Trouble with a 2tb WD Element

[nee6222]

just recently received a 2TB WD Element drive and was trying to transfer files to it. However whenever I connect it to the USB 2.0 slots on the front of my PC and try to trasnfer files it will transfer at ~125mb/s then hang up after transferring the first file. However if I connect it to the rear USB 2.0 slots it will transfer fine at 20mb/s. I also have a 500gb Seagate external drive which will transfer way faster than 20mb/s to the front slots just fine. Some questions...
What is the usual USB 2.0 transfer speed to externals?
Is it trying to transfer faster than need on the front ports for some reason and hanging up?
Any ideas what could be going on?

Additional Information:
ABIT IP35 Pro board
Transferring from a WD 1TB 7200rpm drive w/ 32mb cache (not sure exactly what type but I believe black)
Core 2 Duo
Corsair 550mw power supply

 

[ViviTheMage]

Take a read at this :

http://www.everythingusb.com/usb2/faq.htm

IF I recall, the fastest I could get ym 2TB WD external is about 30~MB/s

 

[nee6222]

Thanks a lot, was trying to look for something like this but all I was getting was the standard 480mb/s which I know wasn't true of usb 2.0

 

[ViviTheMage]

NP, let me get you a speedtest of my drive quick.

30MB/s write, bursty to 35MB/s reads.

 

[Cerb]

Almost seems like maybe there's something physically wrong with the front ports.

20MB/s isn't as fast as it can go, but it depends on file size (multi-GB files will still not go faster than 35MB/s, and that's with luck on your side). With several-MB files or so, 20MB/s might be just fine.

 

[ViviTheMage]

There is a difference between HIGH SPEED and normal if I recall. Your front USB are probably going through a pin set on your mobo, which might not be HIGH SPEED. You might be able to turn it on in BIOS, if the setting is there.

Otherwise just plug it into the mobo itself, those should be high speed.

I to have an Abit IP35 .

 

[Cerb]

If the front are full speed, or USB 1, you'll just get 1MB/s, instead of 20MB/s. It will still work just fine.

 

[RebateMonger]

As noted, you should expect a transfer rate of 20 to 30 MegaBytes per second with USB 2.0. If it's not doing that, I'd take a look at the Windows System Event Log to see if you are getting DISK errors.