[SOLVED] External WD- I\O error then input Broke

[Blaze Oliver]

Hi there...
I was getting an I/O error in my 1.5 gb hard drive. It sites in one place, and has run flawlessly. I read that it's normally the USB to mini USB issue, so I tried a new cord. Well...as I slowly changed then out, the input got pushed in and so I cannot access the drive. I hear a rattle - like it's broken, but I am not sure if it's totally broken, or if it's attached to the motherboard - directly or maybe with a mini chord - and I can fix it? That's a lot of data to lose, because of an input, that should be strong enough to last. I am really desperate to get the drive going! Any help or suggestions would be appreciate it - before I open it up(if possible) and completely ruin it.

Thanks a million. Any help will ease my mind.

Chad

 

[faalin]

Its time to open it up, if its an older unit it should be a standard sata drive and you can just plug it in internally to your computer.

 

[Blaze Oliver]

Thank you very much. I will try to see what's the inside looks like, and see if I can add it to my computer slot? I am assuming it will use the same thicker and 'plug-in' like input as the others? I am surprised that just one input plug, is so weak. I have basically had it sitting in one place. I have had a number of drives do that - but maybe I should open them up - and see what options I have. It really is devastating, how much data I may never get back. Let's hope your solution works...because I have never thought about that...or knew it could be possible. Wish me luck. Now, I have to see how it come apart.
Cheers...and thank you.

 

[Blaze Oliver]

I was able to get the driver case open. Now it's the crucial time to be very, very careful. Would I use the power supply that came with the drive - instead of using the split power(does it recognize it?) Just a quick question, before I totally open sit up and see. I need a very small screwdriver, that will not strip the screw. Thanks again!

 

[popatim]

Inside the external enclosure you should see a normal sata drive. You may have to remove the USB bridgeboard from the drive. to access the sata and power connectors.

You would connect those to your PC, which is turned off and unplugged, using a sata cable, which you may have to purchase, and a power cable which should be on one of the wire bundles coming from your pc's power supply. These connectors are slightly L shaped so please be sure to put them correctly. Look at your currently installed harddrive for reference.

The Sata cable will connect between the harddrive and a port on your motherboard near where yout current harddrives sata cable is plugged into.

here is a sata cable end where you can see the L

Another option is to install the drive into a new external enclosure. Something similar to one like this: https://www.amazon.com/ORICO-Toolfree-External-Enclosure-Support/dp/B00GAML7OK

 

[Blaze Oliver]

Inside the external enclosure you should see a normal sata drive. You may have to remove the USB bridgeboard from the drive. to access the sata and power connectors.

You would connect those to your PC, which is turned off and unplugged, using a sata cable, which you may have to purchase, and a power cable which should be on one of the wire bundles coming from your pc's power supply. These connectors are slightly L shaped so please be sure to put them correctly. Look at your currently installed harddrive for reference.

The Sata cable will connect between the harddrive and a port on your motherboard near where yout current harddrives sata cable is plugged into.

here is a sata cable end where you can see the L

Another option is to install the drive into a new external enclosure. Something similar to one like this: https://www.amazon.com/ORICO-Toolfree-External-Enclosure-Support/dp/B00GAML7OK

Wow! Spectacular advice! Thank you - and thanks for the link. You certainly went above and beyond - and I am a Amazon Prime member. So in the meantime - I will not touch the drive, until I get this one. My fingers are numb at the tips...so doing detailed things on the harddrive and the motherboard, is not a good combination. But for the cost...to get back 1.5 tb or so - is nothing at all. Also, if this does not solve the problem with this drive - the same thing happened with a couple - which I replaced. Creating music - photography - Photoshop - and music videos...gobbles up space quickly.

Awesome! I'll let you know what the outcome is. Thank you.


Blaze Oliver

 

[popatim]

Hopefully the drive is not damaged and you can get to your files. Please do not format the drive if windows asks you to.

 

[Blaze Oliver]

Wow! Spectacular advice! Thank you - and thanks for the link. You certainly went above and beyond - and I am a Amazon Prime member. So in the meantime - I will not touch the drive, until I get this one. My fingers are numb at the tips...so doing detailed things on the harddrive and the motherboard, is not a good combination. But for the cost...to get back 1.5 tb or so - is nothing at all. Also, if this does not solve the problem with this drive - the same thing happened with a couple - which I replaced. Creating music - photography - Photoshop - and music videos...gobbles up space quickly.

Awesome! I'll let you know what the outcome is. Thank you.


Blaze Oliver
I took the link you provided, then as a good consumer, I looked at a lot of other exclosures. After a lot of searching, I BOUGHT the item you suggested. I can't wait to get it Thank you so much! It's a big time save if it all works on THIS drive. I am thinking I could buy a very large external - like above 10 terabytes - a bake a backup. It looks like a quality unit.
Thanks again!
Blaze Oliver

 

[popatim]

Just so you know, many of the newer larger drives use Shingle Magnetic Recording (SMR) to pack more data onto a platter and reduce costs.
SMR can be horribly slow writing , especially if it has t rewrite or write over data already in sectors. Adding more data is usually not an issue.

So come back and ask about any drive you might be interested in if you feel its a concern for you.