I have this adapter. It came with no instructions. The Bytecc
website has a very poorly-written set of instructions:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tips to install BT-300
1. For all 2.5” and 3.5” SATA hard drives – Use the 4 pins power
connector plug onto the BT-300 adapter kit. Then connect the
BT-300 adapter to the SATA hard drives. Afterward, power up
the drives by connect the power adapter to the power cord that
plug onto the wall.
2. For all 3.5” and 5.25” IDE drives – Make sure all IDE drives set
as Master drive, use the 4 pins power connector plug directly onto
the drive. Afterward, power up the drives by connect the power
adapter to the power cord that plug onto the wall.
3. For all 2.5” IDE drives – do not use any power from the power
adapter all. The USB connection to the computer will power it up.
4. After the hard drive was power up and spinning, wait a while
and then connect the USB connector from BT-300 to the USB port
on the computer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is clear that the USB should be plugged in last.
But I'm unsure about the instruction to plug in the power adapter
after plugging into the data connector.
Newegg.com has over 700 reviews of the adapter. I read the 40
most recent, going back about one year. The very last review,
from a few days ago, suggests that the catastrophic problem
reported by many reviewers is due to plugging the 4-pin Molex
power connector in upside-down, because the construction of
the socket allows it. I agree. That isn't directly relevant to my
question, but needed to be mentioned.
Among the 40 most recent reviews, I found three which discuss
the order of plugging things in. The earliest agrees with Bytecc's
instructions above, while the later two reverse the order:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Geo
9/16/2011
Tech Level: 4/5
Ownership: 3/5
Verified Owner
Rating: 5/5
**INSTRUCTIONS FOR BT-300**
Pros: There is a .pdf on bytecc's website showing how to connect
drives. go to byteccusa dot com, click the download, and under
adapter cable section click "Tips to install BT-300".
It basically says plug everything into the drives before you plug
in the a/c power. For all SATA drives, you plug in the 4-pin
connector to the adapter itself. For all 3.5" TO 5.25" IDE drives,
the 4-pin connector plugs directly into the hard drive. For all
2.5" IDE drives, do not use any power at all. The usb cord will
provide the power.
----------
Roydjt
10/26/2011
Tech Level: 3/5
Ownership: 4/5
Verified Owner
Rating: 5/5
Works like a charm!
Pros: Small and easy to use. Just be sure to plug in the power
cable before the data cable. I have used this for 2.5" SATA and
3.5" IDE drives with no issues.
----------
Hype
11/16/2011
Tech Level: 4/5
Ownership: 5/5
Rating: 5/5
Great device
Other Thoughts: We've used these for years at the shop I work at
(3 of these, 2 of the previous models) & I've never had a drive fry.
It could be due to you guys either a) plugging in the power upside
down (it has an indication on the head itself which way is up...) or
b) plugging in the power AFTER plugging in the drive (duhhhh,
that will definitely fry the drive. always plug the power in FIRST).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three power connectors: The general-purpose power
cord plugs into an outlet at one end and into the power brick at
the other end. The 4-pin Molex connector from the brick can
either plug into the adapter or into a drive. So it is possible to
plug in two of those three connectors without applying power.
So, should I plug in the data connector first, then apply power,
as the Bytecc instructions and the first reviewer say, or apply
power first, and then plug in the data connector, as the other
two reviewers appear to say? Why?
-- Jeff, in Minneapolis
website has a very poorly-written set of instructions:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tips to install BT-300
1. For all 2.5” and 3.5” SATA hard drives – Use the 4 pins power
connector plug onto the BT-300 adapter kit. Then connect the
BT-300 adapter to the SATA hard drives. Afterward, power up
the drives by connect the power adapter to the power cord that
plug onto the wall.
2. For all 3.5” and 5.25” IDE drives – Make sure all IDE drives set
as Master drive, use the 4 pins power connector plug directly onto
the drive. Afterward, power up the drives by connect the power
adapter to the power cord that plug onto the wall.
3. For all 2.5” IDE drives – do not use any power from the power
adapter all. The USB connection to the computer will power it up.
4. After the hard drive was power up and spinning, wait a while
and then connect the USB connector from BT-300 to the USB port
on the computer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is clear that the USB should be plugged in last.
But I'm unsure about the instruction to plug in the power adapter
after plugging into the data connector.
Newegg.com has over 700 reviews of the adapter. I read the 40
most recent, going back about one year. The very last review,
from a few days ago, suggests that the catastrophic problem
reported by many reviewers is due to plugging the 4-pin Molex
power connector in upside-down, because the construction of
the socket allows it. I agree. That isn't directly relevant to my
question, but needed to be mentioned.
Among the 40 most recent reviews, I found three which discuss
the order of plugging things in. The earliest agrees with Bytecc's
instructions above, while the later two reverse the order:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Geo
9/16/2011
Tech Level: 4/5
Ownership: 3/5
Verified Owner
Rating: 5/5
**INSTRUCTIONS FOR BT-300**
Pros: There is a .pdf on bytecc's website showing how to connect
drives. go to byteccusa dot com, click the download, and under
adapter cable section click "Tips to install BT-300".
It basically says plug everything into the drives before you plug
in the a/c power. For all SATA drives, you plug in the 4-pin
connector to the adapter itself. For all 3.5" TO 5.25" IDE drives,
the 4-pin connector plugs directly into the hard drive. For all
2.5" IDE drives, do not use any power at all. The usb cord will
provide the power.
----------
Roydjt
10/26/2011
Tech Level: 3/5
Ownership: 4/5
Verified Owner
Rating: 5/5
Works like a charm!
Pros: Small and easy to use. Just be sure to plug in the power
cable before the data cable. I have used this for 2.5" SATA and
3.5" IDE drives with no issues.
----------
Hype
11/16/2011
Tech Level: 4/5
Ownership: 5/5
Rating: 5/5
Great device
Other Thoughts: We've used these for years at the shop I work at
(3 of these, 2 of the previous models) & I've never had a drive fry.
It could be due to you guys either a) plugging in the power upside
down (it has an indication on the head itself which way is up...) or
b) plugging in the power AFTER plugging in the drive (duhhhh,
that will definitely fry the drive. always plug the power in FIRST).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three power connectors: The general-purpose power
cord plugs into an outlet at one end and into the power brick at
the other end. The 4-pin Molex connector from the brick can
either plug into the adapter or into a drive. So it is possible to
plug in two of those three connectors without applying power.
So, should I plug in the data connector first, then apply power,
as the Bytecc instructions and the first reviewer say, or apply
power first, and then plug in the data connector, as the other
two reviewers appear to say? Why?
-- Jeff, in Minneapolis
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