me = idiot. Can my external HD be rescued?

Skybird · 03-15-11, 11:33 AM

I had a brandnew external HD, a WD MyBook Essential with USB 3.0 and 2 TB. I copied one image to it after clean installation of Win7, then again after having installed all games, and now wanted to install a third image with my complete FS9 installation and finetuning of all options done.

I grabbed the HD - and plugged the wrong PSU into it. It was the one that supplies my FF wheel, the motors in it.

Go figure. Smoke, the smell of burning isolation. Two seconds later it was unplugged again, but it was too late, the spirit in the machine was dead. Thankfully, the HD still was not attached to the computer, no chance that any damage could have sprung over.

What has happened here? Is just the electronics outside the HD damaged, or the data surface itself? I mean can the data on it be rescued? I really would want those two images back, since they are clean and tidy - I can get it like that again only when manually installing it all again. Also, there is some personally sensitive data on it. But if I try something there, then I cannot exchange the device, obviously.

Could I break up the plastic hull and then have a normal SATA2 HD that I could plug into the tower? Does anyone know the specs of these MyBook HDs?

Is there a reasonable chance for any rescue effort, or should I write it off?

Arclight · 03-15-11, 12:02 PM

Ouch... erm, well I'd bust it open and see if there's a normal drive in there. Honestly I would buy an enclosure and pick a drive to put in there, rather than one of these unserviceable pre-built units.

If it follows the same concept though then there should be a standard HD in there that you can install internally.

(from what I can see, should be like that)

I'd try it in a different system though, just to be safe.

disclaimer: that's what I would do. Can't gaurantee it's the best course of action.

Herr-Berbunch · 03-15-11, 12:07 PM

I'd do what Arclight said.

Here is a video of how to take apart:

Skybird · 03-15-11, 02:28 PM

That's a VERY old model in that video, and I'm sure mine does not look like that. Also, I do not know if the drive inside would match the connectors in my tower, since the new tower and it's internal drive have connectors that are new to me.

I think I try to sack the money and run.

Herr-Berbunch · 03-15-11, 03:12 PM

External casings do change but the drives are pretty standard. I'd still crack it open - if I were a betting man I'd say €10 on it being compatible. And if it's not, it's only a matter of another cable for pennies.

At the moment it's unusable so what have you got to lose?

Skybird · 03-15-11, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

External casings do change but the drives are pretty standard. I'd still crack it open - if I were a betting man I'd say €10 on it being compatible. And if it's not, it's only a matter of another cable for pennies.

At the moment it's unusable so what have you got to lose?

100 Euros if they accept it as a "warranty case".

For the technical side, I simply do not know it. I can't tell you if I had IDE Hd in my old and SATA or SATA-2 in my new, or if I had SATA in my old and SATZA-2 in my new. All I see is that the cables and connectors definitely look different.

Gargamel · 03-15-11, 05:43 PM

Don't tell them about the wrong cord issue, just send it back for warranty work. Or was that costing you 100 euro for the warranty work?

If so, that's not warranty, that's robbery.

If they are charging you for the work, then just open it yourself, as has been mentioned, and figure the drives interface (The outsides change, the inside don't), and get a new enclosure for a fraction of the cost of the "warranty" work.

Or worst case scenario, as it was probably only the power supply circuitry that fried, you could find another one on ebay, and switch out the circuit board. Or just replace the fried components yourself.

Skybird · 03-15-11, 06:38 PM

I bought it new. I did not realise that I connected it to the wrong PSU before I tried to put it back into the box - it was much too big.

As I said: me=idiot, in this case.

Spend the evening with doing image and data backup wikth a WD MyPassport SE, 1 TB. I think I will have two of these with 1TB each, instead of one drfive with 2 TB. I am safer that way - in case I ruin another hardware item.

Castout · 03-16-11, 04:22 AM

Sounds like an expensive mistake

03-15-11, 11:33 AM	#1
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 40,652 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	me = idiot. Can my external HD be rescued? I had a brandnew external HD, a WD MyBook Essential with USB 3.0 and 2 TB. I copied one image to it after clean installation of Win7, then again after having installed all games, and now wanted to install a third image with my complete FS9 installation and finetuning of all options done. I grabbed the HD - and plugged the wrong PSU into it. It was the one that supplies my FF wheel, the motors in it. Go figure. Smoke, the smell of burning isolation. Two seconds later it was unplugged again, but it was too late, the spirit in the machine was dead. Thankfully, the HD still was not attached to the computer, no chance that any damage could have sprung over. What has happened here? Is just the electronics outside the HD damaged, or the data surface itself? I mean can the data on it be rescued? I really would want those two images back, since they are clean and tidy - I can get it like that again only when manually installing it all again. Also, there is some personally sensitive data on it. But if I try something there, then I cannot exchange the device, obviously. Could I break up the plastic hull and then have a normal SATA2 HD that I could plug into the tower? Does anyone know the specs of these MyBook HDs? Is there a reasonable chance for any rescue effort, or should I write it off? __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

03-15-11, 12:02 PM	#2
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	Ouch... erm, well I'd bust it open and see if there's a normal drive in there. Honestly I would buy an enclosure and pick a drive to put in there, rather than one of these unserviceable pre-built units. If it follows the same concept though then there should be a standard HD in there that you can install internally. (from what I can see, should be like that) I'd try it in a different system though, just to be safe. disclaimer: that's what I would do. Can't gaurantee it's the best course of action. __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.

03-15-11, 12:07 PM	#3
Herr-Berbunch Kaiser Bill's batman Join Date: May 2010 Location: AN72 Posts: 13,203 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 0	I'd do what Arclight said. Here is a video of how to take apart: __________________

03-15-11, 02:28 PM	#4
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 40,652 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	That's a VERY old model in that video, and I'm sure mine does not look like that. Also, I do not know if the drive inside would match the connectors in my tower, since the new tower and it's internal drive have connectors that are new to me. I think I try to sack the money and run. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

03-15-11, 03:12 PM	#5
Herr-Berbunch Kaiser Bill's batman Join Date: May 2010 Location: AN72 Posts: 13,203 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 0	External casings do change but the drives are pretty standard. I'd still crack it open - if I were a betting man I'd say €10 on it being compatible. And if it's not, it's only a matter of another cable for pennies. At the moment it's unusable so what have you got to lose? __________________

03-15-11, 05:43 PM	#7
Gargamel Lucky Sailor Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Rome Posts: 4,272 Downloads: 81 Uploads: 0	Don't tell them about the wrong cord issue, just send it back for warranty work. Or was that costing you 100 euro for the warranty work? If so, that's not warranty, that's robbery. If they are charging you for the work, then just open it yourself, as has been mentioned, and figure the drives interface (The outsides change, the inside don't), and get a new enclosure for a fraction of the cost of the "warranty" work. Or worst case scenario, as it was probably only the power supply circuitry that fried, you could find another one on ebay, and switch out the circuit board. Or just replace the fried components yourself. __________________ Luck is a residue of Design.

03-15-11, 06:38 PM	#8
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 40,652 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	I bought it new. I did not realise that I connected it to the wrong PSU before I tried to put it back into the box - it was much too big. As I said: me=idiot, in this case. Spend the evening with doing image and data backup wikth a WD MyPassport SE, 1 TB. I think I will have two of these with 1TB each, instead of one drfive with 2 TB. I am safer that way - in case I ruin another hardware item. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

03-16-11, 04:22 AM	#9
Castout Silent Hunter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Jakarta Posts: 4,794 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 6	Sounds like an expensive mistake __________________ My blog: http://exposingsingapore.wordpress.com/