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5476

Living Room / Re: Hard Drive electrical failure... trash it?

« Last post by 4wd on September 09, 2008, 03:06 AM »

So how do you convert these charts (in watt) into volts and amperes ?

-Armando (September 08, 2008, 09:24 PM)

NOTE: Only applicable to a regulated DC supply, (AC power is a different beast altogether).

P = V * I

Power (in Watts) = Voltage (in Volts) * Current (in Amps)

therefore:

Current = Power/Voltage

2.5" drives run off of +5V, (no 12V required), so using the first drive listed in that chart, (Fujitsu MHV2200BT), for example:

Current = 2.2/5 = 0.44A = 440mA

It would lead you to believe that running that drive would be fine off of one USB port.

Wrong.

The time when most current is drawn is at drive spin-up, if you go to Fujitsu's own specs for the MHV2200BT, you'll see that spin-up current is rated at 0.9A maximum - just 100mA within the combined limit of two USB ports.

Personally, I take anything I read on Toms Hardware as less than reliable, they're only interested in power usage after the drive has spun-up and stabilised.  Being an ex-telecommunications technician and a electronics hobbyist, I always much rather look at a spec sheet.

My mate has an external 2.5" HDD that he uses, he taped up one of the USB A plugs because all the PCs he plugged it into ran it fine on just one - when he tried to do it on my PC I told him to use both or p*ss off 

BTW, in case you use an external USB hub please be aware that even though each USB port can supposedly supply 0.5A, unless it is externally powered you are limited to a total of 0.5A for ALL the ports on it because it is still only getting it's power from one PC USB port.

5477

Living Room / Re: Hard Drive electrical failure... trash it?

« Last post by 4wd on September 09, 2008, 02:28 AM »

Yes. If the adapter gets hot with nothing plugged into it, it is definitely toasted. If not, get a voltmeter and test that it's pumping the juice it should.

-Edvard (September 08, 2008, 06:08 PM)

Switchmode PSUs really require a load in order to regulate correctly - therefore you'll need to plug it into a HDD before you can accurately measure the voltage.

That may be true, (I used to do that all the time with stuff I built) but it's not all that diodes do. They also rectify AC voltage and introduce a 0.6V voltage drop (unless it's a zener) and your electronics downstream can sometimes depend on that. I would NEVER bypass a diode, unless I knew exactly what it was there for and could make a solid call that it didn't matter.

We are talking about a HDD.

A normal HDD doesn't run on AC, (and one diode is not sufficient to fully rectify it anyway), and a HDD doesn't need a 0.6V voltage drop, which is only relevant for generic silicon diodes - it could be from approx. 0.2-0.7V depending on diode type, (discounting zener diodes).

On a HDD, the diodes connected to the power connector are only there to protect against reverse biased power - it is assumed you are using a fully-functioning, fully-regulated PSU with a correctly wired plug.

If you really want to get your hands dirty and hack this thing, check your adapter first and if it's alright, try soldering in a replacement diode. It's got a high chance of not working, it'll probably involve a magnifying glass and a steady hand, but the experience may well be worth it. I bet you got a spare diode around somewhere, maybe even cannibalize one from a really dead drive.

Just make sure the cathode, (the end of the diode with the band), is connected to the +5V rail and the other end is connected to GND.

But personally, I wouldn't bother replacing the diode.  Remove it, power it up on a real ATX PSU, get your data off and then toss it if you don't want to live with it like that.

5478

General Software Discussion / Re: Send some info of your PC!

« Last post by 4wd on September 07, 2008, 06:57 PM »

Monitor -------------------------------------------------------------------
SAMSUNG SyncMaster 204T/204Ts/204B, SyncMaster Magic CX201Ts (Digital) ----
SAMSUNG SyncMaster 204T/204Ts/204B, SyncMaster Magic CX201Ts (Digital) ----
SAMSUNG SyncMaster 204T/204Ts/204B, SyncMaster Magic CX201Ts (Digital) ----
SAMSUNG SyncMaster 204T/204Ts/204B, SyncMaster Magic CX201Ts (Digital) ----

-mouser (September 07, 2008, 09:58 AM)

mmmmmmmm................four monitors.............big games.............mmmmmmmmmmm

5479

Living Room / Re: Hard Drive electrical failure... trash it?

« Last post by 4wd on September 07, 2008, 05:48 AM »

If I ever going to buy such a device again, it will be a small one that uses a notebook harddisk, which requires no more power than what is coming out of an USB port.

-Shades (September 06, 2008, 09:00 PM)

Two USB ports actually.

USB ports are rated at 0.5A @ 5V each.  Modern 2.5" hard drives require at least 0.8A @ 5V to spin up.

Always plug in both USB A plugs before you even consider plugging in the external 2.5" drive otherwise you run the risk of blowing the protection on a single USB port, (usually a fusible link).

Mind you, I certainly admire those with the skill and persistence to do Gothi[c]-type surgery on on the guts of such pieces of esoterica as routers. 

-cranioscopical (September 06, 2008, 07:39 PM)

I choose to repair things, (doesn't matter what it is: electronic; electrical; mechanical; two pieces of wood; anything), because today's throwaway society is just fundamentally wrong.

Or maybe it's because I'm too cheap to pay for a replacement for something that should of damn well worked in the first place

5480

Living Room / Re: Hard Drive electrical failure... trash it?

« Last post by 4wd on September 07, 2008, 04:22 AM »

I have a question --> Could a hard drive's bad circuit board (ie : short circuit) burn an external AC adapter ?

-Armando (September 06, 2008, 12:47 PM)

That depends, any decent external switchmode adapter will shut itself down when it sees a short.  However, with the cheap PSUs they generally supply with external cases anything could happen.

What I also have to find out is if 

1- the problem is ONLY with the hard drive,

Follow what I say below regarding removing/identifying the component and then plug it into a decent ATX PSU - you don't need anything else plugged in.  You can start the PSU by shorting the green wire in the ATX motherboard connector to any black wire, (ie. signal /PS_ON to GND, ATX pinout).  Then just let it run for a few hours by itself - all ATX PSUs will shut off if they see a short.  If the PSU is still running at the end, then all that remains is to see if you can get data off of the HDD.

2- or if I've been unlucky and either or both my enclosure and brand new sata to USB converter went bad and one (or the other) destroyed my hard drive at some point. It's possible, isn't it?

More likely, the adapter that came with the enclosure.

3- and/or my enclosure destroyed my hard drive, and then my hard drive destroyed my STA to USB converter...

of course, I'm afraid to exchange my burnt SATA to USB converter  and burn the new one too -- could a bad drive really do that???

Used HDDs are cheap, (very cheap), grab one from a PC repair place.  AU$5 for a used 40GB SATA HDD is about the going rate here.  You can use it to test the converter first then the external enclosure.  Use a known working ATX PSU or adapter before you even think of testing using the adapters that came with the converter/external case.

I could follow 4wd's suggestion and bypass the diode... Is the diode what I "circled" in the picture?

First you need to ascertain whether the component is in fact a diode.

Do this by removing the component, any soldering iron with about a 2-3mm spade bit will do.

Then grab your multimeter, set it to resistance scale, put one probe on the (ex)diode pad on the right then check for a short to some of the pins on the SATA power connector.  The pad on the left already goes to what is +5V on the SATA power connector, (SATA power), the pad on the right should go to GND.

If you get a short from the right pad to some of the power connector pins that correspond to GND then it's 99.9% probable it was a protection diode, (it's there to protect against the power being reversed).

Check once more to make sure there is no short between the left and right diode pad.

You should be able to plug the drive into a PSU and retrieve data off of it - I recommend you plug it into a spare connector of a real ATX PSU.  They are far better than the cheap adapters supplied with external cases.

There's no problem running the drive like this, my mate has run one this way for a couple of years.

As above, that diode is only there to sacrifice itself if you happen to reverse connect the power.

BTW, which connector was used to supply power when it fried (SATA or 4pin molex) ?

5481

Living Room / Re: "Waiver of Liability"... suggestions?

« Last post by 4wd on September 06, 2008, 12:23 AM »

1)You will not hold Brandon Seal responsible for loss of data, funds, or other items because of the provided services.

-wreckedcarzz (September 05, 2008, 11:52 PM)

You need to go the "All care but no responsibility" route 

I would think it would sound better as:

1) While all due care is taken to ensure the integrity of your data, etc, etc.

Signed & authorized by:____________________ on ___/___/20__

You're limiting yourself to services performed in this millenia, think the bigger picture.....maybe they'll come up with a cure for death 

You could also have the layman's version:

Whilst all due care is taken on work performed, sh*t happens!

5482

Living Room / Re: Hard Drive electrical failure... trash it?

« Last post by 4wd on September 05, 2008, 08:58 PM »

If you're hardcore, you can exchange drive circuit boards if you can find an identical match... people have done that with the quantum fireball disks and others.

-f0dder (September 05, 2008, 05:10 PM)

Actually, it might be even simpler than that.

I've had faults where it's just the protection diode has either shorted or gone open and it's just a matter of removing it or bypassing it.

Given that there are indications it's a short, isolating the protection diode might bring it to life long enough to transfer any data off of it.

Any chance of a high-res pic of the HDD pcb?

Who knows, maybe one of us has an identical HDD lying around we can send you the pcb off of.

5483

General Software Discussion / Re: Send some info of your PC!

« Last post by 4wd on September 05, 2008, 07:56 PM »

Where to start 

PC 1: Old Dell GX150 Pentium III 1GHz, integrated gfx, sound, 512MB SDRAM, 160GB IDE - now a testbed, OS is whatever I happen to be experimenting with, it's original function was replaced by PC 2.

PC 2: VIA EPIA SP8000EG, VIA 800MHz CPU, integrated everything, XP Pro SP3, 1GB DDR, 120GB Samsung HDD, LiteOn Slimline all in a SNT AR600 case - sub 30W PC always on and downloading.

PC 3: Acer Travelmate 2201LCi laptop, now with Pentium 4 2.4GHz, 764MB DDR, 80GB HDD, Radeon 9000 IGP, XP Home SP2 - odd job and world travelling laptop.

PC 4: Athlon 1600+ on a AsRock K7S41GX, integrated video/audio, 512MB DDR, 80GB HDD, XP Pro SP2 - wife's PC - touching of the PC is strictly forbidden while there's nothing wrong with it 

PC 5: AMD 5000+ X2, Gigabyte MA78G-DS3H, 4GB DDR2, ~2.2TB of HDD, nVidia 7600GT, XP Pro SP3 - general work/play horse, currently waiting for Radeon 4850 and AMD 95W Phenom 9750 to drop in price.

And hiding in the closet is my Amiga 3000 with CyberStorm PPC180, 132MB RAM, 2.8GB HDD, A2065, Picasso IV with all addons, AmigaOS 3.9.

5484

Living Room / Re: Sony Recalls Certain VAIO TZ Series Notebooks Due to Burn Hazard

« Last post by 4wd on September 05, 2008, 12:29 AM »

Probably because they started using their own batteries....

 

5485

General Software Discussion / Re: Easy remote access to my home pc?

« Last post by 4wd on September 04, 2008, 10:13 PM »

Interestingly enough, that is the main reason why I use it with Mom. I can't convince her that she should use a password and log on to her desktop. She just wants to turn it on an go.

Which goes to show - one product's limitation is another product's feature!

-40hz (September 04, 2008, 06:22 AM)

I don't consider not using a password a limitation - the opposite in fact.  In some cases having a password is a liability.

In XP, for accounts without a password you have to be physically present to use the account - this includes admin accounts.  Having a password allows remote login.

If your remote access security is not up to scratch then having a password is bad, imho.

CrossLoop, (or some other remote program requiring physical interaction), is a far more secure way of doing things.

Having said that though, I run a headless downloader that the only access to is via RDP because it was more responsive and better integrated - then again, there's nothing on it I can't afford to lose.

5486

Living Room / Re: Show us the View Outside Your Window

« Last post by 4wd on August 30, 2008, 11:04 PM »

Greetings from Kalorama, location in UICBM, (Universal Intercontinental Ballistic Missile), format: S37.81836 E145.36428

View from my study when not obscured by Police helicopters 

Not in any of the pictures but Melbourne is around to the left approx. 55km away.

5487

General Software Discussion / Re: I love my computer configuration...

« Last post by 4wd on August 30, 2008, 07:45 AM »

I make my own portable versions using a combination of InstallRite 2.5 (application cloner) and AHK, or ThinApp.

-the3seashells (August 29, 2008, 10:39 PM)

Silly question but....to make ThinApp packages don't you need the ThinApp Packager ?

If so, isn't it a little excessive at US$5000 ?

Or, have I missed something really obvious ?

You can trial it for 60 days, do the packages still work after this ?

I mean, I use a lot of portable software and try to find replacement portable versions for others but I don't think I'd spend US$5000 just for the ability to create it myself.

5488

General Software Discussion / Re: navigate webpage results automaticaly and save them

« Last post by 4wd on August 28, 2008, 07:50 PM »

the problem is that I need to do this inside the web browser, because the website needs authentication, which is not easy to achieve in webpage offline downloaders (it is not webpages in http://user:[email protected] format, but it requires web form authentication)

-kalos (August 28, 2008, 05:43 PM)

Sounds like a job for either GreaseMonkey, AutoIt and AutoHK but unless you're willing to provide some details I don't think anyone will be able to help:

eg.

GreaseMonkey - you need to provide access to the site so as to be able to create a userscript to do the actions you want.
AutoIt/AutoHK - you might get away with providing a screenshot of the site so as to give reference to mouse movement/actions and/or key input.

I think these are the most likely automated options barring a dedicated program.

If the website is using a form for verification then it most likely sets a cookie and you could use a website downloader that can use the cookie.

Try FireFox with DownThemAll! - it can supposedly download all links on a page.

5489

General Software Discussion / Re: Mozilla Ubiquity Prototype Available

« Last post by 4wd on August 27, 2008, 10:41 PM »

Powerpint?

-cranioscopical (August 27, 2008, 09:18 PM)

No, that's what you get when you slip the barman an extra $1

5490

General Software Discussion / Re: NirSofer Updater?

« Last post by 4wd on August 27, 2008, 06:20 PM »

Nirsof's tools are, for the most part, small and portable.

Being portable makes it kind of hard to provide an updater that can keep track of their whereabouts on people's drives.

About the only ways for an updater to know what's there is to:

1) Have the programs leave a current installed directory key in registry somewhere every time they're run - but who's to say the person won't move them between last program run and running the updater?
2) Have the updater scan all your hard drives every time it's run to find them.
3) Have the updater ask the user to input the path of every one of the programs, (or group folder).

5491

General Software Discussion / Re: Mozilla Ubiquity Prototype Available

« Last post by 4wd on August 27, 2008, 01:53 AM »

As soon as anyone uses the word "Empower", I get an overwhelming urge to grab the 12 gauge and do some target practice...   

I don't care how good they think their product/service/whatever is - if they can't sound like a normal human being instead of a personal fitness trainer they've lost me before they've even begun.

5492

General Software Discussion / Re: PC Upgrade - A few questions

« Last post by 4wd on August 24, 2008, 10:04 PM »

About the RAM, if you're not going to overclock, you're just fine with plain DDR2 800, but be sure to follow mouser advice.

-Lashiec (August 24, 2008, 07:24 PM)

Unless you're into overclocking and pushing your hardware to the limits, I'll go one further and say buy the RAM recommended for the motherboard.  You'll have far less problems as Gigabyte have tested that RAM with the board.  BTW, though the board is listed as supporting DDR2-1200 even Gigabyte on the QVL recommend running the RAM at 1066 for modules higher rated.

Also, ensure you are buying the latest revision of the motherboard.

5493

General Software Discussion / Re: Graphics corruption -- Why?

« Last post by 4wd on August 24, 2008, 09:51 PM »

DriverCleaner is trustworthy?

-Armando (August 24, 2008, 09:19 PM)

I still use the really old version 3.3 from 2004, never had a problem with it.

5494

General Software Discussion / Re: Graphics corruption -- Why?

« Last post by 4wd on August 24, 2008, 09:05 PM »

My wild guesses:
1. graphic card's faulty drivers - reinstall them,

-fenixproductions (August 24, 2008, 08:57 PM)

As per fenix, this is the first thing I'd try with the added step of removing them completely using DriverCleaner - DC Pro 1.5 is the last free version.

5495

General Software Discussion / Re: Graphics corruption -- Why?

« Last post by 4wd on August 24, 2008, 08:56 PM »

Possibly since your last graphics driver update?

What happens if you minimise the windows, refresh the Desktop, then restore the windows?

5496

General Software Discussion / Re: Desktops V1.0 - a virtual desktop manager from Sysinternals

« Last post by 4wd on August 24, 2008, 07:40 PM »

2kartalFor me: this is the first tool from SysInternals which doesn't work like it supposed to. I have the same desktop four times only. I cannot set this up to have i.e. Opera in D1 and TotalCommander on D2. Each application is available on each desktop. When I maximalize an app on one of these... it gets maximizet in others too. Same functionality built in nVidia driversworks without any problems.

-fenixproductions (August 24, 2008, 02:27 PM)

Exactly the same problem, (or "feature"), here - nothing but Desktop 1 replicated 4 times along with all application windows.

5497

fSekrit / Re: A version of fSekrit to handle small binaries?

« Last post by 4wd on August 24, 2008, 03:12 AM »

I'm just not sure it's worth it, unless you can come up with compelling reasons why there's no other application fitting your needs

-f0dder (August 23, 2008, 03:17 PM)

I haven't really Googled too hard but the only application that comes close.....isn't an application at all.

It's hardware: a USB flash drive with a password locked partition.

AxCrypt isn't a fully portable, self-decrypting container to which files can be added or removed.

TrueCrypt is probably closer in that you can create an encrypted file that functions as a folder but again, while TrueCrypt itself can be run in Traveler mode to make it portable, in no way can the encrypted file be considered a fully portable, self-contained, self-decrypting container - you need TrueCrypt to be able to add to it, (and possibly even open it).

5498

General Software Discussion / Re: Which Software to Password Protect a Partition on a Hard Drive?

« Last post by 4wd on August 23, 2008, 08:04 PM »

You can do it if you're willing to use Compressed Folders, has the advantage of being native to the system thus requiring no extra software.

See KB306531

5499

fSekrit / A version of fSekrit to handle small binaries?

« Last post by 4wd on August 21, 2008, 11:32 PM »

Having just found the goodness that is fSekrit, (yeah - I'm kinda slow), I have a request.

I currently use fSekrit just for program serial number info, (I don't keep much of any other personal non-computer related on the computer), but some of the programs I have use more than just a serial number to legitimise the installation.

eg. Daemon Tools Pro Advanced uses small bits of the program code, (I think), as the keyfile - the program just won't work without it.  (BTW, prior to v4.11 these 'keyfiles' were ~400kB but are now in the area of 1-2kB.)

What I would like is a way to store these small bits of binary in fSekrit.

My idea is that if I drag'n'drop a keyfile onto fSekrit it will encode it using yenc, (or whatever - chosen just so I could describe it), and place an appropriately named icon in the fSekrit window.
When I need to use the keyfile, I drag the icon to the Desktop or wherever and fSekrit will deyenc(!?) it.

Optionally, if I drag a keyfile that actually contains text data, I would get a popup asking me how I wanted to save it, either just insert as text or as a yenc encoded binary.

An example is the cFosSpeed keyfile which contains lines of text that have name, address, license type, license data, serial number, etc in a file called key.cfosspeed so you just have to double click on it to have it accepted by the program.

Feasible?

I personally wouldn't mind if it was a separate program or having fSekrit operate in one mode or the other, (text/binary).

BTW, I know this is somewhat different than the way fSekrit currently operates in that it currently leaves nothing behind but I'd be happy having to wipe the file myself after I'd used it.

5500

General Software Discussion / Re: How to clone large HDDs?

« Last post by 4wd on August 21, 2008, 10:25 PM »

It should be noted with laptops that if you set a 'Harddrive password' in the BIOS, it's a good idea to remove it BEFORE you clone the drive.

-4wd (August 20, 2008, 07:54 PM)

Shouldn't be necessary - if you can boot the system and the disk password is entered, you'll be getting the right data. AFAIK, it's not like you're going to get scrambled data if you don't have an authenticated disk; you will simply be denied access to it. ATA disk passwords != full-disk encryption

-f0dder (August 21, 2008, 09:33 PM)

I didn't say it was but on my 5 year old Acer laptop if you specify a HD password in BIOS it locks that harddrive to that motherboard by way of the hardware IDs.

You would find that you could no longer boot the system and the data on the drive is no longer accessible by that laptop, (as normally installed), as you said.

The above caused a new motherboard AND harddrive to be installed under warranty in my laptop.

I had a HD Password set when the following happened.

The motherboard developed a fault, so it went in for repair.  They replaced the motherboard, only the laptop would now not boot because the drive and motherboard ID no longer matched for when the password was set.
So, not realising this (because I forgot to tell them and remove it - which I couldn't anyway because of the board fault), they replaced the drive as well.

Result: a new motherboard, drive and lost data.

I was just lucky that it was less than 7 days old and apart from installing a couple of apps I hadn't had much of a chance to fill the drive.

All in all, much easier to remove the password beforehand when cloning or doing a full image backup.