USB 2.0 in a BIOS enviroment?

John Connor

Lifer
Nov 30, 2012
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Does USB 2.0 work in a BIOS like environment? The reason I ask is because I got a 1 TB back up drive for Christmas and will clone my current install and I believe the last time I used Acronis it booted into a BIOS like environment to create the image.

BTW, the drive I got (A Toshiba) had a clicking sound when I plugged it in. So it sounds like the drive is dead. Will exchange for a new one.
 

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
17,484
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If drivers exist, sure. But, you could also use Clonezilla, which boots up into a full-blown multi-user protected/long mode OS :).
 

John Connor

Lifer
Nov 30, 2012
22,757
619
121
That's what it must have been A "DOS-like environment." So in that case USB 2.0 would work then.
 

dbcooper1

Senior member
May 22, 2008
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Clicking noise from an external drive plugged into a USB port can also be a result of insufficient current; many require two ports to get enough current to spin up.
 

John Connor

Lifer
Nov 30, 2012
22,757
619
121
The external drive just has one USB port and I plugged it into a powered USB hub prior to plugging it directly into my computer. When plugged into the USB hub the drive didn't work. When I plugged it into the front USB header on the desktop Windows was loading a driver, but took forever and never installed and there was a constant clicking sound. I've heard that sound before in a dead HDD in a very old Dell laptop I had years ago.
 

John Connor

Lifer
Nov 30, 2012
22,757
619
121
So it appears that the new HDD I got after I returned the first one was doing the same thing with clicks. So I said 'this can't be right.' I plugged the drive into my laptop instead of the desktop and it fired up. So I knew it had to be a power issue at this point with the desktop. I tried plugging the HDD into the powered USB hub and got nothing. So instead of plugging into the front headers I plugged it into the back and presto! It fired up. I guess the front headers don't have the power. This powered USB hub must be a POS if it won't work with my HDD. It does work with the WIFI adapter though.

Cloning now.