File transfer problem with my external hard drive

I have some problem with my external hard drive. When I transfer some small files I do not have any trouble but when I transfer large files over 300MB, it dies. Do you have tips to remedy it or is that my drive is a problem?

Which version of USB port are you having? USB 1 or USB 2? Ideally devices operate at normal speed in USB 2 (20-30 MB/sec max). What operating system? Also SP?

USB 1 is also good and it transfers data at the rate more than 900kB/sec. According to me, it resembles more a problem of USB to IDE controller driver.

I was using Windows XP Pro. But now I have switched to Windows Vista and I would say it's the same problem. I even connected to my hub, no difference. Under vista there is an option for a faster transfer level, again no difference. Since I have just installed Vista, I imagine that I have the right drivers.

Check the Device Manager if your disc is PIO, DMA, UltraDMA.

Well I do not know where I should go specifically for this setting, but in Device Manager, disk drive, I have my external HD, I checked the option "optimize for better performance" and I actually got a better flow with this time around 8.5 MB/sec for a record average of 18 GB.

Go to My Computer -> Right click and select Properties -> Manage -> Device Manager.

Here you have a list of all devices, see if there is a "!" yellow possibly somewhere.

Also check the IDE controllers of your internal disk, (controllers ATA / ATAPI / IDE) and verify that their methods are UltraDMA transfers and not PIO (in this case, slow is not due to your external drive, but the internal drive)

On Device Manager, Expand IDE Controllers -> Right click on IDE channel, select properties -> Advanced Settings

I went there and saw that it is Ultra DMA. I've no exclamation mark in the device manager. So could it be drive problem or file is corrupted?

So your internal disk is operating properly. You can try on different USB ports and/or another external hard drive.