Storex MPiX 357 hard drive issue - no hdd

Question

Hello,  I'm sharing my experience as a user of the Storex MPiX-357, which gave me a hard time after I tried to replace the original Hitachi 320GB hard drive with a WD 500GB disk. Almost all the issues mentioned in the Storex MPiX 356/357 forums occurred, including: - freezing of the multimedia disk menu at startup - the hard drive does not start with the error message NO HDD displayed - alarming noises at startup (abnormal activity of the hard drive read heads) - the drive starts but still displays the error message NO HDD - the movie randomly freezes during playback  All this is due to a hard drive underpowering problem (design can be improved), which I did not encounter with the original 320GB hard drive. "Strangely," some MPiX-357 units with the 500GB original drive also seem to be affected by my problem...  Here is my review of the MPiX-357, posted on the DivX Compare site, outlining a solution:  "I acquired the MPiX-357 320GB as a replacement for the MPiX-355 320GB, in order to benefit from the USB Host for playing MP3/WMA files. I was not disappointed in this regard, even though displaying titles on the front screen would have been a plus. The graphical interface is much more ergonomic than my old MPiX. The titles are displayed in full, and the preview function, which severely slowed navigation on the MPiX-355, is thankfully absent here. What a joy to navigate quickly between different folders! A small downside is that the device's startup is longer than that of the MPiX-355 by a good twenty seconds. In the end, the lost seconds at startup are quickly made up for (compared to the old MPiX) when it comes to navigation. - My first concern with this multimedia disk was felt when using the analog audio output RCA (left/right), which suffers from a constant background noise, later identified as coming from the movements of the hard drive's read head. Very annoying! Fortunately, there are no issues with the coaxial digital audio output (RCA). - The second problem is the presence of a frame in the background of the image displayed in composite (yellow RCA) and S-Video, whereas my MPiX-355 handled it wonderfully with its only composite output!!! Fortunately, the image is superb with the component outputs (RCA YUV), which I was able to try later, after replacing my projector with an LCD screen (52"). - Third problem: the Hitachi T7K500 320GB IDE hard drive is not the quietest. This can be heard during navigation and when playing a too-fragmented file on the disk. In comparison, my old MPiX-355 was relatively silent with its Western Digital WD3200AAJB. - Fourth problem: scalability. Cramped with my 320GB disk, especially after copying my holiday edits in MPEG2/AC3, I decided to change hard drives for a 500GB and, while I was at it, a quieter Western Digital, namely the WD5000AAKB. What a mistake! While changing the disk is relatively simple (at the cost of losing the manufacturer's warranty, of course), formatting it to FAT32 requires SwissKnife, which has compatibility issues with Windows Vista... Troubles can then begin: "NO HDD" - the hard drive does not start OR it starts and stops OR it continually hesitates between starting and stopping, all with a slight flicker of the screen at the moment the disk starts spinning... Having thought it was a jumper configuration issue (CABLE SELECT by default), I ultimately changed my mind after using my multimeter. The power supply delivers 12V (a bit more, actually), but it is far from delivering 5V, with just under 4.8V... With a primary training in electronics (BAC F2), I disassemble the hard drive's circuit board and continue my measurements. The "5V" on the 4-pin power connector of the hard drive (on the circuit board) is actually measured at 4.65V. Moreover, the electronics of the front screen are powered from this same point. This explains the flickering of the screen at the beginning of the disk's rotation, at a moment when it demands the most energy (over 1.75 amps in my case). Armed with this knowledge, I short-circuit the pin delivering the 4.65V (after filtering the 5V power supply and the standby electronics) with the "direct" input of the "5V" located on the output pin of the switch on the back of the device. And there, "miraculously," my hard drive starts up normally... All that's left is to cut the 5V power wire from the hard drive to solder it directly to the 5V output pin of the switch. Raw, but effective. I can no longer leave the multimedia disk on standby (which I didn't do anyway) without risking prematurely aging the hard drive's electronics (on the 5V side). - What a series of adventures to get a reliably functioning device... I almost regretted wanting to increase the hard drive's capacity at the expense of the warranty. I hope these are just growing pains, as I would like to point out that I bought this equipment from Carrefour at the beginning of its commercialization. I'm now very satisfied with it! ;)"  Please note that I cannot be held responsible for any damages that may arise from implementing the above instructions, which are done at your own risk. Be aware of the loss of warranty on your device when disassembling it.  Know that with this setup*, using the ON/OFF switch (located at the back of the device) means that the hard drive operates just like it was originally intended, namely a continuous power supply to the hard drive at 12V and 5V. The only problematic aspect is putting the multimedia disk on standby (using the remote control) because of the continuous 5V power to the hard drive's electronics.  I do not have the necessary knowledge to assess the long-term consequences of continuous 5V power for the hard drive, other than potential premature aging of the components. I remind you that the normal operation of the hard drive requires simultaneous power supply at both 12V and 5V.  * The proposed setup is intended only to address the failure of the power supply to deliver a true 5-volt supply, by providing the hard drive with an acceptable operating voltage.  Feel free to contact me if you're interested in this setup, for which I've taken a few photographs.

Mo · Accepted Answer

Thank you very much for this well-made tutorial!! Unfortunately, in my case, I don't have any wires... everything is integrated into the board, and the ON/OFF button is a press button... probably a "update" (not very successful!!) of the 357... anyway, it doesn't really help me much..

skarhab · Answer

Hello there and thank you for your experience on the subject  I am also the unfortunate owner of a WD mpix357 500g I say unfortunate because the beast doesn't want to cooperate anymore  The HDD makes a "grinding" noise and doesn't start up Furthermore, it is no longer recognized as an external drive on the PC, neither on XP nor on 2000 Pro; only Linux manages it a bit  So I opened the HDD (one side is actually blocked)  But now I would like a bit more explanation to attempt a power supply derivation or other repair  Thank you very much

tronco · Answer

Hello everyone  I just bought the Storex Mpix 357 with 750 GB and I have a problem. I loaded my hard drive and once I connected it to the TV, the movies are displayed as encrypted, and when I connected it to my laptops, I can't read them even though I have XP and Vista. I'm trying to contact Storex by email but I think they're on vacation.  What would you do?  Thank you for your help.

lejoker56 · Answer

Hi alef60, I would like to see the photos you took to shed some light on the repair of my mpix 357 because I have the issue "no HDD" appearing on the screen and it won't start. Thanks again for enlightening me.

Mo · Answer

Hello, I have the same problem you mentioned. I took the device apart, but unfortunately I thought it would be simple, and I'm a bit lost now... anyway, there's no warranty anymore, and the device is broken. Could you send me some elements, like photos, so I can figure this out? Thanks in advance.

danzig · Answer

Hello,  I have exactly the same problem. Would it be possible to have a photo tutorial?  And could it be the power cord?

alef60 · Answer

Hello everyone,  I'm taking some time to find the photos to upload them at the indicated link.  Please be patient, I'm thinking of you!

O.dessa · Answer

Thank you very much to you, Alef! :)

danzig · Answer

Thank you, and thank you for taking your time to help us.

alef60 · Answer

Here it is, it's done!  I created a downloadable tutorial here:  http://dl.free.fr/getfile.pl?file=/IEKHfF7T  ... hoping this can solve your issues.  If you could let me know the model of the hard drive that comes with your Mpix357, that would be great.  Good luck,  alef60

alef60 · Answer

Could you take some photos of your new Mpix model: - open case with the hard drive on top, - top and bottom of the printed circuit board, - back of the case, - back of the power supply  and upload all of this to the site dl.free.fr.  I might be able to help you...

Mo · Answer

OK, I'm going to take some photos. However, I still haven't managed to remove the circuit board to see underneath; I can't because of the soldered connectors at the back, but there must be a way... I need to check that and I'll send them to you. Thanks for your help.

alef60 · Answer

You have an updated MPIX357 equipped with a SATA hard drive and an HDMI video output.  I was able to trace the power supply of the MPIX from the connector and the traces on the circuit board, here:  http://dl.free.fr/getfile.pl?file=/wwmA50Rx  The good news is that I have indicated the 5V solder point on the photo (to be confirmed, however, with a multimeter).  The bad news is that your Hitachi hard drive is not equipped with a Molex power connector, unlike some WD drives. This will complicate how to power the hard drive directly.  The SATA connectivity is detailed here: https://pinoutguide.com/Power/sata-power_pinout.shtml  I will need a detailed photo of the circuit board without the metal "cage" hiding the SATA connector pins, in order to find a solder point as close as possible to the hard drive.  Do you have a multimeter to confirm my initial findings?

alef60 · Answer

Yes, that's right, as long as my deductions are correct, of course...

alef60 · Answer

Small questions:  - Do you hear your drive starting up?  - If so, do you hear any unusual clicking sounds or variations in the drive's rotation?  - When you connect the multimedia drive to your PC, does it recognize the drive?  - Are you experiencing any operational issues with the multimedia drive when it is connected to the PC?

Mo · Answer

Yes, I can hear the disc starting up, it shows LOAD, then there are the "abnormal clicking" sounds as you mentioned, followed by the NO HDD message..  As for when it's connected to the PC, the PC doesn't recognize it.. but I haven't tried again since the tinkering. In my opinion, it must still be the case.

alef60 · Answer

If you're talking about a connection in the PC, that's worrying, because it should at least be recognized by the SATA controller.  The fact that it's not recognized under Windows isn't a problem in itself; it could simply be due to the lack of a drive letter assignment if it's already formatted.  You should install it in your PC to isolate the problem, hoping that the drive isn't dead. At best, this will allow you to correct any errors that may be present on the drive, potential sources of other problems.  I also suggest a "nice" setup to check if the issue comes from the power supply: - remove the hard drive from your mpix and connect it to one of the SATA power connectors in your PC - connect your hard drive to the SATA port of your mpix with a SATA cable (if you don't have one, use the one from your PC) - connect the mpix to your TV - turn on your PC first to power the hard drive, then the mpix second. Since the hard drive is already running, the mpix should start up correctly.  Keep me updated.

Mo · Answer

Not bad this setup, I hadn't thought of that, except that my PC is a laptop, so I can't put the mpix disk in it.. I would need to do all this (at least to check the disk) on another PC. I need to manage to format it because the first symptoms started from there, a message telling me that it wasn't formatted properly (FAT32 or NFS, I can't remember which one is needed).

alef60 · Answer

The default formatting is FAT32, but it also works in NTFS.

fjmendes · Answer

Hello, My contribution to this discussion: to start with, in summary, the same problems of slow startups, freezes, crashing and restarts, unrecognized media, etc. until: no more startup at all! I disassembled and checked my hard drive: everything was fine; then I applied the "power supply modification" as recommended (thanks a lot again!) but no better! still no startup (the hard drive makes noises trying to start but can't; click-click-click) So I tried with another power supply ( the genius idea), from an external hard drive of the Packard Bell brand (store&save) with the same specifications (absolutely) and of course the same pinout and .. bingo! it works like new again! So thank you for the power supply lead, it confirms that it's the right one! In the end, all these problems come from an undersized power supply and that wears out relatively quickly (made in China!) The end of the story: customer service Storex at 0155858200, site http://www.storex.fr/storex/ Known issue resolved by sending a power supply for €25 including shipping!!! For my part, I had registered my product after purchase so it was rather quick even though I'm no longer under warranty, so don't hesitate, call customer service and the number is not premium-rate like many! Hoping to have helped Cheers to all.

Nikolaï · Answer

Hello everyone,
as for me, I have a strange problem. I was given a Storex mpix357 multimedia hard drive. When I connect it to my MacBook, it appears directly on my desktop, so no problem there. However, when I start transferring files, that's when it gets stuck. In fact, I can transfer a few photos, or at best a few music files, but as soon as I try to transfer a movie, a folder of music, or photos, the copy starts but stops midway. And then, it's impossible to cancel the transfer; the application completely freezes. To get out of this, I either have to turn off the multimedia hard drive or shut down my Mac by holding the button.
When I use the hard drive on my brother's computer, which is running Windows Vista, he can transfer his files without any issues, as much as he wants. The hard drive is indeed formatted in FAT32.
I've tried a thousand times, formatting, different FAT32 formats, and so on... I've tried partitioning, etc., but nothing changes. The file transfer freezes after a certain amount of time, sometimes at the beginning, and at best in the middle.

I'm going to lose my mind...!
Thank you for your help.

alef60 · Answer

Hello,

Your problem seems more related to your Macbook than to the Mpix 357, since it works correctly with another computer.

A quick search on the web indicates an issue with the rear USB ports of Macbooks, which are internally connected to a hub linking all the USB peripherals of the machine (keyboard, bluetooth, touchpad, webcam, and infrared receiver). It is recommended to use the front USB ports to avoid any issues:

https://www.wired.com/2008/05/the-macbook-all/ (in English)

Hoping this can be the case for you...

f.m · Answer

Hello.
Like fjmendes, I believe the problem with the Storex Mpix357 comes from its undersized external power supply. For explanations, see my post from Friday, November 14, 2008, at 8:10:42 PM. In fact, I chopped the original power supply of my Mpix 357 into small pieces.
Unlike fjmendes, I didn't order a replacement power supply from Storex's customer service because I was too afraid they would send me the same one.
After extensive research, I found a solution at an online retailer specializing in Mac equipment, which offers a compatible power supply, supposedly for the mpix357: Power adapter for SilverMax (5V-4A & 12V-3.5A).
A Google search with the terms "Ref: ALIMWY0031 - Model: 5513030361" will lead you directly to the appropriate page. For your information: €30 for the power supply + €5 for shipping.
This Silvermax power supply has the advantage of being able to supply more current than the original one, both at 5V and 12V. It should have no trouble powering the 500 GB hard drive. And since it is primarily designed to power an external hard drive, the tolerances for voltage and current values should be suitable.
I haven't tried it yet because I just placed the order and will only receive it tomorrow or the day after.
I should be able to check all this next weekend. If you are interested in the result, let yourself be known on this forum.

Good luck to those struggling with their Mpix 357.
Thank you who? Thank you Storex!

Micha_33 · Answer

Hello everyone, I received the power supply from Macway today.
I have to say that for me, things didn't go so well with the soldering iron; I made some big blobs, and there’s even a small pad on the circuit board that came off and I had to manage to get it to stick.

Anyway, after taking great care to reassemble everything so as not to mess up what I had just done, I powered it up with the new power supply and bam, everything works again.

So go for it, it was the power supply.

And to think that the "technician" from Storex told me that the power supply wasn't the issue as long as its indicator light was on.

Anyway, all to make money and buy from them. Especially since a message above clearly states that the returned power supply is the same and does NOT solve the problem.

Good luck to the others here; there are two of us who have incurred expenses (around €35), just a quick soldering job with good precautions and patience, and everything works again.

jerome · Answer

Hi Alef, I think I have a bigger problem. As soon as I turn on my hard drive and connect it to my PC, it shuts down. And if I let it run normally, it says "NO HDD." If you have any information, let me know what to do, I can’t put it back under warranty, I tried the manipulation by swapping the 5V and 12V wires.

jerome · Answer

Hi Alef,

I think it's really weak because I can't hear the disk spinning. I bought the power supply at Macway, then I tried it before all the manipulations, but nothing, the image on the small screen was flickering. So then I performed the manipulations, I reconnected it with the power supply from Macway and the situation was reversed, the image weakened. So there you go, I don't know what to do because since I've removed the warranty sticker, it's going to be hard to get it accepted.

Thanks again.

Foxy · Answer

Hello!

So, I connected my HDD via SATA to my computer after desperately not finding a solution that worked for me, and apparently my computer recognizes it, but how do I access it?

http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg

I did 'hardware addition' so it would recognize it, and it found this device ST3750630AS and another "Intel" something, assuming that the Intel one is more for the motherboard, I think that "ST.." corresponds to my HDD. Now how can I access it in order to retrieve my data?

Thank you.

jerome · Answer

Hi Alef

Yes, it's good, my hard drive is still working, but if I swap the 5V and 12V wires in the Storex case, it should normally work, so I'm connecting it to the Mpix 357 case. Thank you in advance, but I didn't know it shouldn't be connected directly.

tchoua · Answer

Je ne peux plus regarder le contenu de mon disque dur mpix357 500g, que dois-je faire ?

io · Answer

Hi,

I came across this forum while searching for the pinout of the PS2 connector (for S-VHS and stereo outputs) at the back of an MPiX-355. In fact, this unit was going to be thrown in the trash by a repair shop (probably because of a power supply issue), so I have neither cable nor remote control.

Initially, I retrieved it just for the case, to put a 3.5" floppy disk drive for my CPC 6128. But if in the end all the electronics inside work, I will take advantage of it.

I removed the small IDE/SATA adapter board to put in an IDE/CompactFlash adapter. This way, I have enough space for my floppy disk drive and for a memory card (which I can remove and replace as I'm going to make an opening) and I shouldn't have all those power supply issues given the consumption of a CF.

I got the technical documentation for the ES6425FF to find the different outputs of the PS2 connector, but if someone here already knows them, I would gladly accept the information :)

Regarding the power supply case from MacWay... If it is (easily) disassemblable, it would be simpler and cleaner to swap the 5 V and 12 V directly inside.

Thank you in advance and good luck to those who are having issues.

Lili · Answer

I also have problems with the Storex Mpix 357. My PC (with Windows XP) no longer recognizes my multimedia device. Only playing movies on the TV works. In this case, is it still a power supply issue? What do you think of: IOMEGA AC Adapter Model DA - 30C03 P/N 31490501 (5 V - 2.5 A / 12 V - 1.5 A)?

Flo · Answer

Hello,

I just bought a mpix-457 for my dad for Christmas, but I have a big problem because when I connect it to my PC or my dad's, it installs on it, but I can't find it in my computer, so I can't put any movies or photos on it... However, when I connect a USB stick to "the box", the menu appears and I can watch my movies and photos.
Can someone help me??
Thank you

hpflorian · Answer

Hello, I haven't studied electrotechnics but a simpler solution is available to you; you just need to format it because the data on the hard drive is definitely getting blocked due to underpowering. For a potential recovery, I recommend using the free software PCInspector.

But you'll need to format it as FAT32 first, then perform a disk cleanup by checking both options. Afterwards, create your four folders: music, video, photo, and files. Then, you should defragment the drive.

I advise you to do this by connecting the hard drive to your computer for faster data processing.

Try putting it back in its enclosure and then connect it; this way you’ll know if your power supply is providing enough current. If not, the message "no HDD" will appear.

My second solution that I tried was connecting the power supply from my computer tower to the hard drive, and surprisingly, it works again.

But the only thing that bothers me is the startup display; indeed, the Storex interface does not stabilize on the TV.

dupre60 · Answer

Does anyone have the assembly plans to modify the power supply and send it by email so I can make the modification? Thanks.

dupre60 · Answer

Hello sir  I would like to modify the casing, but the links are no longer working on the internet. Thank you for sending me the assembly photos. Thank you.

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