2.5 SATA HDD mod with serious access problem when low batt.

Dear all,

I'm a AA1 A110 user in Bangkok, Thailand. I have been upgrade the total memory to 1.5Gb (add a 1Gb module actually) and then I done a 2.5" SATA HDD MOD. I solder 7 pin S-ATA DATA from AA1 mainboard (under the barcode sticker) to a sata connector and get 5V DC from the left hand side USB port (the one near the LAN port), then tape the HDD to the mainboard using double sided foamed sticker.

Every thing is fine, my AA1 operate smoothly on AC power, but sometime while operated on Battery and the battery gone below 35% my AA1 is freezed for about a minute and then followed by a bluescreen said something serious occour and give me some HEX address and then restarted with No Boot device found. I have to press and hold power botton to force turn the machine off, then turn it on again, the machine boot up normally, start windows as normal and run for about 2-3 minutes and freezed and all the process run all over again. If I pluged in the AC adapter and turn the machine on everything is going back to normal.

Anyone have the same problem? any suggestion?

I have some picture, this picture is not from my machine, but I did the same thing like this one


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AA1 A110 (white)
BIOS Ver.3305
Sanyo 2200 mAh, 3 cells battery
1.5 Gb RAM
250Gb Samsung SATA 2.5" HDD

 

Hi
Could be one of two things.
1st HARD Drive could be taking more than 500mA which is the limit applied by using a USB ports power as its sorce of power.
You may also be using the port as well thus adding to the power used.
I've not checked but it may require 3.3V for its logic, this could also be provided by an on board voltage regulator on the HDD. but is again possiably overloading the 5V USB rail after a short while especially when the battery volts are getting lower (What you may be experiancing)

My strong suggestion would be to locate the wires you have used already to connect the data side of the SATA drive these should be pins 1 to 7

1 Ground
2 Data TX P0
3 Data TX N0
4 Ground
5 Data RX N0
6 Data RX P0
7 Ground

Note no pins for POWER
The Power Pins are 8 - 24
The SATA Power connector includes both Ground 3.3V and 5V
and only a few are really required,
If you are positive you have a good earth

You will need the 5V from the SATA connector these are pins 14,15 & 16 and you must use all of them to take the current from the Mother board suggest using one wire bridging all three contacts.
3.3V's if needed is on pins 8,9 & 10 again you must use all the pins to carry the current. see above for suggestion.
The USB power is switched on and off at diffrent Sleep States is S3 and S4 top of my head cant tell you which.

SATA Drive connector as supplied on HDD versions.

1 Ground
2 Data TX P0
3 Data TX N0
4 Ground
5 Data RX N0
6 Data RX P0
7 Ground
8 3.3V
9 3.3V
10 3.3V
11 Ground
12 Ground
13 Ground
14 5V
15 5V
16 5V
17 Ground
18 RESERVED
19 Ground
20 12V NOT CONNECTED WOULD BE USED FOR 3.5" DRIVES
21 12V NOT CONNECTED WOULD BE USED FOR 3.5" DRIVES
22 12V NOT CONNECTED WOULD BE USED FOR 3.5" DRIVES
23 Ground
24 Ground

Hope this helps

Graham