How to connect Western Digital "My passport" using other means?

Question

I have a Western Digital My Passport 500Gb external Harddrive where the USB connection on the drive seems to have worn out. I am trying to retrieve the data for a friend.

Here is an image of the cable ends. The connection on the left is the issue.

I have taken the drive out of the cover and I notice there is another set of pins.

Do you know what this connection is and if it can be used as an alternate means to connect the device to a PC? See the exposed 12 pins below.

I am considering getting another cable as it is difficult to tell if the cable or the drive connection or both are worn out.. My question is about the other pins and alternate means of accessing the drive.

I am open to connecting it a PC or as a secondary drive on my laptop which supports two harddrive bays and is sata.

Here are the drive identification numbers.

Product Number: WDBAAA5000ASL  
Serial Number: WX20A99W3466  

External link to drive support page on Western Digital

thank you.

Solution

Its very complicated. Check this out. I don't know why you'd want to go through all the trouble though...