EIDE malfunctions

I'm still using two EIDE HDD's (well actually only one, because I'm no longer wasting any time w/the other one). Both of them have this bizarre problem where once every 6 months to a year, the EIDE controller won't recognize the HDD's and I have to open up the box and disconnect and reconnect the data and power cables then they work perfectly. What's even stranger is that sometimes the HDD will just disconnect while its running and when I disconnect/re-connect the cables SMART doesn't even register anything as having happened. The SMART statistics for both EIDE HDD's report nothing wrong with them. One of them is a WDC 320 GiB and the other is an IBM Deathstar 80 GiB.

Does anyone know why this happens? Is it some sort of bi-metallic issue between the connectors? Does SATA ever exhibit this kind of problem?

Thank G-d I never have to disconnect and re-connect all the hundreds of electrical connectors on my Ford Exploder or Jeep Cherokeet every year or so.

I was going to suggest possible corrosion on the contacts that is causing the issue. Being EIDE, I'm assuming the cables and hardware (controller and HDDs) are old, and probably have surface oxidation on the copper contacts. You can get contact cleaner for electronics and try spraying all of the contacts to see if it helps, though you won't know for months. You could also try some dielectric grease if the environment you have the hardware in calls for it (high humidity?), though you would need to make certain the grease does not bridge any contacts.

Mpegger said:

I was going to suggest possible corrosion on the contacts that is causing the issue. Being EIDE, I'm assuming the cables and hardware (controller and HDDs) are old, and probably have surface oxidation on the copper contacts. You can get contact cleaner for electronics and try spraying all of the contacts to see if it helps, though you won't know for months. You could also try some dielectric grease if the environment you have the hardware in calls for it (high humidity?), though you would need to make certain the grease does not bridge any contacts.

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I do live in a high humidity environment (i.e. close to the ocean).

I never bothered to figure out if it was the molex power connector or PATA connector that was the connection issue.

Dielectric grease sounds like a good idea: http://www.w8ji.com/dielectric_grease_vs_conductive_grease.htm

Maybe I could just paint the EIDE pins w/the grease and a small paintbrush.

Maybe EIDE connectors don't have a tight enough connection?

There is very little pressure and in some cases, contact patch between the male and female pins in the connectors (dependent on who manufactured it as some manufacturers make some really nice tight fitting pins with plenty of contact patch, from what I have seen in various connectors of all types). Being in a humid area could allow moisture and air to work their way inbetween the contact patch and build up enough of a oxidation layer that it would cause symptoms as you described.

Ever had a really old pair of headphone where the plug looks like it has a white powder and you had to wiggle it around or spin it in the socket to get good contact? Same concept when you pull out the plug and set it back in, and all is well cause of the thin layer of oxidation being rubbed off at the point of contact allows the electrons to flow, till the elements somehow work their way in again and cause oxidation once more.

I've always avoided dielectric grease being spread all over the place, even though it should be non-conductive, when using it in connectors with multiple sockets/pins. I would use it on the EIDE connector female ends and wipe off whatever didn't get in the female sockets. This way when the male pins are inserted, it'll just spread the grease within the socket, and should make for a good seal against the elements.

It could also be a form of chip creep.

The contacts on the IDE cable and HDD are gold plated, so it won't be corrosion, now the power connector can have corrosion on the contacts. It can also be connector creep, that's where due to vibration and heating and cooling of the connectors they come out little by little.

Are all gold plated? I've seen plenty of cheaper acid washed copper pins that just look gold, especially in more recent hardware as gold was getting expensive to use even in the minuscule amounts used for plating. Even seen gold plating so thin that first insertion scratches it right off.

magellan said:

I do live in a high humidity environment (i.e. close to the ocean).

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This. I can almost guarantee it. Unless the motherboard itself is starting to wear out. The salt water in the air will eat metal overtime. I'd try and track down new cables (I'm sure you can still find some for cheap) and get some electronics cleaner and give the IDE pins and molex pins a good scrubbing.

mepis said:

This. I can almost guarantee it. Unless the motherboard itself is starting to wear out. The salt water in the air will eat metal overtime. I'd try and track down new cables (I'm sure you can still find some for cheap) and get some electronics cleaner and give the IDE pins and molex pins a good scrubbing.

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I can barely stand the humidity of living here. When it gets moderately hot (80 degrees F) it's misery because of the humidity. I like the desert @ 105 degrees F better than 80 degrees F and high humidity.

I think I'm going to try the dielectric grease idea and spreading it on the female cable connectors, but what kind of dielectric grease to get I don't know. I'd like to get a kind of dielectric grease I could also use on my Ford Exploder battery terminals.