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Thread ID: 111061 2010-07-12 08:39:00 HD - soldering the cable on it. Nomad (952) Press F1
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1118171 2010-07-12 08:39:00 Hi, I have a 500GB Seagate which the plastic around the data connector has come off completely .

It won't be my main drive .

I thought about cutting a SATA cable and solder the wires onto the HD, assuming the cable is just serial . Would it work? I can push one pin up and the next one down to give me a bit more working space .


:)
Nomad (952)
1118172 2010-07-12 09:06:00 This is a sata drive? Hmmm, might work if you use a low temp soldering iron, I wouldn't risk a normal one.

But then I've broken the drive end of a sata drive once, just fitted the cable over it and not moving it or the case again, it was fine without any attachment.
pctek (84)
1118173 2010-07-12 10:40:00 thanks, i will give it a shot.
i will try the cellotape approach first and see how long that last for.
Nomad (952)
1118174 2010-07-12 10:47:00 Does SATA use twisted-pair wires internally? If so, you'll have to be careful cutting the end off to make sure you've got the right conductors.

You also mention pins on the connector - I thought SATA just used a direct trace on the PCB? - you won't be able to move those, surely?
MushHead (10626)
1118175 2010-07-12 10:49:00 no idea about twisted stuff hope not :p or break open the connector to see how they are.

those pins yeah it's movable cos the whole plastic is gone.
there are just 4 individual pins now left.
will try the cellotape method first cos without it the cable is too flimsy it falls off after i take my hands off it.
Nomad (952)
1118176 2010-07-12 10:53:00 ..
But then I've broken the drive end of a sata drive once, just fitted the cable over it and not moving it or the case again, it was fine without any attachment.

A hot glue gun will probably help to secure the connection in place.
bk T (215)
1118177 2010-07-12 20:53:00 Hot glue won't work, it will cause problems - I've seen 2 that people tried that with. One killed the HDD totally. pctek (84)
1118178 2010-07-13 00:17:00 A hot glue gun will probably help to secure the connection in place.

I also broke the sides of the first SATA HD I had, and learned very quickly to be more careful.

Tried hot glue but not enough adhesion to work as a permanent fix.

Finally I bound the HD lead and the power lead together very tightly with two cable ties to give a satisfactory solution that has been trouble free for a year or more now.

I can post a photo if you can't figure it out.

Did I read somewhere recently that an improved SATA "contained" connector has been designed that presumably stops wiggling from side to side which is how I broke mine?
brig (1359)
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