Reddit reviews StarTech.com 3 ft. (0.9 m) USB to Micro USB Cable With Power Delivery - Dual USB 2.0 A to Micro-B - Power and Data - Y-Cable - Micro USB Cable (USB2HAUBY3), Black

Remember, if your 2.5" external drive still won't power up on the Pi 3 or has problems during transfers, use a Y cable to provide additional power (connect red USB to power supply, preferably another port on the same charger powering the Pi). Yes, it's USB 2.0, sufficient for a Pi-only connrctor; here's a USB 3.0 version. Edit: Searching for. micro USB Y-cable on eBay/Aliexpress should find you similar cables.

Note: Since both ends of the Y cable share a common power and ground, I wouldn't mix an AC charger and USB battery pack; power the Pi and the drive from the same type of source.

Sure, let me google that for you.

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-3-Feet-Cable-External-Drive/dp/B0047AALS0/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1456938184&sr=1-1&keywords=micro+usb+y+cable

http://www.amazon.com/Aluratek-Charger-Smartphones-Tablets-Devices/dp/B007QOWQ1O

Plug the red end into the 2amp charger, and the black end into the AA unit.

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-3-Feet-Cable-External-Drive/dp/B0047AALS0/

? would that work?

A cable like this [if the hard drive has an adapter with a microusb connector) may be necessary as the router itself is likely incapable of even coming close to powering a hard drive off its own power supply

Ah that may be the problem. The Wii U requires the use of external power or a Y Cable for external hard drives. I forget the exact reason. That's the only thing I can think of. Sorry :(

I found a splitter for you that should give close to fast charge when connected to Android auto.

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-3-Feet-Cable-External-Drive/dp/B0047AALS0/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1456938184&sr=1-1&keywords=micro+usb+y+cable

I found it in this thread because someone else had same issue.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidAuto/comments/48e65c/way_to_fast_charge_with_android_auto/?sort=confidence

I have a passport connected to my Wii U with a Y cable.

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-3-Feet-Cable-External-Drive/dp/B0047AALS0?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

yea someone on a different forum suggested that too

i just ordered this from amazon (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0047AALS0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

im hoping that this should work for what i need

I got it to read the disc, but at the end of backup MakeMKV error says: "Backup done but 1 files failed hash check." I was subsequently directed to a MakeMKV page by the software which said:

> M2TS hash check error
Almost each Blu-ray disc contains so called content hash file. Designed as part of AACS protection, this file has a very useful property exploited by MakeMKV - having this file it is possible to verify that M2TS file loaded from the disc is not corrupt. If present on the disc, MakeMKV computes and compares hashes of M2TS files automatically. When hashes do not match, you get this error.

> Hash check error essentially means that the drive was unable to read the file from the disc, and what more, instead of raising the read error it silently returned corrupted data. Getting this error usually means a failing Blu-ray drive.

I wonder is in an underpowered/faulty cable or is the drive itself, which I never used much, just gone crappy? Or dirty drive?

i've actually tried that... no avail. I don't know if it matters but the b+ model maybe is different? I really don't know but i'm looking at this cord atm and will report back when i know more/jump in and try it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0047AALS0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

The Anker E3 or E5 seem to work very well. I have the E5 and it powers my dual SDR + GPS setup fine.

Using this USB power cable I can maintain power the device all the way until the E5 is empty and shuts itself off: http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-3-Feet-Cable-External-Drive/dp/B0047AALS0

Alright, so here's what's happening right now:

• CCleaner is doing a driver wipe through the external hard drive, and says it will take 3 more days to complete.
  
• The store advised me to just reformat the drive, and bring it back to them. The cable supposedly doesn't work since it's parallel and not series. I doubt that advice since reviews on amazon seem to say it works fine (http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-3-Feet-Cable-External-Drive/dp/B0047AALS0/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1412455933&sr=1-3&keywords=dual+A+to+Micro-B+USB#customerReviews).
  
  What I plan to do: Order the cable from amazon. Try THIS hard drive out with said cable once it gets here. If I hear clicking, take it back to the store for an exchange.
  
  What I'm still not sure about: Erasing the data on the drive. I'm absolutely paranoid, and I just don't want someone to be able to get to some of the files that managed to get backed up onto the external hard drive. CCleaner says it expects over 3 more days (!!!) before it's done. Should I cancel and just reformat the drive, or is that not as safe as CCleaner's driver wipe tool?

Get something like this, plug the data end on your SP3, and the power end to your power brick. That should feed enough energy to your external cd/dvd/bd/hdd.

There's this: https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Cable-External-Drive-Micro/dp/B0047AALS0

You would need a micro USB to USB-c adapter. Maybe something like this: https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Cable-External-Drive-Micro/dp/B0047AALS0