drive cables | DataRecoveryUnion.com

Seagate GoFlex drives are designed to be flexible; therefore the cable module is interchangeable with several interfaces. Below are examples of these cables.

Common questions about FreeAgent GoFlex cables:

Q: How many times can I plug and unplug my cable?
A: The design for the connector to the drive and the cables ends have been tested to 5,000 cycles similar to past USB products.

Q: Can I use more than one cable on a drive?
A: Cables can be changed after safely removing the drive from the computer; however you cannot use more than one cable at a time.

Q: Can I use a standard USB cable with my drive?
A: Yes, when a GoFlex drive is mated with a USB 2.0 adapter, you can use a standard USB mini-B cable to connect it to your computer. However, be careful when using longer cables as they may not transfer enough power to allow the drive to function.

Q: Can I use a normal internal drive SATA cables to run my FreeAgent GoFlex drive directly from the computer?
A: This would not be supported since it would require you to leave the drive loose inside the computer or leave the side of the computer open to plug in the power cable, both of which put your equipment at risk.

	USB 2.0 – This cable is the cable that ships in most GoFlex kits since USB 2.0 is still the most popular interface available today. The module and cable can be separated for even more flexibility with standard USB-Mini cables.
	The USB 2.0 cable is detachable allowing easier storage and the ability to use standard USB 2.0 mini-B cables when needed.
	The USB 2.0 cable and Smart module separate from the drive to allow for upgrade to other cables as the need arises. Additional cartridges (drives) will also be available for purchase if you need higher capacity.
	USB 3.0 – This cable covers the newest version of USB offering much higher transfer rates. This cable also works with USB 2.0 ports. The cable does not separate from the Smart module since replacement USB 3.0 cables are not commonly available at this time.
	Firewire 800 – This cable is for users of Mac computers that want extra speed from the drives and have an available Firewire 800 port.
	eSATA – This cable offers higher performance than USB 2.0, but it does require a special eSATA combo port that combines the performance of eSATA and the power supplied by USB 2.0 into a single port. These types of ports are usually found on newer laptop computers and identified with a symbol that looks like this:
	Powered eSATA – Powered eSATA provides high performance like eSATA, but like USB 2.0 it also provides electrical power to operate a drive without needing to use a separate power cable for the drive. This interface is even more rare than eSATA. One of the types of FreeAgent GoFlex upgrade cables, which is compatible with the FreeAgent GoFlex and GoFlex Pro, uses the Powered eSATA interface.
	Thunderbolt – Seagate’s Thunderbolt adapter for GoFlex drives allows any GoFlex, GoFlex Pro, GoFlex Slim, GoFlex Turbo, GoFlex for Mac, GoFlex Slim for Mac, or GoFlex Pro for Mac drive to connect via Apple’s newest interface.

Other cables and accessories available for the GoFlex and GoFlex Pro can be found at the Seagate Online Store under the accessories tab.

Hard Disk Repair

Cables for Ultra ATA/66 to Ultra ATA/133 Drive Users

DATARECOVERYUNION.COM14 years ago3 years ago03 mins

Why must I use this type of cable?

The faster timing requirements of Ultra ATA/66 and above require the use of an 80-conductor cable. This is necessary for proper operation of UDMA modes 3 and greater. The 80-conductor cable is used with the same connector configuration as the standard 40-conductor cable. The 40 additional conductors are used as ground paths and are all connected to the 7 original ground conductors. These additional ground conductors serve to improve the overall signal quality (signal-to-noise ratio) of the ATA cable. 80-conductor Ultra ATA cables are also limited to a maximum cable length of 18 inches.

If the drive was purchased in a retail kit and not as a “bare” drive, the kit includes an Ultra ATA cable as described here. If not Ultra ATA cables can be purchased from your system vendor or reseller and are fully backward compatible for operation on all standard/legacy ATA devices and hosts. However, these cables will typically utilize the cable select (CS) configuration on ATA drives for defining a master or slave device (drive 0 or drive 1). The drive placement convention used on an 80-conductor cable is also different from the previous generation of cable select type cables. The 80-conductor Ultra ATA cables require the master drive (drive 0) to be installed at the end of the cable and the slave drive (drive 1) to be installed on the middle connector.

The connectors on 80-conductor cables are also color-coded to help ensure proper drive placement and attachment to the host (system). Typical color-coding is as follows: blue for attachment to the host (system), black is for device 0 (master) and gray is for device 1 (slave).

This post applies to all Seagate, Maxtor, Quantum ATA 66, ATA 100, and ATA 133 drives.

Cables for FreeAgent GoFlex Drives

Cables for Ultra ATA/66 to Ultra ATA/133 Drive Users