WD2000 harddrive power pins 1

[Jack4242442]

Ive had a WesternDigital WD2000 200GB harddrive for about a year now that hasnt been usable and I just got the urge to get it fixed. (I'm not talking about the Maxtor one that I just bought that I mentioned in a different thread of mine, this is a different HD)

I'll just attach a link to a photo of the drive instead of trying to explain it in detail. I don't believe it has a warranty and I am SURE this has happened to other people and I am determined to find a solution to this as this is a good sized harddrive! I don't care if I have to get a smaller WD drive and swap parts, etc I just want it working.

http://photobucket.com/albums/a295/kool2092/harddrive/hd.jpg

Thanks a million!

 

[G0AOZ]

Two options that I can see...

(1) Get a Molex "Y" connector or extender cable, chop the Molex off one end and solder the wires directly onto either the circuit board, or poke them into what exists of the original connector pins and solder.

(2) Take a Molex plug apart, chop the wires off the pins. Narrow down the ends of the pins where the wire was crimped, insert into the hole of what remains of the existing pins in the drive and carefully solder. This will be a much more fragile connector than the original, but ought to do the trick if you use care when connecting and disconnecting power cables to the drive.

Good luck!

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[Jack4242442]

THANK YOU! I am glad to see that there are solutions to this! I will get one when I can get to a computer store and try it, thanks much! I'll reply back with the results.

 

[Jack4242442]

Actually, what if I just got some thick wires and put them into one of my existing molexes and soldered the opposite end into the harddrive. That way I could take the harddrive out and still use the molex for another device. Would this work, and what type of wiring should I look at? Is it really necessary to solder right into the molex?

I'm only asking because I don't know how to replace a broken molex if I accidentally mess up, since I've never dealt with power supplies.

 

[rvnguy]

Jack4242442,

Please, follow the first suggestion from "G0AOZ"

"(1) Get a Molex "Y" connector or extender cable, chop the Molex off one end and solder the wires directly onto either the circuit board, or poke them into what exists of the original connector pins and solder."

to prevent your concern in your last post.

rvnguy

"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[G0AOZ]

Well you could do that, but just pushing the wires into a spare Molex (female connector) coming from the PSU is inadvisable. Vibration, cable movement when PC is moved, etc., could shake one or more wires free. And this would be bound to happen just as you were writing something important to the drive!

By purchasing a Molex "Y" connector or an extender cable, not only do you get the correct size and type of cable, but you have your male Molex plug ready to connect to the (female) connector from the existing PSU. If you get an extender cable, just cut off the female plug and solder the four wires into the stubs of the pins on the hard drive. Job done!

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[Jack4242442]

Ooooh that's exactly what I was thinking about after I posted. lol. I'll go to the computer store and ask for a molex extender cable. So this way I can solder the wires from the new extender cable into the harddrive pins and the opposite end can plug into one of the original computer molexes? Sweet as. I'll get one tomorrow if I get the time and energy.

 

[G0AOZ]

Jack4242442, yes I think that's the way to go. Take the usual static precautions when you come to solder onto the drive.

Let us know when you have the drive successfully up and running...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[edfair]

Suggest that you go to the manufacturer's site to get the layout of the "AMP" power connector. Since this was an integrated connector set there is no guarantee that the pins were not reversed. Hooking them up backwards will insure that the drive becomes worthless.
Most drives have the interlocks up when the power connector is viewed to the right of the IDE interface. Looking at the drive from the rear with the HDA up and board down.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[G0AOZ]

Ed, from the picture supplied I think the pcb is conveniently screen printed close enough to the pin connections for there to be little doubt as to which pin requires which voltage.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[edfair]

You are probably right. My video didn't show it well enough to be absolutely certain.

 

[micker377]

Coincidence: I'm in the middle of replacing a WD200 for a client. Bad sectors - scrambled data.
MDL: WD200BB - 75CLB0
DATE: 17 SEP 2001
DCM: HSBAET2CH
REV A00

If worse comes to worse, maybe I can ship the board to you.

 

[Jack4242442]

Thanks. BTW I still haven't gotten around to getting a soldering iron and a molex extender yet. How much solder would u guys recommend me putting in?

 

[G0AOZ]

Jack, it's impossible to tell you quantity-wise. If you're going out to buy some, then get the smallest pack in the store. You need multicore solder (flux already in the core), and a small iron probably around 15 to 25W. You should only use enough solder to thoroughly tin the wires, and then just enough to flow between each wire and its connection point. Avoid huge blobs, make sure the solder doesn't bridge between two separate connections, and no solder splashes on the hard drive's pcb.

If you don't use a soldering iron very often, then I'd suggest a few practise sessions before tackling these hard drive connections.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[Jack4242442]

well i tried it, but when i plugged it in it starts to turn on and then does these weird clicking noises and then about 30 seconds later, it quits. One time of trying it (after re-doing the soldering) the computer turned off after the harddrive quit (10 seconds after actually) and then a few seconds later the safety switch was triggered on my electrical box.

i think i need to just get a new board like micker377 mentioned.

 

[G0AOZ]

Difficult to be specific, but one of two problems here. Could be the well known click of death from a drive about to go to PC heaven, or in the case of the safety cutout, connections to the drive round the wrong way.

I guess you gave it your best shot...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[Jack4242442]

so u mean i could try de-soldering the wires and then soldering them in the opposite way? like instead of (from left to right) red, black, black, yellow; i could try yellow, black, black red? or would that not do any difference?

Well if this doesn't work, do u know of a place where i could order someone elses fried drive (but has a working top board complete with the power pins, etc) and replace mine with that one?

-Chris

 

[G0AOZ]

Chris, maybe I should have made it clearer to you that there is only one way to wire up a power connector to the drive. Your photo shows the underside of the drive, and going from left to right the connectors are (as screen printed on the drive pcb), +12v, 0v, 0v, +5v. Normal standard colour codes for PSU molex wire connections are, +12v YELLOW, 0v BLACK, 0v BLACK, and +5v RED. If you offer up a molex power connector to this drive whilst it is upside down, you will see that the two chamfered edges of the connector will mate with what is left of the socket, when these chamfers are positioned on the lower edges of the molex. This equates to wire colours from left to right of your picture, YELLOW, BLACK, BLACK, RED.

This is the only way the drive can be connected up and operated successfully. Incorrect connection may damage the drive and/or PSU.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[edfair]

If the 5 and 12 were reversed I would expect that the board is now beyond repair. The last one I fried took less than 4 seconds, long enough to sizzle and for me to get to the power button.

 

[G0AOZ]

Can't speak for a Western Dij but I had Maxtor which got connected through a rogue molex extension (+5 and +12 reversed) and the PSU closed down in about 5 seconds. When the drive was reconnected with the correctly wired molex extension it still worked. I think we were lucky this one though...

ROGER - G0AOZ.