Edit - Super User

You are not logged in. Your edit will be placed in a queue until it is peer reviewed.

We welcome edits that make the post easier to understand and more valuable for readers. Because community members review edits, please try to make the post substantially better than how you found it, for example, by fixing grammar or adding additional resources and hyperlinks.

I was thinking more of the "computer sending initialisation commands to drive without power" damaging the data interface on the drive by applying voltage to the data pins when there's no power to the interface controller.
– micheal65536
Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 13:27
Ah. TTL or lower voltage on those pins of a powered-down drive board won't do any harm. at least in my experience. It's not like you were allowing static discharge voltages onto those lines.
– Zeiss Ikon
Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 14:26
Although static discharge is damaging even if the drive has power. I do know that some 4000-series logic ICs can be damaged if they are given input signals without power (and will tend to leak the signal voltage out through their outputs - incorrectly).
– micheal65536
Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 15:00
I wasn't aware of that -- I'm not familiar with IC-specific or component-level electronics, and have no idea what's on a hard drive logic board. That, however, sounds like lazy design. You can't reasonably control what will be connected to the pins when the board is powered down.
– Zeiss Ikon
Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 15:14

Add a comment |

Correct minor typos or mistakes
Clarify meaning without changing it
Add related resources or links
Always respect the author’s intent
Don’t use edits to reply to the author

create code fences with backticks ` or tildes ~
```
like so
```
add language identifier to highlight code
```python
def function(foo):
print(foo)
```
put returns between paragraphs
for linebreak add 2 spaces at end
_italic_ or **bold**
indent code by 4 spaces
backtick escapes `like _so_`
quote by placing > at start of line
to make links (use https whenever possible)
<https://example.com>
[example](https://example.com)
<a href="https://example.com">example</a>

formatting help »
answering help »