External SSD-Use External Power
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Hi everyone,
I have a 500GB 2.5" SATA SSD containing all my roms that I've used successfully for years with my Pi 3b+, and I'm now using it with my Pi 4 4gb that I've set up with RetroPie 4.6. I'm trying to avoid any power/heat issues so I have a SATA to USB 3.0 adapter that plugs into the wall for external power. Everything is working great, but I was recently messing with some things and I realized that the power for the drive wasn't plugged in, meaning the pi was powering it through USB.
I don't know why I assumed that if the drive was plugged into the wall the pi would automatically not be powering it, but now that I see that will happen when not powered externally I'm concerned having the SSD plugged into the wall isn't doing anything. Is there a setting/configuration to change in RetroPie to keep it from powering the drive through USB, so that when it's plugged into the wall the drive is actually drawing power externally? Thank you in advance for your time.
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@OldSchool Did you research if this is actually necessary? I used my 250 GB Samsung EVO 840 connected with an SATA-to-USB adapter to one of the USB2 ports of my Pi 3B (without +) for over two years without any problems, and now its connected to my new Pi 4B Rev 1.2 via USB3 for a month, again without any issues.
What problems exactly do you expect and where did you learn about them?
edit: I should mention that I also had/have a PacDrive LED controller for my 18 illuminated buttons and a wireless Mayflash Wii-U Pro gamepad adapter connected to the USB ports of both of my Pis, all of them without external power. The only somewhat funny "issue" I noticed is that the buttons flicker ever so slightly when the ssd is being accessed. 😊
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