2.5" enclosure power by molex

**Froogle** · 04-11-2006, 05:46 PM

Is there anyway I can power my 2.5" enclosure from a molex connection ? I don't think the drive is getting enough power from the usb port so I am going to need to power it through the small power jack connection on the back. Is it possible to join the jack onto a molex connection ?

cheers

**psyrex** · 04-11-2006, 06:32 PM

Sure, do some soldering. Molex is usually red wire at +5v and black is ground. Wire that up to whatever connector is appropriate for your enclosure and you should be good.

-psyrex

**Froogle** · 04-12-2006, 04:25 PM

ok further help needed please....

I have one of these http://linitx.com/product_info.php?c...3dfdd38cfa02fa

Before installing it into the car I tested to see it was recognised by windows and working. I did this on my home pc. All was fine it installed window's drivers etc. It was connected soley by USB.

Now glued it into the car and have connected by USB, the light on the front is flickering and it's not working. Says an error ocurred during installation.

I thought it had to be the power as I am running it off a usb 2.0 hub (unpowered but still gives USB 2.0)

I savaged the power adapter supplied and wired into a molex connector. The drive is now getting enough power as I can insert and edject a disk and the light is not flickering any more. It is now saying USB device unrecognised within windows and I can't get it installed.

I've tried running it with or without the HUB (i.e. direct to the USB port) but it's still the same. What could be wrong?

I am running a MEII6000 VIA board with M1-ATX PSU.

Any help appreciated. I have glued the thing in place now so would like to get it working !

cheers

**RawsonDR** · 04-13-2006, 01:34 AM

Are you sure you wired +5V into it and not +12V? Got the polarity right? (barrel plugs can either be center positive or center negative).

Any way you can test it with your desktop again?

In my experience, whenever I get "device not recognized" it's bad news.

**Froogle** · 04-13-2006, 03:03 AM

I am pretty sure the polarity is correct. The drive is allowing me to put a disk in etc.

Originally Posted by RawsonDR

Are you sure you wired +5V into it and not +12V? Got the polarity right? (barrel plugs can either be center positive or center negative).

Any way you can test it with your desktop again?

In my experience, whenever I get "device not recognized" it's bad news.

**nadir_s** · 04-13-2006, 05:05 AM

u tried plugging it in directly to ALL the USB connectors on the mobo??

try it again on ur desktop to rule out any damage to the drive since u last tested it there.

**Froogle** · 04-13-2006, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by nadir_s

try it again on ur desktop to rule out any damage to the drive since u last tested it there.

I would but I've glued it into the car now :-s it won't come out !

What I am going to do is try plugging it into my laptop and see if that solves the problem. If not will report back in case anyone has any other ideas

cheers

**TheLlama** · 04-13-2006, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by Froogle

I would but I've glued it into the car now :-s it won't come out !

I hope you learned something from that.

**Froogle** · 04-13-2006, 10:25 AM

Ok installs fine on my laptop. Do you think it's the length of USB cable? I probably have about 3m worth?

Last option is to try a USB host card and and run it from that but don't want to loose the PCI slot :-)

**Froogle** · 04-13-2006, 11:18 AM

PC is in the boot of the car, USB drive is up front.

If I plug direct into the drive with the standard 1m cable it works. If I plug in the extension cable and try to connect the laptop at the boot end so in effect swapping the motherboard for laptop it doesnt work.

The extension cable works as I am using it to connect my hub which is powering the touch screen and mouse.

Is there a length limit for usb? At the moment I have 4 cables joined together?