Good morning everyone,

Thanks in advance for any advice. I’d like to share my experience connecting hard drives on macOS with a Mac mini M4 (2024).

Mac mini Configuration

• Rear ports: 3 × USB-C / Thunderbolt 4

• Front ports: 2 × USB-C 10 Gb

• Hub USB , TP-Link uh720 with USB 3.0, and 7-Port with powered via an AC adapter.

Issues Observed

1. Brief disconnections and dropouts with 2.5” HDDs and low-power SSDs.

2. Disconnects are more frequent when using Torrent clients, which make multiple connections to the drive.

3. Drives formatted in APFS (macOS native), no NTFS or additional drivers used.

Cable and Adapter Tests

1. Original drive cable (Micro B → USB-A) + OTG adapter (USB-A female → USB-C male)

    

   • Result: Stable connection achieved, no dropouts.

   • Note: The OTG adapter hangs from the port, creating mechanical stress. I would prefer a direct Micro B → USB-C cable to eliminate this.

2. Cleefun cables (1 m and 2 m, Micro B → USB-C)

    

   • URL: https://www.amazon.de/CLEEFUN-Micro-auf-USB-Kabel/dp/B0C9M2HY2J?th=1

   • Result: Frequent dropouts and brief disconnections.

3. UGREEN cable (1 m, Micro B → USB-C, high quality)

    

   • URL: https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-External-Compatible-MacBook-Westgate/dp/B0BG1RF2CV?th=1

   • Result: Hub only recognized on front ports, never on rear ports.

   • Worked with other HDD devices on both front and rear ports.

4. Connector dimension observation

    

   • My Micro B adapters and cables appear to have the same dimensions as the original drive cable, ruling out short connectors as the cause of dropouts.

5. Next attempt

    

   • Trying a premium cable: StarTech Micro B → USB-C

   • URL: https://www.amazon.es/StarTech-USB31CUB1M-Cable-Type-C-Micro/dp/B00YEDSPH4/ref=sr_1_4?__mk_es_ES=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=115HP6YAS5BIV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZZNtiQHSqaqqXwO1-9NkbzT42yk3to_IT4iA7bAnMYYpdIRgqSRnjzqN1Iz33hB7LSdbgt_b6RsBU3W-0ofIhnnOKNmk3M4e2Vk2dsOOfynfghIQoocfcXGP9VnH6CmHhO7YBdc72u_93-ogaH0msOjZ2zjV4RiOH8leSmMcBmh_eV11L0nRJtjU2BsCRR0ikB2TPr3IPKIbhbkdcSYftGwUb4hni23UWBczsG9ZV58_ksB1cwecX-ZaONTr5SJY0l6WgI2AT7dRbm-iUAQh1h9R1dg8x8b0TjbGBs_vH8Y.551L5r0e3wP_9M7ku9zMMBI2lGQeSoJ0rrxNlFGJyHs&dib_tag=se&keywords=STARTECH%2BUSB%2Bmicro%2BB.%2Ba%2Busb%2Bc&qid=1767271767&sprefix=startech%2Busb%2Bmicro%2Bb.%2Ba%2Busb%2B%2Caps%2C234&sr=8-4&th=1

Question for the Forum

Has anyone tried a high-quality direct Micro B → USB-C cable that works reliably with a Mac mini M4, without using an OTG adapter?

• My goal is to reduce mechanical stress on the ports and avoid having the OTG adapter hanging.