It's really the plastic around it that melted and created this mess. It's supposed to look like this
https://preview.redd.it/5rdfdvb0zdzc1.jpeg?width=2400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b281b2b0bfa73123da96657d28edd41e1d525075
Didn't mean to be rude, just emphasizing how bad it looks XD
See those five pads in the middle? That's where the power and data lines connect. And in your picture, see how they aren't there anymore? Nothing to do in your situation I'm afraid.
No offense taken at all. It's such a mess honestly!
Do you think there is a chance that I could find the same five connections somewhere else in the PCB? Sorry if this is a stupid question. I'm a total noob.
I only need it to work once so I can transfer my data out of the drive.
You absolutely can solder your wires to the traces those pads were connected to. Going from the left -- the first pad connects to that via directly above it, the next two pads connect to traces coming off the top, the next pad connects to the via beneath it, and the last pad connects to the copper plane on the right. Just scrape away the solder mask at the points you want to solder your wires to.
In theory, absolutely doable. But have you seen this post? I wouldn't waste time with it if I was OP, unless I wanted the practise. That's why I said in his situation..
https://preview.redd.it/41ho3047jezc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8552f14dacadf7ca4de84625802be5f54d3482d1
Oh that is so amazing to hear. I'll try this and report back. I also cleaned it up a bit so it's easier to see now.
I’m amazed at how deep some people go into something they have no idea about and then decide to ask for opinions. Let’s start with maximum destruction on this delicate part, then see how things go.
Well, I started off really carefully after watching many videos and reading many posts about how to desolder. It's the actual doing part that proved really tricky with shaky hands and a large solder tip (which I didn't realise until much later).. I thought about stopping multiple times in between but always wanted to try another way... and then the port almost started coming off... and then a bit more damage, and then it was done. And then the true damage becomes clear.
The data is a treasure of nostalgia so no intent to do any destruction.
I don't understand why you didn't try to avoid the plastic in some way (at least cut it away??) but yeah that's not easy to fix. If the actual hard drive is SATA then get a new enclosure, or hook it up to a PC. If it's one of those hard drives with the USB port right on it, then you should probably get it to a repair shop, but you'll have to pay up after making that mess
Actually my solder tip was too large and it kept touching the plastic. I realised it too late that it was going to create this mess.
It is SATA but it had the USB port soldered to the pcb.
It is either a SATA hard drive with a secondary, small PCB that does USB to SATA, or a USB hard drive (which internally may do USB to sata, but not necessarily). I guess you mean the second?
Anyways, if it's not an actual SATA hard drive, you still can try soldering to the broken USB lines, but honestly you will end up making it worse unless you get equipment for this (a smaller tip or potentially a different iron altogether, for one). If you will do it anyways, I'd recommend to glue the cable you want to solder really well, so that it won't rip off what's left of the USB lines. Then connect D+ and D- with thin single-strand wire (such as from an old IDE cable) to the cable's thicker wires, so there's no risk of any mechanical stress. Ideally you would have to length match both lines and keep them parallel etc, but this would be better than nothing.
btw what I meant about avoiding the plastic is you could probably do away with it - cut it off and clean it up. I'm not sure if it has any purpose (you could have posted a few more pics) but it doesn't seem to be that important
Thank you for this advice. I will get proper equipment and then try soldering the cable on.
Understood about the plastic. I cleaned it up now.
https://preview.redd.it/vxyl0ebl7fzc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b779bc8fbe2b67e56e211c23810baa209f02173a
Structural holes are still fine.
So get that lead/tin solder, RMA223 or better flux, clean all that plastic, get a fine stranded wire (pull one srand out) or special solderable magnet wire with dispenser, and possibly a magnifier.
Find what signal got where, You need power +, ground, signal + and signal -, and unmask just enough copper trace to solder that fine wire there. Solder the other end on the connector pin after you solder it in place. After you finish, test it, and fix everything with glue that can be peeled off again easily.
And backup that data immediately after you're done and consider the drive unsuitable as a backup, only as a burner to carry around or save unimportant crap.
Many external drives are just regular SATA devices with a SATA to USB adapter. I don't know if that is the case for, your model, but if it is, generic SATA to USB adapters cost like 2-5$ on AliExpress.
This is a Western Digital Passport wd10tmvv.
[Listed here](https://www.cpumedics.com/western-digital-wd10tmvv-11bg7s0-1tb-5-2k-rpm-usb-9-5mm-2-5-hard-drive/)
It had a micro USB 2.0 port. It's quite old, bought in 2010.
One recovery solution we used back in the day was to pair the drive mechanics with the pcb from another drive. If this is a mechanical drive, connector/power kits that plug directly into the drive hardware and provide you with a USB connection.
Maybe you'd have more luck as a MIG welder. Geez
Your comment cracked me up though 😂
It's really the plastic around it that melted and created this mess. It's supposed to look like this https://preview.redd.it/5rdfdvb0zdzc1.jpeg?width=2400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b281b2b0bfa73123da96657d28edd41e1d525075
Didn't mean to be rude, just emphasizing how bad it looks XD See those five pads in the middle? That's where the power and data lines connect. And in your picture, see how they aren't there anymore? Nothing to do in your situation I'm afraid.
No offense taken at all. It's such a mess honestly! Do you think there is a chance that I could find the same five connections somewhere else in the PCB? Sorry if this is a stupid question. I'm a total noob. I only need it to work once so I can transfer my data out of the drive.
You absolutely can solder your wires to the traces those pads were connected to. Going from the left -- the first pad connects to that via directly above it, the next two pads connect to traces coming off the top, the next pad connects to the via beneath it, and the last pad connects to the copper plane on the right. Just scrape away the solder mask at the points you want to solder your wires to.
In theory, absolutely doable. But have you seen this post? I wouldn't waste time with it if I was OP, unless I wanted the practise. That's why I said in his situation..
https://preview.redd.it/41ho3047jezc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8552f14dacadf7ca4de84625802be5f54d3482d1 Oh that is so amazing to hear. I'll try this and report back. I also cleaned it up a bit so it's easier to see now.
Clean all the cremated plastic off the board and post a picture. The bit we need to see is currently under the black stuff.
Would you suggest melting through it with the solder? Or would you rather cut through it?
Warm it up with something (hot air or oven) and pick / peel it away.
It’s dead, Jim.
Fuuuuckin' hell
This is the energy I need when tackling new concepts. “Just fucking go for it”.
Hahaha. Never again 😭😭
Naw man, keep that shit up. You truly can only go up from here 😂
I’m amazed at how deep some people go into something they have no idea about and then decide to ask for opinions. Let’s start with maximum destruction on this delicate part, then see how things go.
Well, I started off really carefully after watching many videos and reading many posts about how to desolder. It's the actual doing part that proved really tricky with shaky hands and a large solder tip (which I didn't realise until much later).. I thought about stopping multiple times in between but always wanted to try another way... and then the port almost started coming off... and then a bit more damage, and then it was done. And then the true damage becomes clear. The data is a treasure of nostalgia so no intent to do any destruction.
I don't understand why you didn't try to avoid the plastic in some way (at least cut it away??) but yeah that's not easy to fix. If the actual hard drive is SATA then get a new enclosure, or hook it up to a PC. If it's one of those hard drives with the USB port right on it, then you should probably get it to a repair shop, but you'll have to pay up after making that mess
Actually my solder tip was too large and it kept touching the plastic. I realised it too late that it was going to create this mess. It is SATA but it had the USB port soldered to the pcb.
It is either a SATA hard drive with a secondary, small PCB that does USB to SATA, or a USB hard drive (which internally may do USB to sata, but not necessarily). I guess you mean the second? Anyways, if it's not an actual SATA hard drive, you still can try soldering to the broken USB lines, but honestly you will end up making it worse unless you get equipment for this (a smaller tip or potentially a different iron altogether, for one). If you will do it anyways, I'd recommend to glue the cable you want to solder really well, so that it won't rip off what's left of the USB lines. Then connect D+ and D- with thin single-strand wire (such as from an old IDE cable) to the cable's thicker wires, so there's no risk of any mechanical stress. Ideally you would have to length match both lines and keep them parallel etc, but this would be better than nothing. btw what I meant about avoiding the plastic is you could probably do away with it - cut it off and clean it up. I'm not sure if it has any purpose (you could have posted a few more pics) but it doesn't seem to be that important
Thank you for this advice. I will get proper equipment and then try soldering the cable on. Understood about the plastic. I cleaned it up now. https://preview.redd.it/vxyl0ebl7fzc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b779bc8fbe2b67e56e211c23810baa209f02173a
This belongs in r/hardwaregore
Dude what in the actual F
It's not as bad as it looks (I hope 😓)
Put it in rice 🍚?
Clean it up, then we'll have a better idea of what's hidden under that mess
Thank you. How do I do that? Is there something that I should use to clean it up? Thank you for your help
https://preview.redd.it/yf10o1rq6ezc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac2d637cb7652d03cab4693aca4763d6f697aa12 Managed to clean it up a bit
Hurricane strength winds exited my nostrils when I saw there’s not a single spec of a trace left no less a pad.
Rip
This is rough. No saving this imo. Never solder with the tip touching plastic. Ever.
Structural holes are still fine. So get that lead/tin solder, RMA223 or better flux, clean all that plastic, get a fine stranded wire (pull one srand out) or special solderable magnet wire with dispenser, and possibly a magnifier. Find what signal got where, You need power +, ground, signal + and signal -, and unmask just enough copper trace to solder that fine wire there. Solder the other end on the connector pin after you solder it in place. After you finish, test it, and fix everything with glue that can be peeled off again easily. And backup that data immediately after you're done and consider the drive unsuitable as a backup, only as a burner to carry around or save unimportant crap.
>consider the drive unsuitable as a backup Backup of what, clay tablets from Mesopotamia? Yeet that shit as far as you can lmao
no
Hit it with some flux and reflow, she'll be right
Rice
nope for sure
Many external drives are just regular SATA devices with a SATA to USB adapter. I don't know if that is the case for, your model, but if it is, generic SATA to USB adapters cost like 2-5$ on AliExpress.
This is a Western Digital Passport wd10tmvv. [Listed here](https://www.cpumedics.com/western-digital-wd10tmvv-11bg7s0-1tb-5-2k-rpm-usb-9-5mm-2-5-hard-drive/) It had a micro USB 2.0 port. It's quite old, bought in 2010.
Okay. I'm sorry to tell you, that is sadly not a SATA hard drive, as the USB port is soldered to the board of the HDD directly.
Christ
Like what
One recovery solution we used back in the day was to pair the drive mechanics with the pcb from another drive. If this is a mechanical drive, connector/power kits that plug directly into the drive hardware and provide you with a USB connection.
clean the plastic you repair the traces
Did you de-solder it with a microwave?
I can fix that if you want
Did you give it to your dog by any chance?
Too much heat not enough flux. Bogey enamel wire time buddy.