Stupid SATA connectors!

[bigboxes]

Finally had to restore my main rig os drive with Acronis True Image. So, I do all my backups and put the disc in. Before I run the software and image my os drive from an archive on an external hdd I decide that I should disconnect the other hard drives just to be safe. An hour and a half later my main rig is returned to August greatness (yes, I know I need to be more diligent in my backups ). So, I have three other hard drives besides the os drive (raptor). One is SATA and two are PATA. Well, the PATA drives are connected with no problem. I was having trouble connecting the SATA drive though. So, I look at the cable. It looks a little worn (on the connector), but I think it's fine. Since I couldn't attach it from the open side (it's in a hdd cage - P180) I decide to open the back side and take care of it there. It is then that I see a bent pin. I think this is odd and use a screwdriver to carefully straighten it out. Then as I am about to attempt connect the cable to the hdd it dawns on me... I've snapped the hard drive's SATA connector OFF! I'm like WTF?! I didn't use any excessive force. Grrrrrr... I mean besides coming off easily (I know you can now buy cables with clips) they design this connector to be so fragile. Fawk! Why oh why is the connector on the hard drive not female??? Whoever designed the SATA interface should be horsewhipped.

Cliff notes: SATA = good throughput, neat little cable... stupid interface connectors. Thanks! I had to vent.

 

[eplebnista]

Originally posted by: bigboxes
Thanks! I had to vent.

We're here to listen!

 

[Boyo]

We are? Oh. Okay then.

Get those sturdy SATA cables with the metal clips. They hold up better.

 

[idiotekniQues]

yeah they do suck. right now my 400gb WD sata connector is glued to the hard drive since it snapped off while re-arranging my case - something that never happened with pata. its been workin fine for the last few months like this but when i get around to it ill have to order another hard drive and pay WD to fix the connector on this one.

 

[her34]

the connectors should have been encased like usb ports are

i guess they wanted to save $0.02 on metal...

 

[idiotekniQues]

agreed. it is frickin ridiculous.

cases get jammed up and sometimes stress is put on the connectors. the current design is so poor to save so little in materials.

 

[oldman420]

I remember when I got my first raptor that happened.
had to learn to be veeery gentle indeed

 

[Zepper]

If they had just boxed the connectors with plastic they would have been stronger by perhaps a couple orders of magnitude.

.bh.

 

[corkyg]

And the worst was a connector on my Asus P4PE mobo. When I pulled the SATA cable out of the connector, it brought the plastic surround with it - and it was impossible to get back in place easily. That resulted in a broven pin - very thin and flimsy. Solution was easy - I disabled the mobo SATA ports and put in a PCI card with 4 of them. Much better and stronger.

 

[bigboxes]

Originally posted by: Boyo
We are? Oh. Okay then.

Get those sturdy SATA cables with the metal clips. They hold up better.

Yes, those clips help hold the cable to the mobo/hdd, but that is not the standard's shortcoming. It's the connector design. It should be female on the device/mobo and male on the connector. Sheesh! I did not abuse the connector. I was gentle and this still happened. This would have still happened with the metal clips. The connector never let go of the male connector of the hard drive. I was however able to salvage the data off of the hard drive using an external case. I still had to purchase a new hdd to do so. That's $$ I didn't want to spend at this time.

 

[RebateMonger]

It always seemed silly that the SATA design folks had fifteen years to come up with a better design than IDE, and chose THAT connector design.

 

[AlgaeEater]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
It always seemed silly that the SATA design folks had fifteen years to come up with a better design than IDE, and chose THAT connector design.

They got over-zealous with the constant complaints about how large IDE cables were and the constant broken pin arguments. So they wanted to go as low-profile as possible. I just don't get why that low profile design however decided to go with thin flimsy plastic.

 

[corkyg]

I had it happen last night on a Hitachi SATA HDD - the naked flat pins are really lame. Part of the problem is that the SATA cables are so stiff - any pressure or inadvertant moving really makes them twist and torture those naked pins. I had to work care fully last ngith with tweezers and a magnifying glass to restore the leftmost pin on the drive. It got nearly twisted off. Round pins would be stronger.

 

[Goi]

Happened to me before too. The entire metal contacts of my cable were stuck to the HDD's connector, so I had to use that cable with that HDD by sliding it carefully under the contacts. Luckily the HDD failed so I RMA'ed it for a new HDD. I had to throw away the contactless SATA cable though.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: AlgaeEater

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
It always seemed silly that the SATA design folks had fifteen years to come up with a better design than IDE, and chose THAT connector design.

They got over-zealous with the constant complaints about how large IDE cables were and the constant broken pin arguments. So they wanted to go as low-profile as possible. I just don't get why that low profile design however decided to go with thin flimsy plastic.

Broken pin arguements? How the heck do you break a pin off a PATA drive?

 

[Imyourzero]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO

Originally posted by: AlgaeEater

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
It always seemed silly that the SATA design folks had fifteen years to come up with a better design than IDE, and chose THAT connector design.

They got over-zealous with the constant complaints about how large IDE cables were and the constant broken pin arguments. So they wanted to go as low-profile as possible. I just don't get why that low profile design however decided to go with thin flimsy plastic.

Broken pin arguements? How the heck do you break a pin off a PATA drive?

Really. I've had a couple of bent pins before (due to my own carelessness and nothing that couldn't be easily fixed with a pair of tweezers) but never a broken pin.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Imyourzero
Really. I've had a couple of bent pins before (due to my own carelessness and nothing that couldn't be easily fixed with a pair of tweezers) but never a broken pin.

Me neither. I've used MFM, IDE, SCSI and Floppy connectors on tons of disk drives since the early 80's and have never had a pin break. I've bent one or two, but a screwdriver blade or pliers always came through.

Here's what Wikipedia.org says about the SATA and eSATA connectors:

SATA:

"The SATA/power connector has been criticized for its poor robustness -- the thin plastic tops of the connectors (see power connector picture at right) can break due to shearing force when the user pulls the plug at a non-orthogonal angle (as is often required in tight spaces.)"

External SATA:

"The final eSATA specification features a specific connector designed for rough manipulation. It's similar to the regular SATA connector, but with reinforcements in both the male and female sides, inspired by the USB connector. It's harder to unplug and can withstand a cable being yanked or wiggled. On a SATA connector, this kind of action will break the male side of the connection (the hard drive or host adapter), rendering the device unusable. With an eSATA connector, considerably more force is needed to damage the connector, and even in this situation, only the female side (the cable itself) will break, possibly leaving the male usable."

 

[imported_AndyT]

I have never busted one, but I always cringe whhen taking an SATA cable off. They seem to get glued on there at times. Bad design to be sure.

 

[Cr0nJ0b]

I agree...a very stupid design that is made worse by cheap manufacturing.

I broke a SATA connector on an HDS drive...and it cost me...well nothing...I just snarled and sent the drive back to HDS for RMA...got a new one and have been VERY careful since then. I'm sure that I will break more in the future...but I'm paying more attention to the force I put on those cables now days.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Well so far I've not broken anything *knock on wood*

Really all they'd need to do to stabilize the connector on the drives is make it like the mobo connectors, with a little bit of framing around it. Would cost them what, another 5 cents per drive? Pass that cost onto the consumers, at say, 8 cents. Make us happy and make an extra 3 cents profit per drive.

 

[Pilbara]

Bigboxes,

I was however able to salvage the data off of the hard drive using an external case

How did you manage this??
I have a 250GB paperweight sitting in my office and I would really like to get the data back off it.
Cheers

 

[bummybumbum]

I found this old post while reading up on this SATA abomination.

I must agree with the op, I definitely want something horrible to happen to whichever clearly non-technical accountant-types who greenlit Operation Sucky SATA Connectors. I sincerely and honestly wish for whomever the guilty party is, to loose the most precious and irreplaceable family photos due to a some physical hard drive problem incited by their pathetic connectors.

Then, after the pain of losing such beloved images has nearly faded, explosive diarrhea for all of them!

Followed by a lifetime of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The type-2 variety, which also has gas problems.

If we pray collectively, perhaps this will become a reality.

 

[SKORPI0]

Bigboxes,


How did you manage this??
I have a 250GB paperweight sitting in my office and I would really like to get the data back off it.
Cheers

Wow, 1st post in 6 years. Mine. :awe:

Have you tried any of the hard drive recovery programs available? Or is there a hardware problem?