External Hard Drive (USB3.0) only works through USB2.0 hub

[daniel.white2]

For quite a while now some of my external hard drives have not worked when directly plugged into my Macbook Pro (Mid 2012 running 10.8.5). They work perfectly when plugged into a USB hub and then into the macbook but not directly to the mac. Standard small USB flash drives work fine straight in to the macbook, the real problem appears to be USB 3.0 hard drives. These will not show up on desktop or disk utility unless I plug them in via a USB hub (which is USB2.0). The hard drive format doesn't seem to be important, currently my Mac OS Extended Time Machine backup HD is only working through USB hub, and my MyPassport WD external drive is NTFS and hasn't worked directly into the Mac for a while now.

Normally this is not a big issue, but when I am on the go it is useless to carry a USB hub around along with a MyPassport hard drive! In addition, there are times, such as when backing up, that I want the speeds offered by USB3.0 from my macbook to my hard drive.

What could be the problem? I run NTFS for Mac OSX, not sure if that would cause an issue with the direct connection.
Please help, this one is grinding my gears!

Thanks

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

-Is the USB hub a powered version?
-Is your MacBook Pro running on AC or battery?
-Are you using a USB 2 or USB 3 cable?
-What type of data is on the WD NTFS HD? Macs cannot natively write to an NTFS HD.

C

 

[daniel.white2]

Hello and welcome.

-Is the USB hub a powered version?
-Is your MacBook Pro running on AC or battery?
-Are you using a USB 2 or USB 3 cable?
-What type of data is on the WD NTFS HD? Macs cannot natively write to an NTFS HD.

C

My USB hub is un-powered and I have used another USB hub before that is also un-powered.
The MacBook Pro is running on AC but even when running on battery the problem still exists.
USB3.0 cable, as to the best of my knowledge, the mid-2012 MBP's and later support USB3.0
On the NTFS HD is a collection of documents, videos and music. And on the MacOS Extended format 2.0TB drive is my time machine and SuperDuper! backups. Both of these drives are required to be plugged into the USB hub first
Cheers