Intermittent USB Lock-Up

[lburriss]

This is more of an annoyance than a real problem, but it has me stumped.  I’m using Windows XP SP3.

I have a flash drive connected to a USB port through a USB cable.  No problems.  Now, if I plug my wife’s drive into the cable it locks up my mouse and I have to reboot.  But here’s the kicker:  if I plug her drive directly into the port everything runs fine.  I’ve tried a couple of different cables, with the same result. 

Any idea what’s going on here?

[Computer_Commando]

This is not uncommon.
I assume "her drive" is an external USB hard drive.
Could be due to any or all of the following:
1.  USB cable is not 2.0 compliant or has poor shielding.
2.  USB cable is too long.

If it works by plugging it in directly, that's what you will have to do.

[lburriss]

Ooops.  Sorry, I didn't give enough information.  Both of the drives are thumb drives.  My thumb drive works fine with the cable.  Hers won't work with the cable, and I have to plug it directly into the USB port.

[Computer_Commando]

Ooops.  Sorry, I didn't give enough information.  Both of the drives are thumb drives.  My thumb drive works fine with the cable.  Hers won't work with the cable, and I have to plug it directly into the USB port.

In that case, I have no idea.