Topic: HD-P2 freezing computer when docked......

[Gordon]

first of all it works fine with my laptop going 4 pin > 6 pin firewire (slower transfers than expected but that seems to be normal for lots of folks).  I just got the 6 pin > 6 pin firewire for my desktop. 

when I plug in the firewire and go to firewire dock it connects.  when I go to my computer it either freezes the pc completely or slows it to a crawl.  I'm not talking about transfers, it freezes up my computer just trying to look in my computer.  if it doesn't freeze it and you can see the drive when you try to look in side it will freeze or crawl to a standstill.

I'll go ahead and get a few things out of the way.  firewire connection on the pc works just fine.  checked it tonight with the JB3 and it works no problem and it looks fine in device manager.   all other removable drives work just fine.   no virus, spyware etc, drives have plenty of free space and are de-fragmented, it happens with any CPF I put in it so it's not the card, cards are formated and check out ok.  there are not other programs hogging resources either.   I'm running XP using a older computer but it does it's job just fine.  I do ALL my editing, transferring etc etc on it and never have any problems.  768 RAM vs 1 gb in the laptop where it works just fine (so I doubt that is a problem).

my first thought was something was wrong with the PC (adaware etc) so I checked everything and as I said everything is clean as a whistle.  so then I docked it on the laptop and it's just fine.  then I thought the firewire on the pc went bad.  checked in device manager and connected the JB3 just fine.

so now I'm hoping it's a bad firewire cable    I don't have any other 6 pin > 6 pin to check it.  just bought this one on ebay for about $5 shipped (never had any issues with their cables and I've bought many).  guess I'll buy a new firewire tomorrow at best buy and see if anything changes.

thoughts??  input??  etc etc

[coloartist]

My HD-P2 came with a 6pin>6pin. It works fine. Way slower then my card reader though.

[JackoRoses]

I believe Brian Skalinder spoke about this issue in another thread can't look it up right now.
Yet iirc there was an issue with certain p2's that needed sent back to tascam due to them locking up or acting unfriendly when docked directly as a firewire device.
Mine caused all sort of issues even when using with the cable that it came with.
I just now use a card reader..

[Brian Skalinder]

I believe Brian Skalinder spoke about this issue in another thread can't look it up right now.

I never experienced a lock-up on the P2 or PC, but I did / do have painfully slow firewire connections.  (http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,85828.0.html)  I now use a card reader, which is way faster than a properly functioning P2 transfer (not to mention my exceptionally slow one), anyway.

[coloartist]

Just be very careful when inserting the CF cards in the reader. As long as you are gentle and don't put in the card crooked you are all good.

I have a Dazzle usb card reader for my laptop, and when I built my desktop, I left off the Floppy and put in a nice multi-card reader that reads almost every type card made.

[Gordon]

cheap $20 card reader works great.  guessing it was bad firewire cable but I don't want to spend $30 at best buy to find out when the card reader is faster.