I want to shoot the inventor of SATA power connection!!

[tankman1989]

I was bidding on about $30,000 (used price, $150,000 new) of business servers in an auction and I started to copy a file and my computer locked up. I didn't know what it was at first I thought it was a normal Windows issue but I'm working with a new install. So as the auction was in overtime I couldn't place the bid before time ran out (it was running in 5 min increments in "overtime") The winner got the lot for $660 (16 Dell poweredge servers, (3) - 6Kva UPS, and LOTS more!!!!)

I was tdetermined to figure out what it was and I found the SATA power cable had wiggled off a bit and was a litte crooked but still largely on it. The system wouldn't recognize the drive on reboot until I pushed the plug in.

ALL SATA power and serial cables should have to have that metal clip/fastener on them. Problems like this NEVER happened with Molex and IDE drives like they do with SATA drives.

What a crappy night and 12 hours of research wasted.

 

[phaZed]

Could be a good time to think about a RAID array. Sorry to hear about your bad luck.

 

[tankman1989]

Could be a good time to think about a RAID array. Sorry to hear about your bad luck.

Yeah I have a 500GB RAID array in this machine for my main backup/storage drive and I also have an extra 500GB as another drive. Now that I think about it, this setup doesn't make a whole lot of sens. 2 drives are mirrored while another drive isn't for a total of 1GB. I could run a RAID 5 and have the same storage, maybe alittle more speed and full redundancy. THANKS for the tip, I don't know why I didn't think of this before!

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Problems like this NEVER happened with Molex and IDE drives like they do with SATA drives.

I've gotta say...looking back over the years of working on systems with PATA drives...I can recall a few times when reseating the ribbon cable brought a failed drive back online. Agreed...they fastened tight and wouldn't fall off by themselves. (but I also haven't seen a SATA cable fall off by itself) Also, PATA cables would occasionaly experience failure and need to be replaced. I've yet to replace a SATA cable.

 

[MotzTech]

Just out of curiosity, where was that auction? Was it on E-bay or some other site? I have been looking for a cheap server to have in my shop for testing purposes.

 

[tankman1989]

I've gotta say...looking back over the years of working on systems with PATA drives...I can recall a few times when reseating the ribbon cable brought a failed drive back online. Agreed...they fastened tight and wouldn't fall off by themselves. (but I also haven't seen a SATA cable fall off by itself) Also, PATA cables would occasionaly experience failure and need to be replaced. I've yet to replace a SATA cable.

I am going to look into setting up a RAID 5 instead of a RAID 1 and a solo 500G. Same total space but redundance across the drives.

I decided to always have 2 machines working on the bidding process in case one locks up for some reason. Had this been in place I wouldn't have had the issue.

 

[carrcomp]

I've gotta say...looking back over the years of working on systems with PATA drives...I can recall a few times when reseating the ribbon cable brought a failed drive back online. Agreed...they fastened tight and wouldn't fall off by themselves. (but I also haven't seen a SATA cable fall off by itself) Also, PATA cables would occasionaly experience failure and need to be replaced. I've yet to replace a SATA cable.

I have to disagree.

Sata seems to be just as affected to creep as many other componants that get loose.

 

[compnet]

I hot glue connectors that feel at all loose in my computers. Learned that from a CNC customer.

 

[carrcomp]

I hot glue connectors in my computers. Learned that from a CNC customer.

Who needs glue when you have toothpaste?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I have to disagree.

Sata seems to be just as affected to creep as many other componants that get loose.

Dunno...maybe because I've worked mostly with business grade computers...and the cables and how they're fastened seem to be more carefully thought out and engineered...versus those that work on lots of "home built cloners" with lots of bargain parts.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

*thinks of all the times molex power adapters have been a PITA*

I will defend him with my life!.....

*looks into who im going to be defending*

....James Rubino died 2 years ago so guess thats out the window.