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Item 1 of 2
expiredcaptainguy posted Nov 20, 2025 12:36 PM
Western Digital Elements USB 3.0 External Hard Drive: 20TB $270, 14TB
$170
$280
39% off
+ Free Shippingat Western Digital
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Update: This very popular front page deal is still available.
Available:Thanks to Community Member captainguy for sharing this deal.
Features:
- High-capacity add-on storage
- Fast data transfers
- Plug-and-play ready for Windows PCs
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Written by jimmytx | Staff- About this Deal:
- Please see the original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.
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About the Poster
Update: This very popular front page deal is still available.
Available:Thanks to Community Member captainguy for sharing this deal.
Features:
- High-capacity add-on storage
- Fast data transfers
- Plug-and-play ready for Windows PCs
Editor's Notes
Written by jimmytx | Staff- About this Deal:
- Please see the original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.
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Top Comments
Not sure if this is the most up to date version:
https://docs.google.com/spreadshe...A/htmlview
People get around this by:
A) Using a Molex to SATA adapter when attached directly to a power supply, since Molex 4-pin doesn't have 3.3V to begin with.
B) Using it in enclosure that controls the power-disable pin correctly (or rather, doesn't have 3.3V and that pin just floats).
C) Using it in a server chassis that controls, or doesn't support, the power-disable pin. My servers have backplanes that are powered from 4-pin Molex connectors, and have no separate 3.3V regulator, so they could never send 3.3V if they wanted to. Just 12V and 5V on different pins.
<edit> Answering my own question, from what I can tell these enclosures have WD140EDGZ drives in them, and they can be shucked and used without the enclosure.
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157 Comments
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Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank SatchBoogie1
https://www.bhphotovide
https://www.amazon.com/Western-Di...B07YD3G568
Amazon has it marked as a "Black Friday Deal"already.
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Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank Masejoer
People get around this by:
A) Using a Molex to SATA adapter when attached directly to a power supply, since Molex 4-pin doesn't have 3.3V to begin with.
B) Using it in enclosure that controls the power-disable pin correctly (or rather, doesn't have 3.3V and that pin just floats).
C) Using it in a server chassis that controls, or doesn't support, the power-disable pin. My servers have backplanes that are powered from 4-pin Molex connectors, and have no separate 3.3V regulator, so they could never send 3.3V if they wanted to. Just 12V and 5V on different pins.
People get around this by:
A) Using a Molex to SATA adapter when attached directly to a power supply, since Molex 4-pin doesn't have 3.3V to begin with.
B) Using it in enclosure that controls the power-disable pin correctly (or rather, doesn't have 3.3V and that pin just floats).
C) Using it in a server chassis that controls, or doesn't support, the power-disable pin. My servers have backplanes that are powered from 4-pin Molex connectors, and have no separate 3.3V regulator, so they could never send 3.3V if they wanted to. Just 12V and 5V on different pins.
Doesn't the PS provide the power connection for the HD? where else would the 3.3v come from?
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank Masejoer
The lack-of-power has nothing to do with the PSU model. The issue is that you cannot just plug an ATX power supply's SATA connector straight into one of these drives, and have them run.
A SATA Power connector has 3.3V on pins 1, 2, and 3, and an ATX PSU with a SATA cable coming out of it will have 3.3V on these pins, which tells the drive to stay powered down. Pin 3 is the one that some drives are designed around to control whether they should be "on" or "off." ATX SATA cable will have 3.3V on all of pins 1-3.
You plug a normal SATA cable from a PSU into the drive, the drive gets 3.3V on pin 3. This tells the drive to stay powered off. The solutions are to NOT plug the drive directly into the power supply's SATA cable - you need that pin 3 Voltage to go away. Taping over the pins can work fine. Modifying the cable to remove 3.3V is fine. Using a modded SATA to SATA cable, or a Molex to SATA adapter is fine. Using a backplane that has no 3.3V is fine. Using it in a server that controls power-disable pin 3 is fine. Using it in any device that doesn't provide 3.3V is fine.
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I was able to successfully use PayPal's Buy Now / Pay Later for a transaction on WesternDigital.com. I immediately received a "points pending" notification as well, so I assume that means the 20% cash back option worked as intended.
All of the drives failed just outside of their warranty period, except for the 10TB Toshiba. Unfortunately, Toshiba only offered me store credit as a resolution. You don't have to believe my string of bad luck, but you can imagine how fortunate someone else's DoA, they don't have to deal with almost 40TB photos and videos recovery.
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The lack-of-power has nothing to do with the PSU model. The issue is that you cannot just plug an ATX power supply's SATA connector straight into one of these drives, and have them run.
A SATA Power connector has 3.3V on pins 1, 2, and 3, and an ATX PSU with a SATA cable coming out of it will have 3.3V on these pins, which tells the drive to stay powered down. Pin 3 is the one that some drives are designed around to control whether they should be "on" or "off." ATX SATA cable will have 3.3V on all of pins 1-3.
You plug a normal SATA cable from a PSU into the drive, the drive gets 3.3V on pin 3. This tells the drive to stay powered off. The solutions are to NOT plug the drive directly into the power supply's SATA cable - you need that pin 3 Voltage to go away. Taping over the pins can work fine. Modifying the cable to remove 3.3V is fine. Using a modded SATA to SATA cable, or a Molex to SATA adapter is fine. Using a backplane that has no 3.3V is fine. Using it in a server that controls power-disable pin 3 is fine. Using it in any device that doesn't provide 3.3V is fine.
That's interesting. I have 6 PC's around the house and all but one have been able to correctly power up these shucked drives.
The one that gave me problems is an HTPC I built in 2005 with an 80+ Antec PS, the PS in that PC shut down the HD. I just ran an adapter and problem solved. I just thought it was an older SATA standard vs newer SATA standard for power saving.
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