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am trying to recover data from my old 3.5" desktop HDD using a "usb to sata/ide" kit. youtube video here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_26166&feature=iv&src_vid=ZmoPGV7qWs4&v=Zvom7l-jcKE)

adapter kit is here(http://www.ebay.in/itm/261775205494?aff_source=Sok-Goog)

am wondering what to do with the PATA power port when all thats required are the "SATA power" and the "SATA data" ports. heres a pic of my HDD ports

enter image description here

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  • It's like asking how do you contact somebody when they have two different email addresses? Try one or try the other. In this case i'd suggest perhaps not to try both unless you find that each don't work alone. What if you power it up with either PATA or SATA?
    – barlop
    Commented Jul 11, 2015 at 11:58
  • and what model of hard drive is that? it's very interesting
    – barlop
    Commented Jul 11, 2015 at 12:02
  • How was it connected in the desktop? I imagine you can use either power connector (but not both). As I recall there was a period when SATA was first introduced that the disc manufacturers allowed for SATA motherboards powered by older power supplies which lacked the SATA power connector.
    – AFH
    Commented Jul 11, 2015 at 12:08
  • @AFH, yeah, i bought it around the time when SATA was being introduced for the first time....and the manufacturers would have made possible the "hybrid mode".
    – user221238
    Commented Jul 11, 2015 at 12:13
  • @AFH, unfortunately i dont remember how it was originally connected in the desktop.....disconnected it from the desktop long time back. trying to retrieve data now
    – user221238
    Commented Jul 11, 2015 at 12:14

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These were early hybrid desktop drives when people did not have sata power cables inside their desktops, so they gave you a choice of power connections, Do Not connect both of them at the same time! It will smoke the drive, don't ask how I know this... WD gave no clear warning on the consequences of doing it either.

The Molex connector was discontinued on Sata drives for obvious reasons. They started shipping sata to molex adapters with sata drives instead.

FlexPower: Connector technology that accepts power from either industry standard or new SATA power supplies.

See this PDF

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That is a very interesting hard drive, to have both a SATA power connector and a Molex style connector that PATA hard drives have.

But your question is like asking how do you contact somebody when they have two different email addresses? Try one or try the other. In this case i'd suggest perhaps not to try both (If you find that each don't work alone, then you're better off taking your drive to a data recovery place)

What if you power it up with either PATA or SATA?

You could try powering it with the PATA power and the SATA data. Or with the SATA power and SATA data.

i.e. you make sure it's got power and that the data is connected.

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  • yeah its wierd to have both the connectors. but thats how it is(hope u have checked out the image in the link provided in the question). i havent tried retrieving the data from it as yet and that is what i wanted to know i.e. what to do in this regard
    – user221238
    Commented Jul 11, 2015 at 12:07
  • your ear should tell you that it has powered up. I haven't tried a hard drive like that but i'm sure that plugging in just one of either power is playing it safe. I'd only wonder a little bit if plugging in both power at the same time! But it'd definitely not be necessary to even try plugging in both power cables! Use your ear and listen to hear if the drive powers up when plugging in just the molex/PATA power. Or just the SATA power
    – barlop
    Commented Jul 11, 2015 at 13:20
  • @barlop - Given Moab's comment. It might be helpful if you don't suggest doing both, that definitely would connect, more power then the drive needs and that's a really bad idea.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Jul 11, 2015 at 14:50
  • AT Ramhound, I said "i'd suggest perhaps not to try both unless you find that each don't work alone." <-- So to say that I suggested trying both is rather misleading. Also, if he got no power trying one and he got no power trying the other, it'd be a bit strange if he suddenly got power from both when trying both. What to do if neither work is a rather specific problem
    – barlop
    Commented Jul 11, 2015 at 14:51
  • I have improved on my answer nonetheless.
    – barlop
    Commented Jul 11, 2015 at 14:59

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