Think this is safe? (missing pin)

[Trombe]

I have an X-Fi I/O Drive that I just installed. It uses a floppy power connector, and long story short, I wasn't paying attention when connecting said power connector. I turned on the system, heard a couple short fizzles before the system powered up, and the drive wasn't working. I opened up the case again, pulled out the connector, and one of the pins on the I/O drive is now missing (so much for resale value ).

Going from left to right, the power connector is yellow black black red. The now missing pin is the one that would connect to the black nearest yellow on the connector. The likely cause is that I didn't see myself misaligning the connector and missing one of the pins on the drive, so I ended up grounding the yellow 12V line causing a short somewhere. I'm not sure why I decided to just replug the connector, this time properly, and to my amazement the I/O drive still works even with only 3/4 of the pins available.

I'm just curious on whether it's safe to leave it like this with only one ground wire connected or if I should play it safe and disconnect the thing permanently. The yellow wire connector end has some...extra metal probably welded onto it now from the dead pin from the I/O drive too if it makes any difference.

 

[BillR]

I have an X-Fi I/O Drive that I just installed. It uses a floppy power connector, and long story short, I wasn't paying attention when connecting said power connector. I turned on the system, heard a couple short fizzles before the system powered up, and the drive wasn't working. I opened up the case again, pulled out the connector, and one of the pins on the I/O drive is now missing (so much for resale value ).

Going from left to right, the power connector is yellow black black red. The now missing pin is the one that would connect to the black nearest yellow on the connector. The likely cause is that I didn't see myself misaligning the connector and missing one of the pins on the drive, so I ended up grounding the yellow 12V line causing a short somewhere. I'm not sure why I decided to just replug the connector, this time properly, and to my amazement the I/O drive still works even with only 3/4 of the pins available.

I'm just curious on whether it's safe to leave it like this with only one ground wire connected or if I should play it safe and disconnect the thing permanently. The yellow wire connector end has some...extra metal probably welded onto it now from the dead pin from the I/O drive too if it makes any difference.

Well, the PSU is still working which means it passed one of the ultimate abuse tests….

In most floppy drives the black wires share a common ground buss plus they draw very little current in the overall scheme of things.

That said and keeping in mind I take no responsibility for the future if it’s working now there is no really compelling reason to change anything.

I wouldn’t have plugged anything back in without a few tests but as you are past that point now you seem to be ok.

Luck