"Jay" bravely wrote to "All" (13 Dec 05 13:09:31) --- on the heady topic of "WD External hard disk failure..."
Ja> From: "Jay" Ja> Xref: core-easynews comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage:288636 Ja> sci.electronics.repair:351238
Ja> I have a Western Digital 160 GB External USB 2.0 HDD (Model # Ja> WD1600B008-RNN). It was working well and good and suddenly it stopped Ja> working when I wasnt around. My brother was using it and he says he Ja> may have changed the polarity for the DC input. I had a DC adapter Ja> which can accomodate multiple heads. I changed it to right polarity and Ja> switched it on.
[,,,]When a reverse polarity is applied to some IC's, if they aren't destroyed outright then they might sometimes store a charge that impedes them from working again when the proper polarity is applied. Sometimes leaving it alone for a couple of days will naturally discharge the semiconductor layers so that it then can function again. This has happened to me a couple of times and luckily no damage done. It may seem like the device is dead but if there was no obvious smoke, give it a little time, sometimes it does clear up on its own.
A*s*i*m*o*v
... Just a little force field zap.