Think Twice Before Connecting a Disk Drive

Before You Do Anything, Think Twice

I would like to warn all hardware users against the excessive excitement that usually comes with buying new equipment.

Recently, something like this happened to me:

I bought a disk drive from a friend. We arranged it over the phone, so the drive had to be sent by mail. I waited a few days, and at last the moment arrived... I came home and saw the parcel. My adrenaline shot up several times over. I threw my jacket on the floor, ran into my room, and began unpacking the shipment. As I took out the contents, I read the instructions on how to connect everything. I was so excited that I put the separate 5.25-inch drive down upside down. As a result, I connected the plugs the wrong way round.

The power socket put up a bit of a fight, but with a little extra force I managed to connect everything. I switched on the “Power” button and... a terrible grinding noise. Something started humming, then stopped after a few seconds. The drive showed no sign of life.

I spent the whole day angry with myself, trying to figure out what might have been damaged. In the end, though, everything turned out fine. I only had to replace the internal fuse.

Now, whenever I buy something new, I’ll check everything slowly and calmly before turning it on. I recommend you do the same.

— Maniu