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    Is this HDD toast?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by ricksaint, Sep 14, 2011.

  1. ricksaint

    ricksaint Notebook Consultant

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    I have a 1TB WD caviar green HDD that I usually put in an enclosure to accsess from my laptop. I have lost the power adaptor that came with the latter, so I tried a couple of different ones that didn't work, until I found one (for a Yamaha keyboard) that worked. Maybe that was a bad idea! All yesterday it was working fine. This morning when I turned it on, it wouldn't work, but was making a regular ticking sound as if it wanted to start spinning but couldn't. I tried another 500 gig drive in it and that one worked fine.
    I just checked the info on the box the enclosure came with (just found it), and the adaptor it came with is rated 3 amps. The Yamaha adaptor is rated 700 mA, which is 0.7 amps.
    Is it possible that the amps are just not enough for the Yamaha adaptor to turn the disc? That once I replace the adaptor with the right one, it will work?
    Otherwise is there any way to salvage the HDD if it has been damaged?
     
    ricksaint, Sep 14, 2011
    #1
  2. goofball

    goofball Notebook Deity

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    Sounds like it doesn't have the required power from the adapter. Remember that you're also powering the controller board for your enclosure, not just the hard drive, with the adapter.
     
    goofball, Sep 14, 2011
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  3. 6730b

    6730b Notebook Deity

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    Chances are it's the 0,7A supply that got toasted by overload and is no longer capable of given a correct voltage, even for a short period. The hd should still be fine (hopefully). Get a suitable supply and\or check the hd in a desktop.
     
    6730b, Sep 14, 2011
    #3
  4. ricksaint

    ricksaint Notebook Consultant

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    Phew! I got a 3 amp adaptor and everything is back to normal.
    Thanks guys.
     
    ricksaint, Sep 14, 2011
    #4