External Drive Enclosure

[davg]

I have a HP media bay drive enclosure with a 500g sata hard drive that just quit?? I get a message "the usb device not recognized?? I have connected my HD inside my computer and it works fine so the fault is with the enclosure?? I can connect a 30 gig laptop drive and it works fine. It sure sounds like a power supply problem any ideas what to look for?

[goontron]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

yes, it sounds if some power rail has sagged out of limits. is this that hotswap wannabe on a HP desktop or is it the real (4 bay) thing here https://h30094.www3.hp.com/product/s...tno/661618-B21?

[davg]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

Its the hot swap for HP Desktop, a personal media drive that can be either used in a media bay or just used as an external enclosure

[davg]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

Like this one

[stj]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

so open it and lets see the guts!

[davg]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

Thanks as soon as I get an opportunity I will post some pictures in the meantime it has a cooling fan and I am not sure it is spinning up?? could this cause the problem?

[stj]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

unlikely - does it have a tacho output?

[davg]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

I did check the fan and it do work. so your are right not likely the problem No tech output that I can see.

[davg]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

As promised here is some pictures

[stj]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

nice.
plug the psu in,
and meter the voltage on the 2 things that look like regulators - u13 and u14

[Agent24]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

U2 looks like a DC-DC converter with that big diode and inductor connected to it

[davg]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

nice.
plug the psu in,
and meter the voltage on the 2 things that look like regulators - u13 and u14

U13 looks like BA33P reading left to right (with ground on top) Black on center pin, red on pin 1- 3.297v and red on pin 3 - 5.11v
U14 looks like CB18p reading left to right (ground on top) black on center pin red on pin 1 - 1.783v red on pin 3 - 3.296v I don't have a date sheet so not sure which pins are in or out

[stj]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

pin 1 is output - and they seem o.k.

they are 1117 compatable 3v3 and 1v8
i suspect the initial 5v is from the switching supply mentioned by agent24

so power-wise that only leaves the 12v to check.

i cant see any access to the connector solder-joints - best to plug it into a harddrive & meter the connections on the drive-side.
it's the wide-part.

did you try it with a 3.5inch drive, or a 2.5inch one?
2.5 wont need 12v.

[davg]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

Reading 5.17v only. 12v is missing?? 3.5 inch drive will not work a 2.5 inch drive will work just fine

[stj]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

then you found the fault - trace the 12v contacts back & see where they lead.

[davg]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

Success!!! at least temporarily?? The fault is with a ribbon cable that connect the front and back boards. This cable has separated from the board with the sata connector dropping the voltage to that board. I am not sure if this ribbon cable was soldered to the two boards or just glued in place?? right now I have soldered it but it don't look pretty however it do work but sometime I get a message "the hard drive need to be formatted before use"

[stj]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

maybe it's pulling too much current for the connections - see if the 5v & gnd have the same poor looknig connections.

[davg]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

maybe it's pulling too much current for the connections - see if the 5v & gnd have the same poor looknig connections.

Thanks stj.Yes it do and I will be going back over the thing later to try and fix up the poor solder job (soldering not my specialty)

[davg]

Re: External Drive Enclosure

I just tried the original 500 gig 7200rpm drive in this unite and I am still getting "the usb device is not recognized" (The drive do work connected inside my computer) Also I but in a 250gig into this unit and it will work?? I have not re-soldered yet