive is not powered, something ain't right.
 

jtvang125

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 2004
5,399
51
91
Turns out the 2.5" drives were faulty. They spin up and that's about it. I got it working with a 750gb 3.5" after letting it format it. I'm thinking of picking one of those usb ethernet adapters to see if that'll work as well.
 

ZGR

Platinum Member
Oct 26, 2012
2,052
656
136
Turns out the 2.5" drives were faulty. They spin up and that's about it. I got it working with a 750gb 3.5" after letting it format it. I'm thinking of picking one of those usb ethernet adapters to see if that'll work as well.

That should work as well. Last time I used an ethernet adapter it was for Android 4.x.x so not sure how it is now.