tb wrote:
I use Clonezilla Live to back up a PC drive to a portable external HD
with a USB-A cable.

Recently Clonezilla Live has not been able to complete the job...
It basically seems to hang anywhere during the backup process. The
time left to complete the backup shown on the screen increases
continuously and the % of backup already done does not change.

I know that there is nothing wrong with the Clonezilla Live DVD or the
portable external hard drive because I can back up another PC's drive
without a hitch using the same USB-A cable.

My guess is that I have a USB port problem with PC#1 and it might be
time to purchase another motherboard. (The PC is nine years old...)

PS: I have tried using all the USB ports that are present on the PC
with the same results.

What do the experts think of this issue?


The Polyfuse (motherboard side) is opening and the drive is losing power.

That's a possibility with bus-powered 2.5" external hard drives.

Some of the portable drives have a 5V barrel power input, which
seeks to solve the "spinup power drain" problem.

*******

You can use a "Hydra" cable to increase the max current flow.
The "loop" wire has to be long enough to span the USB2 connectors
being used as power sources. On a desktop, this distance is short,
while on a laptop, the distance is long (20 inches or more).

https://www.amazon.ca/StarTech-com-U.../dp/B0047AALS0

On one of those, the "black" goes to the "top" of one stack,
the "red" goes to the top of a second stack. One connector
has +5V, D+, D-, GND, while the second connector only has +5V and GND.

black --- USB2 USB2 --- red The reason is because 1.1A Fuse
| USB2 USB2 | each stack shares a |
| | (loop) fuse. Using one USB2
+----------------------------+ from each stack, puts USB2
| "Hydra" cable the fuses in parallel.
to drive

On a laptop, you use a jack on either side of the laptop,
and chances are you won't get quite as much current as on
a desktop, before one or both fuses open.

*******

A new motherboard would be relatively expensive, and the
expansion capabilities on the low end stuff are pretty limited.
In some ways, your new board could be worse than the old one.

It takes about a month of study, to figure out what to buy,
and not pay too much for it. If you rush the purchase process
too quickly, you'll only end up replacing it a year or two
from now.

*******

Paul