SLOW transfer speed to external HD via USB

and when slow, mean slow. 1.05 gb file took 5 minutes transfer, we're talking transfer rate of ~3.5 mb/s.

i'm using 15" 2009 macbook pro running os x 10.6.8. external hd western digital passport drive.

i've read online, these speeds typically reserved usb 1.0. have no idea why transfer slow, i'm hoping on here might. appreciated.

edit: grabbed flash drive , attempted transfer that. i'm getting same speed - 4 minutes instead of five, that's 4.5 mb/s. still not in neighborhood of should be.

 

have tried aja system test, blackmagic disk speed test or xbench yet benchmark external hdd?
have tried usb cable or usb port?

 

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