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View Full Version : WTF, new PSU blew my HD?

funksoulxl
11-23-2006, 10:11 AM
Hi,

just yesterday I plugged in my new Seasonic S12-500 PSU, all according to instructions. Upon first boot, I could hear my Maxtor 160GB IDE HD "blow up", ie it emitted a noise and smoke, followed by a burnt smell. There went my WinXP system along with another 80GB of data.

The boot would hang at the Detecting IDE disks... message and the only way to be able continue was to boot holding DEL. then I checked in BIOS and indeed the drive was nowhere to be detected. I then checked the drive itself and it had a small burnt-in hole in one small chip on the PCB.

The comp boots up fine now and I have another SATA HD where I just installed a fresh copy of WinXP. But 'm worried to attach anything else on the PSU as it stands. Luckily it burned a HD and not my brand new sparkling MSI X1950Pro :D

Now my question is, how can something like this happen? I have changed PSU in my rigs before, but I never expected it could damage a part of it... damn!

Do you guys have any ideas?
Super Nade
11-23-2006, 10:46 AM
First, pictures please :)

Did you have problems with the drive piror to using this PSU? Looks like the drive's actuator assembly just gave way. Please post the model and serial number of your drive.
GalvanizedYankee
11-23-2006, 12:22 PM
Are you sure that the 4 pin Molex was not flipped, sending 12V into a 5V pin.
The PCB/logic chip uses 5V and the motor/voice coil uses 12V, iirc.

I've read of this happening several times with HDDs, opticals and fan controllers.
GilmourD
11-23-2006, 12:55 PM
Are you sure that the 4 pin Molex was not flipped, sending 12V into a 5V pin.
The PCB/logic chip uses 5V and the motor/voice coil uses 12V, iirc.

I've read of this happening several times with HDDs, opticals and fan controllers.

True. When I worked at CompUSA, one of the other techs did that and shot sparks half way across the shop. LOL
funksoulxl
11-23-2006, 01:24 PM
Are you sure that the 4 pin Molex was not flipped, sending 12V into a 5V pin.
The PCB/logic chip uses 5V and the motor/voice coil uses 12V, iirc.

I've read of this happening several times with HDDs, opticals and fan controllers.

Oh my, this might actually be the most reasonable explanation I have come across so far. Yes, Seasonic uses a slightly different Molexes so I might have plugged it in flipped and not noticed at all. Food for thought.
GilmourD
11-23-2006, 01:40 PM
Oh my, this might actually be the most reasonable explanation I have come across so far. Yes, Seasonic uses a slightly different Molexes so I might have plugged it in flipped and not noticed at all. Food for thought.

If you did do so, there would probably be evidence on the molex connector from trying to squeeze it into the drive the wrong way.
kimandsally
11-24-2006, 01:39 PM
I killed a hard drive in a similar manner, I made a lead to undervolt myfans to
5v then forgot and used it to power the hard drive, it did the same as what you said then was dead, so it sounds like you may have got it in upside down.