SATA Hard Drives

[Clifford Haynes]

Karl Larsen wrote:
>     I have this computer on a SATA hard drive and it keeps failing. The 
> failure is in the data cable or the power cable and I can't tell for 
> sure which is bad. I am now using the old style power because the SATA 
> drive has this still. That stopped the failures for awhile.
>
>
>   
SNIP
>      I looked at the BIOS and it said NO hard drives! Turned off the 
> computer and pulled off the cover a giggled the two ends of the data 
> cable. Turned it on and it booted right up. It looks normal again.
>   
 From the description of above, I suspect either a bad cable which needs 
replacement or contaminated/dirty contacts.  Case in point on my own 
crash & burn:

Replaced & added more memory to my Compaq Presario.  I "thought" I had 
all cleaned out.  Some how I missed a bit of dust.  The theory of all 
electrical & electronics working on smoke reared it's ugly head.

What happened:  Three pins on the memory stick arced through some dust 
causing a thermal melt down.  This took out the memory sticks, the 
mother board & the power supply.

Bottom line is:  Check & clean all connections when you 
change/remove/replug _anything_.  I learned this the hard way.  Even 
_new_ machines are suspect.

This is my suspicion from your problem description.  It is one action 
that is overlooked so many times.

Theory of smoke states that all electronics work on smoke.  Once you let 
the smoke out, they quit working.

I hope this helps you prevent a hardware crash & burn.

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