SimpleTech 120GB SIMPLEDRIVE PORTABLE USB 2.0 DESIGNED BY PININFARINA 120 GB Hard Drive Logo
Posted on Jun 05, 2010
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I have a SimpleTech 120GB external hard drive. The USB connection port at the circuit board is broken. Can I buy a new plug-in circuit board and hard case for this unit?

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  • Expert 192 Answers
  • Posted on Jun 05, 2010
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Simpletechs have a three year warranty so if your drive is newer than that it is covered. You can go to www.simpletech.com (they are really hitachi drives) for details on warranty repair. If you are sure its not covered the case can be opened and inside you will find a SATA drive and you can buy a new SATA external enclosure for 19.99 at Radioshack. This includes the circuit board, cable, and new case.

A Miller

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  • Master 8,404 Answers
  • Posted on Jun 05, 2010
A Miller
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Take your drive to the computer repair shop in your town and have the guy there fix this for you. If he or she cant do it ... they can make a recommendation.

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If you have a SimpleTech SimpleDrive connected to your computer and you're experiencing problems with the external hard drive, there may be several reasons why it's malfunctioning. Troubleshooting your computer can help rule out common problems and the possibility that the hard drive may be defective. If you recently purchased the device and suspect there is something wrong with it, return the defective drive to SimpleTech or the reseller for a replacement. Incompatible USB Port Problems SimpleTech SimpleDrive plug and play options makes it easy for you to connect the device to your computer. But you may encounter problems if your computer's USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports are not compatible with the external hard drive. Make sure your ports are powerful enough to operate the drive. USB 2.0 ports are recommended, but if you're using an older computer with 1.0 ports, the hard drive will function much slower or you may receive an error message that the device is not compatible with your system. b> Missing External Drive Letter If you're unable to find the SimpleTech external hard drive's letter on your desktop after you have installed the drivers for the device, it's possible that the external drive may be assigned to another drive. Sometimes, the hard drive is assigned to a network drive and you may need to manually change the drive's letter in Disk Management. b> SimpleTech SimpleDrive Incorrectly Formatted b> SimpleTech SimpleDrive is normally pre-formatted for Windows NTFS (New Technology File System), but Mac users may need to copy the backup software and reformat the external hard drive for FAT32 or Mac OS to be able to use the external drive. If the external hard drive is not formatted correctly for your system, it may not function or work properly. b> External Hard Drive Inaccessible If you receive an error message that says "Drive Inaccessible," the SimpleTech SimpleDrive may not be able to read the service area of the platter. If the external hard drive emits a loud or abnormal sound, this could mean the device is failing.
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If you have a SimpleTech SimpleDrive connected to your computer and you're experiencing problems with the external hard drive, there may be several reasons why it's malfunctioning. Troubleshooting your computer can help rule out common problems and the possibility that the hard drive may be defective. If you recently purchased the device and suspect there is something wrong with it, return the defective drive to SimpleTech or the reseller for a replacement. Incompatible USB Port Problems SimpleTech SimpleDrive plug and play options makes it easy for you to connect the device to your computer. But you may encounter problems if your computer's USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports are not compatible with the external hard drive. Make sure your ports are powerful enough to operate the drive. USB 2.0 ports are recommended, but if you're using an older computer with 1.0 ports, the hard drive will function much slower or you may receive an error message that the device is not compatible with your system. b> Missing External Drive Letter If you're unable to find the SimpleTech external hard drive's letter on your desktop after you have installed the drivers for the device, it's possible that the external drive may be assigned to another drive. Sometimes, the hard drive is assigned to a network drive and you may need to manually change the drive's letter in Disk Management. b> SimpleTech SimpleDrive Incorrectly Formatted b> SimpleTech SimpleDrive is normally pre-formatted for Windows NTFS (New Technology File System), but Mac users may need to copy the backup software and reformat the external hard drive for FAT32 or Mac OS to be able to use the external drive. If the external hard drive is not formatted correctly for your system, it may not function or work properly. b> External Hard Drive Inaccessible If you receive an error message that says "Drive Inaccessible," the SimpleTech SimpleDrive may not be able to read the service area of the platter. If the external hard drive emits a loud or abnormal sound, this could mean the device is failing.
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Replacing a Defective Hard Drive You can return a defective hard drive that is under warranty to SimpleTech. The manufacturer will exchange the device if the seal is not broken. But if you break or tear the seal on the case, any warranty claims will not be accepted and the device will be returned back to you. SimpleTech will only accept the device if you contracted a commercial data recovery company to retrieve critical data from the external hard drive and the seal needed to be broken. Before returning the defective drive, you will need to secure a RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) approval number from SimpleTech and furnish any invoices or documentation regarding the data recovery company's services
or if its a usb external drive you might need a usb 3 card installed on your computer your computer might not have enough usb output power USB 3 card will provide more power when needed to the device to gain maximum throughput and conserve power when the device is connected but is idling http://blog.premiumusb.com/2010/09/usb-2-0-vs-usb-3-0/ these can be purchased on Ebay cheap and easy to install http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PCI-e-PCI-Express-USB3-0-Card-new-NEC-720200AF1-chipset-/330608109325?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf9c7670d for roughly $9 or $10free postage Hope this helps.
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Broken wires between control board and the light board sp-u35/160gb

Can I buy a new print control board my bud has one was able to get it working his put my hard in his Simpletech but where do u buy parts ? [email protected] Thanks
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Computer is not recognizing

If you have a SimpleTech SimpleDrive connected to your computer and you're experiencing problems with the external hard drive, there may be several reasons why it's malfunctioning.


Troubleshooting your computer can help rule out common problems and the possibility that the hard drive may be defective.


If you recently purchased the device and suspect there is something wrong with it, return the defective drive to SimpleTech or the reseller for a replacement.



Incompatible USB Port Problems


SimpleTech SimpleDrive plug and play options makes it easy for you to connect the device to your computer.

But you may encounter problems if your computer's USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports are not compatible with the external hard drive.


Make sure your ports are powerful enough to operate the drive. USB 2.0 ports are recommended, but if you're using an older computer with 1.0 ports, the hard drive will function much slower or you may receive an error message that the device is not compatible with your system.


Missing External Drive Letter


If you're unable to find the SimpleTech external hard drive's letter on your desktop after you have installed the drivers for the device, it's possible that the external drive may be assigned to another drive.

Sometimes, the hard drive is assigned to a network drive and you may need to manually change the drive's letter in Disk Management.


SimpleTech SimpleDrive Incorrectly Formatted


SimpleTech SimpleDrive is normally pre-formatted for Windows NTFS (New Technology File System), but Mac users may need to copy the backup software and reformat the external hard drive for FAT32 or Mac OS to be able to use the external drive.

If the external hard drive is not formatted correctly for your system, it may not function or work properly.


External Hard Drive Inaccessible
If you receive an error message that says "Drive Inaccessible," the SimpleTech SimpleDrive may not be able to read the service area of the platter. If the external hard drive emits a loud or abnormal sound, this could mean the device is failing. Test the drive on another computer to see if it is working properly. Otherwise, the external hard drive's surface area may be damaged or corrupted.

Replacing a Defective Hard Drive


You can return a defective hard drive that is under warranty to SimpleTech. The manufacturer will exchange the device if the seal is not broken.


But if you break or tear the seal on the case, any warranty claims will not be accepted and the device will be returned back to you.


SimpleTech will only accept the device if you contracted a commercial data recovery company to retrieve critical data from the external hard drive and the seal needed to be broken.


Before returning the defective drive, you will need to secure a RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) approval number from SimpleTech and furnish any invoices or documentation regarding the data recovery company's services


or if its a usb external drive you might need a usb 3 card installed on your computer your computer might not have enough usb output power


USB 3 card will provide more power when needed to the device to gain maximum throughput and conserve power when the device is connected but is idling

http://blog.premiumusb.com/2010/09/usb-2-0-vs-usb-3-0/


these can be purchased on Ebay cheap and easy to install

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PCI-e-PCI-Express-USB3-0-Card-new-NEC-720200AF1-chipset-/330608109325?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf9c7670d


for roughly $9 or $10free postage


hope this helps



0helpful
1answer

I have a simpletech 120 GB external USB hard drive with NO power supply. Do you know what the power rating is (ac or dc, how many volts, amperage...) or where I can get a new power supply for it? -Thanks

12VDC, 1.5A external power adapter Well that is what this page says, it's not your 120GB drive but unsure if it's no the same model maybe. However all external HDD that need a power supply should be needing 12 volts, as they are just internal drives mounted in a shell and some simple circuitry to power and connect it.
3helpful
2answers

I have a 320GB external usb and it is coming on but not being recignized by the computers. Blue light comes on and goes off, it maks noise as if it is running. BUT my computers detect new hardware but says...

The problem is with the controller board inside the SimpleTech drive. The solution is to remove the 2.5" form factor SATA drive from the case and install it into a new case. I have had 2 SimpleTech drives (both Pininfarina style) fail on me and in both cases it was the controller board and NOT the hard drive inside.

To remove the drive you have to remove the label on the bottom that says "Do not remove or you will void your warranty. Under that label you will see two phillips head screws. Remove them and the case can then be pulled apart. The controller board is screwed onto the bottom of the hard drive. Remove the screws and slide the board carefully off of the SATA connection and power ports and now you have a bare drive.

Go and by a 2.5" SATA form factor hard drive external case from some PC store or from eBay. I got mine on eBay for $10.00 including shipping. Install the drive in the new case plug it in and away you go. Make sure that you buy one that DOES NOT NEED AN EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY.

It is almost NEVER the hard drive itself that fails it is almost always the controller board. Make sure that you open the case and check that your hard drive is really a SATA drive before ordering the case. If it happens to be PATA (IDE) then make sure you order an external case for that type of drive. They are NOT the same and you HAVE to get the external case that mates with your hard drive.

Good Luck,

John
1helpful
1answer

Simpletech External Drive now failing to connect with USB 2.0

Hello sir, let me give you some tips, you can dismantle it and get the HDD unit, buy a cheap external SATA usb hdd enclosure with USB 2.0 . Well all of them are 2.0 compatible (the unit without the HDD) and put it there. you can always keep the old one for posterity. hope this helps.
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1answer

My SimpleTech Hard Drive has stopped working

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Okay , so there are some steps to figure out what is wrong with your external.

Firstly , if your computer makes a sound when you plug in your external , go to Start-Control Panel-Administrative Tools-Computer Management-Disk Management , and see if your external drive is listed here with your local drives. If it is listed , right click on the drive and change the drive letter to make it appear in "my computer".

If your drive does not make a connection sound when connecting to your computer and also does not show up , please follow the next step.

Remove the hard drive from the casing if possible and install it in your computer case or another external case.If the drive works , the problem is with the casing and you can ignore the drive.

Now , if the problem is with the casing , there are still 3 possibilities.

  1. The USB cable between the drive and the computer may be damaged.
  2. The circuit board which connects your drive to the interface of the external may be blown.
  3. The power supply (if applicable) may have a blown transformer.
The latter is the easiest to diagnose , does your external light up at all when you plug in the power? If not , then this is probably your problem. On the bottom of the adapter is a label which you will be able to use to have a new adapter made at your local electronics shop and this will cost about $30 max. They will also be able to test the adapter with a clamp meter to see if this is really the problem and this should be free.

The second component you want to test is the USB cable. If you have a printer , swop out the cables and see if your printer functions normally. Most externals use the same connector so you should be able to test it in this manner. If the cable works go on to the last step. If the cable is defective , replace it with a new one which you can find for about $10 at most electronics and chain stores.

The last component to test is the circuit board. This is a bit of a grey zone as you probably won't be able to spot the blown component unless it failed really badly. With the casing already opened , locate the external's circuit board and check to see if you have any blackened components or fluids leaking from some components. If all the other components of the external worked perfectly , then this is the faulty part. It is not really economical to replace the circuit as most of the time it is out of production by the time you need to replace it and it still costs a lot even if it is available so if your drive is working perfectly when connected via sata or IDE on your computer , the best is to buy a new casing and place your old drive in the new casing.

A casing costs about $50 and you could get it at most tech shops and big chain stores like Best Buy.

I hope this solves your problem and please reply if you need more help.

Kind Regards
Andrea
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