Does anyone know of any reason why a 3.5" hard drive will work (power up) in a computer but not in a external enclosure? Also, I was experimenting with an old hard drive in an enclosure and the hard drive appears to be fried (smoke coming out). Has anyone else had the same problem please?
I have various hard drives, taken out of old Sky satellite boxes which I want to use in an enclosure.
Hard drive enclosre
Re: Hard drive enclosre
My guess is there's not enough power being supplied to the external enclosure.
Try a different USB port or external enclosure.
Try a different USB port or external enclosure.
Re: Hard drive enclosre
Seems to work with some drives, but not others...I'm wondering if there was too much power for the drive that blew up.
I'm assuming that there is more power fed to an internal hard drive, than is produced by an enclosure, possibly some drives are designed only to work internally?
I'm assuming that there is more power fed to an internal hard drive, than is produced by an enclosure, possibly some drives are designed only to work internally?
Re: Hard drive enclosre
3.5" external enclosures all require an external power source (in my experience) while 2.5" drives do not. (This may change with USB-C)
I cannot imagine smoking a drive just because you put it in an external enclosure or on a USB test bench cable or dock. But I have smoked a motherboard by plugging a bad drive directly into a computer rather than a USB dock. So, don't plug that smoking drive into your system if you value that system.
I cannot imagine smoking a drive just because you put it in an external enclosure or on a USB test bench cable or dock. But I have smoked a motherboard by plugging a bad drive directly into a computer rather than a USB dock. So, don't plug that smoking drive into your system if you value that system.
Re: Hard drive enclosre
I have a couple of enclosures and a lead, all of them need power for the 2.5". One of the enclosures and the lead provided (seemingly) no power, but the third one blew up the hard drive (a 3.5") and provided no power at all to the second drive.I'm wondering if it's a fault in the drive.
They were both Seagate's, but the drives had been taken from Sky box and some other box. I just wonder if they only operate at a certain voltage when inside the boxes to prevent them being uused in enclosures.
I did come across something on Google from Seagate stating that certrain drives were designed to only operate internally, but I'm not sure if that's just what they say, or if it's true.
Maybe more power is provided in the computer?
I'm not testing my other drives in my main computer, until I change over to my new one, just in case.
They were both Seagate's, but the drives had been taken from Sky box and some other box. I just wonder if they only operate at a certain voltage when inside the boxes to prevent them being uused in enclosures.
I did come across something on Google from Seagate stating that certrain drives were designed to only operate internally, but I'm not sure if that's just what they say, or if it's true.
Maybe more power is provided in the computer?
I'm not testing my other drives in my main computer, until I change over to my new one, just in case.
Re: Hard drive enclosre
Power.
Try different USB ports on the computer (front vs. rear & even USB 2.x vs 3.x).
(Different ports/versions may use different chips/drivers...)
Or the enclosure itself may have failed (while the drive remains good).
Try different USB ports on the computer (front vs. rear & even USB 2.x vs 3.x).
(Different ports/versions may use different chips/drivers...)
Or the enclosure itself may have failed (while the drive remains good).
Re: Hard drive enclosre
No, the enclosures are OK, as some other hard drives are working, and it's not the USB as it's powered from the mains. I've tries one 2.5" drive with the lead and enclosure and that was OK, so I still wonder if seagate drives draw more power than the enclosures provide,
As I mentioned, presumably, a PC provides more power to a hard drive when mounted internally.
As I mentioned, presumably, a PC provides more power to a hard drive when mounted internally.
Re: Hard drive enclosre
The only thing I can suggest is that typical/older computers only provided 100 to 250 mA power the USB ports. 500 mA if you're lucky. The USB spec only calls for 100 mA. Even USB 3.0 only promises 150 mA. Non-"Green" harddrives definitely used more than 100 or 250 mA, while most enclosures have a 1A, 1.5A or 2A power adapter.
Re: Hard drive enclosre
Not sure if this makes sense, as I don't really know the hell what I'm talking about, but from what I've read so far, SATA cables are not created equal...Apparently, some pins are wired differently on different cables which can account for a drive not powering up to a drive being fried.
I'm afraid this subject is a closed book to me and I have absolutely no idea how to tell if a cable is compatible with a drive.
I have several drives taken from Sky and other boxes and I'm wondering if the wiring on the cables and drives in the boxes are different from the wiring in an enclosure or a PC.
I'm afraid this subject is a closed book to me and I have absolutely no idea how to tell if a cable is compatible with a drive.
I have several drives taken from Sky and other boxes and I'm wondering if the wiring on the cables and drives in the boxes are different from the wiring in an enclosure or a PC.
Re: Hard drive enclosre
All SATA cables are supposed to be created equal.
The only queer thing I can attest to is retail enclosed drives that don't have a SATA interface, but only have SATA solder pads or are USB-only and have no SATA solder pads. But I have never heard of a SATA cable or plug that expects a unique pinout.
The only queer thing I can attest to is retail enclosed drives that don't have a SATA interface, but only have SATA solder pads or are USB-only and have no SATA solder pads. But I have never heard of a SATA cable or plug that expects a unique pinout.