# SATA HDD with molex and SATA power connections



## Ketxxx (Nov 12, 2007)

Title explains most of it. I was asked if plugging BOTH the molex and SATA power cables into a SATA HDD with both types of connections would do any harm, I said plugging both in would likely cause enough of a zap to destroy the data on the HDD, if not kill the HDD due to too much voltage being fed to it. Somebody I don't even know then butted in saying nothing would happen, an I was like  voltage dude, voltage! So to try and settle this once and for all, does anyone have a SATA HDD with both SATA and molex power connections or knowns in general what may happen. The HDD in question is a Western Digital.


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## pt (Nov 12, 2007)

my buddy hdd says clearly not to connecto both


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## panchoman (Nov 12, 2007)

i would hope that it wont take the molex power if it gets sata power, but if it takes both, i hope you dont get a fried hdd..


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## Widjaja (Nov 12, 2007)

I have plugged both in by accident and nothing happened with the WD cavier 160GB SATA.
I was certain I was plugging in the power to my IDE but I didn't notice the SATA power connector right next to it for some reason.


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## Ketxxx (Nov 12, 2007)

Ok, so 50\50. If it helps any the WD in question is about a year old, 120GB.


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## newtekie1 (Nov 12, 2007)

Ketxxx said:


> Title explains most of it. I was asked if plugging BOTH the molex and SATA power cables into a SATA HDD with both types of connections would do any harm, I said plugging both in would likely cause enough of a zap to destroy the data on the HDD, if not kill the HDD due to too much voltage being fed to it. Somebody I don't even know then butted in saying nothing would happen, an I was like  voltage dude, voltage! So to try and settle this once and for all, does anyone have a SATA HDD with both SATA and molex power connections or knowns in general what may happen. The HDD in question is a Western Digital.



Yeah, don't connect both, it is BAD!  I have 3 WD drives with both, and it is clearly marked not to do it.

http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc...HQ9cG93ZXIgY29ubmVjdG9ycw**&p_li=&p_topview=1

Send him there if he has any questions.  It clearly says:



> Do not connect both the SATA and the legacy ATA power cable to the drive at the same time. This may result in damage to the drive.


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## wiak (Nov 12, 2007)

i have connected both and didnt do any damage but its good to only connect one at a time


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## Ketxxx (Nov 12, 2007)

There we go then ppl, figured it was bad for the WD but its good to know for certain


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## Mussels (Nov 12, 2007)

Ketxxx said:


> Title explains most of it. I was asked if plugging BOTH the molex and SATA power cables into a SATA HDD with both types of connections would do any harm, I said plugging both in would likely cause enough of a zap to destroy the data on the HDD, if not kill the HDD due to too much voltage being fed to it. Somebody I don't even know then butted in saying nothing would happen, an I was like  voltage dude, voltage! So to try and settle this once and for all, does anyone have a SATA HDD with both SATA and molex power connections or knowns in general what may happen. The HDD in question is a Western Digital.



they die. WD are the only ones with both connectors, and they will either not power on until you remove one, or they will just die and never power on again. if you buy them retail (in a box, not OEM) they often have a warning sticker/pamphlet with them.


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## kwchang007 (Nov 12, 2007)

My friend plugged both in...until he saw the book and was like OH SHIT and unplugged the molex.  So I guess in the short term it doesn't do anything.  In the long term I have not a clue.


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## Ketxxx (Nov 12, 2007)

Mussels said:


> they die. WD are the only ones with both connectors, and they will either not power on until you remove one, or they will just die and never power on again. if you buy them retail (in a box, not OEM) they often have a warning sticker/pamphlet with them.



HAH! I KNEW it!


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## keakar (Nov 12, 2007)

i cant think of any reason connecting both at the same time would hurt the drive or power supply. all you are doing is connecting two wires with the same voltage to one device so its not like they are different voltages. 

(im not that sure about power supply to sata drives so forgive me if im wrong about not using different voltages)

i think the reason you are told not to connect both at the same time is in the event of a short circuit it may not have proper trip protection to your system. 

naturally you dont want to be doing it if you run dual psu. (might mix up the wires)


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## Deleted member 3 (Nov 12, 2007)

Most drives clearly state "do not plug in both".

As for voltage, logically you'd think the wires end up together anyway and therefor the voltage would remain the same as it is connected parallel. For some reason it doesn't work this way and drives can die when both connectors are connected. As mentioned above some drives simply don't work, they're probably protected against this kind of misuse.


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## keakar (Nov 12, 2007)

DanTheBanjoman said:


> Most drives clearly state "do not plug in both".
> 
> As for voltage, logically you'd think the wires end up together anyway and therefor the voltage would remain the same as it is connected parallel. For some reason it doesn't work this way and drives can die when both connectors are connected. As mentioned above some drives simply don't work, they're probably protected against this kind of misuse.



it must be like ac fans then, they have speeds regulated by sending power through more or less windings which increases or decreases speeds but if two are connected to power at the same time they cause a backfeed of electricity that shorts out the whole motor even thou nothing was actually grounded.


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## Darknova (Nov 12, 2007)

I did that and ran my drive for over a month when i first got it. It was perfectly fine if a bit hot (read - 75'C!!).


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## Mussels (Nov 13, 2007)

DanTheBanjoman said:


> Most drives clearly state "do not plug in both".
> 
> As for voltage, logically you'd think the wires end up together anyway and therefor the voltage would remain the same as it is connected parallel. For some reason it doesn't work this way and drives can die when both connectors are connected. As mentioned above some drives simply don't work, they're probably protected against this kind of misuse.



its because of voltage differences, one could be 5.05v and the other 4.95v, and if so the power can try and travel backwards along some paths to 'even' the voltages out. This obviously doesnt go well, and the drive could shut off for safety, or have the electrics just die.





Darknova said:


> I did that and ran my drive for over a month when i first got it. It was perfectly fine if a bit hot (read - 75'C!!).



Good example - 75C can kill drives.


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## Darknova (Nov 13, 2007)

Mussels said:


> Good example - 75C can kill drives.



I shat myself when I noticed lol, but it's still going strong (Hurrah for Excelstor).


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## surfsk8snow.jah (Nov 13, 2007)

Ok here's an extension of your question. I have 2 WD Raptors, each with the SATA power plugged into the PSU, but with an HDD cooler fan/heatsink plugged into its MOLEX connector leeching power that way. The fans work, and so do the HDDs, perfectly actually.
Now, I just setup my PC within the past week, so I'm wondering about long-term? Is it alright to be leeching power this way?


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## Darknova (Nov 13, 2007)

surfsk8snow.jah said:


> Ok here's an extension of your question. I have 2 WD Raptors, each with the SATA power plugged into the PSU, but with an HDD cooler fan/heatsink plugged into its MOLEX connector leeching power that way. The fans work, and so do the HDDs, perfectly actually.
> Now, I just setup my PC within the past week, so I'm wondering about long-term? Is it alright to be leeching power this way?



Woah woah what?

Let me get this straight. You have your HDD plugged in via SATA, and the Heatsink/fan is plugged into the molex ON the HDD itself?

I'm surprised it works. NO, that's REALLY not a good idea. It needs to be plugged into a seperate molex.


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## Deleted member 3 (Nov 13, 2007)

Darknova said:


> Woah woah what?
> 
> Let me get this straight. You have your HDD plugged in via SATA, and the Heatsink/fan is plugged into the molex ON the HDD itself?
> 
> I'm surprised it works. NO, that's REALLY not a good idea. It needs to be plugged into a seperate molex.



Nonsense, it's logical that it works, the wires are connected directly and there is no reason it should be bad.


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## Darknova (Nov 13, 2007)

DanTheBanjoman said:


> Nonsense, it's logical that it works, the wires are connected directly and there is no reason it should be bad.



From what I read it wasn't. He had the HDD plugged in by the SATA power cable, and the fan/heatsink plugged into the molex of the HDD. That would mean the HDD is acting as a bypass, which can't be good for it.


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## freaksavior (Nov 13, 2007)

there was a thread similar to this a few months ago:

A guy had a raptor and he plugged sata power and molex power in and he then stated the drive would not power up with one or both in it. the post mentioned that is was brand new too :shadedshu


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## Deleted member 24505 (Nov 13, 2007)

Why would you even want both the molex and sata power in at the same time anyway? I think its too dodgy to risk losing a drive for.


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## keakar (Nov 13, 2007)

because people often believe just because it has a plug then something must be plugged into it


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## aximbigfan (Nov 13, 2007)

Does WD even make hdds with the dual power connector config any more? I had one that went bad (NOT because of connecting both in, for an unrelated reason), and the replacemnt didnt have the molex connector, just sata pwr. Same model number and everything, differnt revision though.

Chris


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## surfsk8snow.jah (Nov 13, 2007)

The WD Raptors I got are brand new from newegg, and they have both.

Well, I'm slightly confused on my issue still, but I guess it's probably better safe than sorry to plug them into something else besides the HDD... although it does look dang clean.


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## lemonadesoda (Nov 13, 2007)

It is rumoured, that some women like both their SATA and their molex plugged at the same time. But it is very bad for them and should not be encouraged.


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## surfsk8snow.jah (Nov 14, 2007)

lemonadesoda said:


> It is rumoured, that some women like both their SATA and their molex plugged at the same time. But it is very bad for them and should not be encouraged.



o...m...g... nice one hahaha


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