SATA Power Cable Caught Alight!

Backa_ · 16 Sep 2017 at 21:22

So I was working on a clients laptop where his hard drive was corrupted and wasn't loading Windows. I went through the process of elimination and decided I'd plug it into my test bench and load Linux up. After I plugged it in I the test bench and turnt it start smoking pure white smoke from the cable and I could see a bit of fire starting. Quickly I turned it off at the PSU and went to unplug the cable from the hard drive. The cable was very warm. Any ideas I'm thinking a short somewhere?

darael · 17 Sep 2017 at 01:11

I've only seen this with an adapter before. Is it connected to an adapter or one of your PSU connectors?

Backa_ · 17 Sep 2017 at 01:18

darael said:
I've only seen this with an adapter before. Is it connected to an adapter or one of your PSU connectors?

No it's connected with the power supply cable no adapters

BaroUK2 · 17 Sep 2017 at 01:21

Power connectors on the harddrive itself doesnt look healthy at all unless that is caused after cable is burned.

Backa_ · 17 Sep 2017 at 01:35

It was definitely after

Chaos666 · 17 Sep 2017 at 16:55

moisture on the power connector?

Backa_ · 17 Sep 2017 at 16:59

Who knows, I'm going to attempt to recover the data tomorrow as I've been up since 4pm yesterday uk time tryna get my pattern on track

hyperseven · 17 Sep 2017 at 17:03

Maybe your mutant gene had just activated?

edscdk · 17 Sep 2017 at 18:35

Oddly I had the same issue a week ago on an all in one (fixed 100s of pc the is the first time I've seen it) it was the cable in my case - replaced cable everything ok

freddie64 · 18 Sep 2017 at 08:47

Wonder if it could have been a misaligned sata pin in the connector?

If it was out of position, it could have crossed over another pin when you connected the HDD.

That connector looks like it has no blade cutting into the second cable, or is it just blackened where it got burnt.