"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.