Harddrive not connected - Freecom Computers & Internet

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5363591&CatId=3988

1) Remove ALL power. Remove the AC adapter (Charger) and Battery.

2) Remove the Keyboard.

3) Remove the Upper Cover. (Palm Rest Cover)

4) Remove the LCD Module. (LCD screen assembly)

5) Remove the harddrive in it's harddrive caddy.

6) Remove the harddrive from the harddrive caddy.

http://www.newircusers.com/aspire-one-ao531h-ba01-dv/

Scroll down a little, click on the title name -
Upper Cover Disassembly Flowchart

Scroll the page down. (Do not click on the Video Download thing. It's cr@p advertisement)

Buy, and use an ESD wrist strap. (Electro Static Discharge)
Connect the alligator clip to a good ground source.

[I connect to an unpainted surface, of an open, empty desktop computer case.
You can set a large metal serving tray, (Unpainted), on the table, and connect to it.
Or you can connect to a large metal knicknack. (Unpainted) ]

Use a multi-compartment container for the various screws you will remove. Label each compartment for the area the screw/s come out of.
If no multi-compartment container is available, you can substitute with a clean egg carton. Label each egg holder.

SOME screws look VERY similar to other screws.
Advise DO NOT mix them up.

If you scroll the main page down towards the Bottom, you can click on - Lower Cover Disassembly Flowchart, and see where the Harddrive is located.

(SSD Module.
Either the netbook comes with a Solid State Drive harddrive, or a SATA harddrive.
Where it states SSD Module shows the location of either type of harddrive )

Scroll towards the lower/middle of the page, and you can click on -
Replacing the HDD Module.

For additional questions please post in a Comment.

(I thought there were a lot of good articles on that 1 page, pertaining to your netbook, and that's why I posted it)

Regards,
joecoolvette

Inside that plastic external case of the Hitachi XL 1000 external harddrive, is a regular desktop computer sized harddrive.

It is a SATA type of harddrive.
It is 3.5 inches across in Width. (3 and a half inches)
1 TB in size.

Looks similar to this example,

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5589521&CatId=2459

On the back end of the Harddrive is where it's power cable, and data cable are attached.

Inside the case of the Hitachi also is a small circuit board. (PCB or Printed Circuit Board)
The SATA harddrive is connected to this small circuit board.

The small circuit board, or Interface PCB , is attached directly to the Harddrive.
Or cables (Wires) are used to connect it to the Harddrive.
The Interface PCB is connected to the computer, via the USB cable that is attached to the Interface PCB.

It is this small circuit board that usually goes bad.
(Unless the external harddrive was on, and dropped. Then the problem is the Harddrive)

There are two solutions;

One, buy an 3.5 SATA external enclosure, and use the Harddrive as an external harddrive again.

Two, install it as a Slave drive in a desktop computer, and retrieve all your information. Burn to disk/s, or flashdrive/s.

When using a SATA harddrive as a Slave drive, there are NO jumper pins to mess with.
DO NOT change any jumpers on the back of a SATA harddrive.
(These are for the factory)

This is an example of a 3.5 SATA external enclosure,

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2145406&CatId=2780

There are no guides to open a Hitachi XL 1000's case, to my knowledge.
It isn't something the manufacturer wants stated.

However opening the external enclosure (Case) isn't that tough. It falls under the same as this model,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ_vjyvK28A

Here we see at 3:00 through 5:00, that the Harddrive is attached directly to the Interface PCB.
Just remove the Harddrive from the chassis, and unplug it from the Interface PCB.

For additional questions please post in a Comment.

Regards,
joecoolvette

One bad lead can cause a computer to continue on a cycle or to shutdown or fail to boot

Test all leads that attach to your hard drive including electrical extensions,IDE,SATA

the leads from your motherboard to your hard drive make sure they have a secure connection and are not faulty or just replace them there probably old and faulty

make sure all leads that are attached to your drives dvd\cd 3 1/2 inch floppy have secure connections and are not faulty or just replace them they are probably old and faulty ?

During the boot process you will see on the screen to press a certain key to enter setup
Press and hold that key during the boot up process to enter BIOS the scroll down to advanced bios features press enter change your first boot device to ......,press escape then press f10 to save to cmos to restart

The BIOS is AMI. Under ADVANCED SETUP:
The options listed for 1st,2nd ,3rd Boot device include:

IDE-0 means Pri master ?
IDE-1 means Pri slave ?
IDE-2 means Sec master ?
IDE-3 means Sec slave ?

?

? single or master :::::

master with slave ::'::

???????????????? slave? :::':

note the plastic jumper is

Is this problem for an IOmega Prestige 500GB external harddrive?

While I wait for you to post in a Comment,

1) Inside that external harddrive's case, is a Harddrive just like what is used in a laptop computer.
The harddrive's case measures 2.5 inches across in width. (2 and a half inches)

The harddrive is a SATA harddrive. (Serial ATA)

At one end of the harddrive is a series of connector pins. These pins plug into a female connector, or receptacle.
The receptacle is called an Interface.

http://www.allpinouts.org/index.php/Serial_ATA_%28SATA,_Serial_Advanced_Technology_Attachment%29

The Interface will have connections for Data, (Information), and Power. (Socket holes that match the pins on the SATA harddrive)

In the link above the data, and power connections for the Iomega external harddrive, will probably be a combined unit. As shown in the 8th illustration down, in the above link.

The Interface can be soldered directly to a circuit board, (PCB, or Printed Circuit Board), or will be attached to the circuit board through wires.

Usually it is the circuit board that is the problem. Components burn out, or circuit traces on the circuit board are burned apart.
(Think of a circuit trace as being a very flat, thin copper wire)

There may be a situation where the harddrive itself has come loose from the Interface. Doesn't have to be very loose to make a bad connection, resulting in the external harddrive will not work.

My proposed solution:

Open the external harddrive's external enclosure, (Case), and see if you can see any readily apparent visual signs as stated above.

No visual signs that show you that you can just plug the Interface onto the harddrive, making a tight connection?
Or plug the harddrive into the Interface, if the Interface is soldered to the circuit board?
Or no obvious signs of blackened spots on the circuit traces?

It could be that one, or more I.C.'s are bad, and are not readily visible.
(I.C. = Integrated Circuit)

Weigh buying a used Iomega Prestige 500GB USB 2.0 harddrive, and use it's circuit board, and external enclosure, against what a professional recovery service will want to recover your data.
Not trying to be trite. Am asking you to weigh the costs.

One place that came up in a search just now, that is supposed to have used Iomega Prestige 500GB USB 2.0 external harddrives,

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B001D7REIK/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used


How to open the external enclosure:

Remove the external harddrive from the stand. Remove labels for access to screws. The screws will probably be Torx screws. A star shaped recess in the screw head,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torx

May be Philips head screws, but I'm betting on Torx. (Probably metric Torx also)
You should be able to find a cheap set of Torx screwdrivers at an auto parts store. Perhaps just the bits to use in a 1/4 inch nutdriver.

Once the screws are removed the internal parts slide out of one end, or the case comes apart in two halves, and the ends come off.
(Internal parts being the harddrive, and circuit board)

Not a very professional,approach, just for an added source of opening an external harddrive's case,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ_vjyvK28A

The harddrive is not working, or is not connected properly.

Shut the laptop down.
Remove the battery.
Turn the laptop upside down.
Remove the screws in order to remove the harddrive cap. (The acer laptops have small signs on the caps. The cap that has the little circe-cylinder signs on it, should unlock the harddrive)
Remove the screws keeping the harddrive in place.
Remove the harddrive.
Clean the connectors on both the harddrove as the motherboard.
Reconnect the harddrive and turn the laptop on.

If it is working, turn it off, and fit all the screws in again.

If it is not working, then you probably have to change the harddrive. You could also connect the harddrive to another computer, to make sure if it is broken.

Your computer BIOS is not recognizing your harddisk. This can be for several reasons...
1. The ribbon cable is not connected tightly to the harddrive or the onboard harddrive controller. Make sure both ends are securely fastened.
2. The power cable is not connected securely to the harddrive. Make sure it's on the drive securely.
3. Your harddrive has failed.

Dear ragalgey,
As far As I can remember, most TV design to receive the signal to watch whatever you want limited to available TV station in your local broadcaster.
If you think you connect your harddrive to TV USB or 15pin (VGA cable) then you can watch the movie file from harddrive is a totally wrong!
You need a drive or a player for those file that capable to configure your TV to play them. Or at least you need a PC or Laptop Computer that played your harddrive then send the images/video via Video Out Jack (Yellow) from your laptop, or connect the 15pin VGA jack from Laptop PC out then plug in to your TV. In this case you'll need the Jack/adapter to convert from 15pin VGA from laptop to available Video jack on your TV.
Good Luck!

Best Regards,
bionic23

There have been problems plaguing the LaCie external harddrives, for quite some time now.

The issue directly relates to the interface, inside the external enclosure. I don't know if you are acquainted with harddrive designs, or the interface that they plug into. If you are, disregard the following.

This is an average example of an IDE harddrive, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hard_drive-en.svg
Looking at this illustration, note where it points to -> IDE Connector. The illustration isn't very good, but those dots are metal pins.
The connection inside your external harddrive,
that connects to the harddrive itself, is called an Interface. This is a plug that has socket holes, to match those metal pins.

Now we go a little deeper. There are two types of harddrives. One is an IDE harddrive, the other type is a SATA harddrive. Your LaCie
will have a SATA harddrive inside.
Instead of the 40 pins that an IDE harddrive has, the interface for a SATA harddrive has 7.
(It has 15 pins for the power connection)

Now my solution:
Should you wish to save data that is on your LaCie external harddrive right now, I suggest you buy an external enclosure, (SATA), take out the hardrdive thats in your LaCie, and install it in the enclosure.

Since, the dimensions of the, LaCie design by Porsche 160GB external harddrive are:
Height -> 1.4 inches, (About 1-1/2 inches)
Width -> 4.4 inches, (About 4-1/2 inches)
Length -> 7.4 inches, (About 7-1/2 inches),
I'm willing to bet the harddrive inside is a desktop harddrive size. (3.5 inches across in width)
http://www.lacie.com/download/datasheet/porsche_hd_en.pdf

These are examples of 3.5 inch SATA external enclosures,
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=2780&name=3.5-eSATA-enclosure&Nav=|c:2778|&Sort=0&Recs=10
(A $25 or $35 unit will work just fine)

pls use the professional cable to connect the hard drive.

The one u can refer to here; http://www.gameyeeeah.com

get a New 2.5'' laptop hardrive, and follow the steps: - Turn off the Laptop - Take off the Power Supply - Remove the Battery - Remove the Screw from the Harddrive cover plate - Once cover removed,romove the other (2) screws that hold the harddrive - Slide the Harddrive toward the Screw Hole - Lift the Connection End. - Slide the New Harddrive towards the connection end, Put back the Screws & cover plate - install a new copy of Operating System.
hope this is helpful 'suraj'