USB-to-IDE & SATA 2.5"/3.5" + Optical

[Capmaster]

I mentioned this in a topic in Computers. It's a handy little USB adapter that lets you connect and use a standard HDD or optical drive without an enclosure. It's an all-in-one cable that powers a 2.5" HDD through its IDE connector. No external power needed. Regular 3.5 and 5.25 HDDs and optical drives need to be connected to the PC's power supply, though. If you have an extra pigtail off the PS you're all set.

I've tested this out with a 2.5" 20GB laptop HDD, a 3.5" Seagate 160GB IDE HDD, a 3.5" Seagate 250GB SATA HDD and a Pioneer DVR-212 SATA DVD burner.

2.5" IDE
It worked OK for file storage and reads on the mini with the 2.5" but Acronis backup failed when I tried to do an Acronis disk/partition backup to the 2.5". It failed during archive validation saying the drive was corrupt. Strangely file transfer worked just fine I'm going to look into this some more. I have a feeling that the IDE side will work fine on the desktop. I'll update in this topic after I test it some more

3.5" IDE
Using it with the mini and a 3.5" IDE drive yielded a hard disk I couldn't initialize through Disk Management. NFG - wouldn't work I still need to try all these drives with the cable on the desktop. Even if I don't get anywhere, it's just three bucks, and it does work perfectly with SATA

SATA
All the SATA drives worked perfectly - the Seagate 3.5" 250GB drive that used to be my main desktop drive, and the Pioneer DVR-212 DVD burner. No problems at all. I was able to do an Acronis disk/partition backup of the mini to the HDD with no errors.

It's especially nice because now I can use the optical drive with my "optical-disadvantaged" HPMini netbook



Here's the 2.5" IDE side:



Here's the regular 3.5" IDE side:



The SATA is on the top

Here's the link. Sent by regular mail from Hong Hong and took about 2 weeks to get here. The price is $3.24 including shipping

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 3D1&_rdc=1

[jippiejajee]

to bad they don't ship to the netherlands

[Doramius]

Just as stated in another thread, you can easily turn an old PSU into a standalone device by just shorting the green wire with a black.

[Capmaster]

Just as stated in another thread, you can easily turn an old PSU into a standalone device by just shorting the green wire with a black.

I might just do that

[Doramius]

I said this before too, I ran them to a switch. Some PSUs don't have a switch on the back. My power station will have banana terminals and I'm seeing if there's a way I can tear apart my meter and permanently place it behind a window to make it a nicer testing station.


I'm still just designing it, but I'll take pictures as it comes along. It'll be a long while as it's not at a high priority.

[Capmaster]

I realized I don't have a spare PS anymore. I must have chucked it I'll use the connectors from the desktop.

[Doramius]

I might have extras. Probably in the 150-300Watt range....and old. But they still work. I always keep older PSUs. Even ones that don't work. I can always modify good ones with extra Molex, or incorporate SATA connectors.

[Capmaster]

I usually squirrel them away too. Power supplies have useful parts even if they don't work. Like fans and big electrolytics. I guess I was unusually aggressive the last time I cleaned out the closet

[Doramius]

I know the feeling.

[gastorgrab]

Now the GREEN wire.....is that a probable or a definite? (before i cut into it)


I just so happened to have a new Micro ATX power supply. It's a crappy quality part but has close to zero miles on it.

I also remember seeing a few of these rolling around in my toolbox. Its a Pamona part, and will accept either banana plugs or act as a binding post.





---EDIT---


What is "PWR_OK"?


.

[gastorgrab]

OK, i can confirm the GREEN wire to Ground.



*Note - All the black wires connect to a common point in my Cheap-O "PowMax" power supply. I just picked a black wire.


-----EDIT-----


My interpretation:

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Image taken on: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:24 pm
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Camera-model: C160,D395

I had a 'Take-Out' switch with three wires connected to it, but the wires were too short. Also in one of my junk piles was a 3-pin pigtail for a PC cooling fan. All i had to do was to crimp pins on the switch wires to mate to the pigtail.

One of the power leads on the supply was way to short to begin with. I never used it because it was too inconvenient. Pulling the four wires back into the case, i clipped off the four for use at a possible future binding post, to be mounted in the lid of the PSU. The ground wire for the switch is connected here.

Only one point required solder.
.

[Doramius]

You found your answer. Yes, it is confirmed the GREEN wire is the Power On lead and when jumped to common, the PSU will turn on. You'll find this universal with ATX and Mac-ATX PSUs as the standard. Older AT PSUs, the wire was GREEN or BLUE.

The PWR_OK lead is just a signal line. If it shows LOGIC-HIGH to the MoBo, it means all of the voltages are at or within proper voltage levels. If the voltages fall out of the correct level, the signal drops to a LOGIC-LOW and the MoBo will try to restart, shutdown, or not respond when the power switch is pushed.

[gastorgrab]

I only had one of those binding posts left. I decided to add another (GREEN) banana jack to the lid, but it wont be fused like the 12V post. ( I'm out of BLUE ones)

I need to dig for crimp eyelets out in the garage before make the final connection. I didnt want to solder directly to the binding post because i'm still getting it to fit. The steel shell is thinner than the offset built into the binding post. I'll have to shave down the plastic base to make it clamp to the cover.

I plan to crimp/solder eyelets to the '12V - GND' so that things are still removable, and then use a 4-pin molex connector for the final connection.

I'll put a picture up tomorrow.
.

[Doramius]

sounds cool. Looking forward to seeing it.

[gastorgrab]

I'm a little concerned about the exposed area around the 12V binding post.

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Flash: Flash fired, auto mode
Whitebalance: Auto
Camera-model: C160,D395

I may paint the area before reassembly. Just something to cover the hot-point.


Now if i can get it stuffed inside with the wiring. I reassembled after mounting the binding post, fuse, banana jack, to make sure i wasn't crashing in to anything. Right now........i think i have the wiring routed in an open area.
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[gastorgrab]

I had to use a small screwdriver to lift the wires into the positions i wanted, but YES... there is enough room.

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Image taken on: Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:03 pm
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ISO speed rating: 80
Flash: Flash fired, auto mode
Whitebalance: Auto
Camera-model: C160,D395

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[Capmaster]

Nice job!

[gastorgrab]

Do i need a load resistor?

Most web sites state that; "If the PSU is properly designed, it doesn't require a load to run". But what if your starting point is a Cheap Piece of Crap?


The 10W, 10 Ohm resistor tends to be the popular choice:

http://www.instructables.com/id/ATX--%3 ... /Planning/

.

[Capmaster]

Modern PS regulator circuits shouldn't need an artificial load added, like the 10 ohm resistor. That's probably a carryover from the vacuum tube days.

[Doramius]

I think you need to resist double posting Cap.

Yeah, you shouldn't need a load resistor. modern PSUs are much more efficient. You may notice on some others they are already filtered properly.

[gastorgrab]

I measured the output with no load and it was almost exactly 12V (and 5V).


I found this page after i posted;

http://www.directron.com/2powersupplies.html#stubborn

Starting a stubborn power supply

In some cases, a power supply may not start at all, no matter how much you coax it. In those cases, you will need to obtain a dummy load that simulates a device attached to the power supply. You can purchase a 1A resistor dummy load device with a Molex tail, all ready to be plugged in. You could also plug some fans or lights into the power supply to try and power it.

If a dummy load won't even start it, try plugging in a big device such as an extra hard drive or CD drive. If the power supply still won't start, it is probably broken, or some of the wiring (for the switch or short) is not making full contact.

I guess i'm all set then.



.

[Capmaster]

I just realized that an old case I have from one of Justin's old machines still has the PS in it I had already tried using a couple of pretty moosy AC adapters to provide the +5 and +12V, then wired them to a molex plug. The 5V was rated at 2A and the 12V at 1A max. current. But apparently they can't handle the startup surge current, particularly the 12V. The Seagate ST3250620AS spec. says the startup current could be as high as 2.8A. The HDD just makes a faint ticking noise, with no spinup whine, and the PC doesn't recognize it.

Today I'll be modifying the PS for use as my backup/external HDD supply. I think the PS is still good. If I recall he had the motherboard go belly-up in the machine. I hope it wasn't caused by a bad PS

I'll post pics.

[gastorgrab]

Cool!

[Capmaster]

OMG! What a piece of shit this power supply is It's about the cheapest OEM "buy the case and it includes the power supply" piece of crap I've ever seen. I'm surprised that it actually powered Justin's PC









Note how they didn't put any protective grommet through the sheet metal hole where the wires exit the case. They just threw a tie-wrap on there and called it a day Clearly a "let's build these as cheaply as we can" design

Also note how they "japped" the resistors (mounted them on end)


On the plus side, it should be able to handle a single SATA HDD, but I'm not sure about that. I shouldn't complain because it does have an ON-OFF switch, which surprised me a bit. Now I just need to trim back all the wires to just the lines I'll need, and short the PS ON line to ground internally, and it should work

[gastorgrab]

Note how they didn't put any protective grommet through the sheet metal hole

Yes, but it looks like they folded the metal at the edge.

On the plus side, it should be able to handle a single SATA HDD

You could almost fit it inside the case. There's plenty of room in there!
.

[Capmaster]

Never mind. It's cornholed

Probably what killed Justin's motherboard. At least I was able to salvage the fan and I added it to my desktop as another chassis fan. I've got 4 now.

[gastorgrab]

[Doramius]

That stinks, but at least you know it was a crap PSU from the get-go.