Plug a hard drive in with USB?

[porsche4life]

I saw someone mention a dock or kit that would allow you to plug old hard drives in with a USB cord? I have found some old drives that I want the pictures off of...


I find several on Google... Whats everyone else using?

[slodave]

Mine is made from Vantec. Cheap, found it at Fry's. It has connections for SATA/IDE. I use it for both desktop drives and laptops. The only bummer, is that the transformer that came with it sucks and won't power up a desktop HD. I have a spare power supply that I use.

http://www.vantecusa.com/front/product/view_detail/266

[Gordo2]

I was in Best Buy last night and noticed that they sell external hard drive chassis that will allow you to install a hard drive and connect it via USB. I don't think it will be any easier than installing it directly in your PC though - which you should be able to do for free.

I just pulled the hard drive out of my external chassis and installed it directly in my PC - the chassis went bad and wasn't connecting (no USB) or powering up the drive anymore. I pulled it out and installed it in the second bay of my PC - there is nothing unique about the drives in the external chassis - you can install them externally or directly inside your PC.

Good luck.

[porsche4life]

I don't want a chassis... Just a plug and a power supply... Need to get some stuff off these drives for my folks and their PC is in a hutch thing... easier to buy a cable...

[Jesset100]

Newer Technology Universal Drive Adapter -... (U2NV2SPATA) at OWC

[Joeaksa]

Find them at Frys, good electronic store or Ebay. I use mine all the time.

[Dave L]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

I don't want a chassis... Just a plug and a power supply... Need to get some stuff off these drives for my folks and their PC is in a hutch thing... easier to buy a cable...

I bought an external exclosure that I do use but when I was swapping in different drives I just ran it with the controller board plugged into the drive out side of the enclosure. They do make docking stations but they are more expensive.

you can also just buy the cable and power but I thinks its easier to do the USB drive enclosure.

[spuggy]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

I saw someone mention a dock or kit that would allow you to plug old hard drives in with a USB cord? I have found some old drives that I want the pictures off of...


I find several on Google... Whats everyone else using?

You mean like this



Very, very useful if you can't be bothered to mount an old drive in a case and reboot the OS just to access a couple of files.

Plug it in, mount it (if necessary) and you're done.

I bought that one (USB->SATA/IDE 2.5"/3.5"/5.25") as soon as I saw it, even though I already had several of the USB->IDE only ones (about half the price, or $6).

Works great. USB 2.0 to SATA + IDE (2.5/3.5/5.25") Cable Adapter 2020

[porsche4life]

Won't I need a power supply for that?

[porsche4life]

Newegg.com - SABRENT ECS-STU35K Aluminum 3.5" USB 2.0 Black External Enclosure - External Enclosures


There is what I am thinking...

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Won't I need a power supply for that?

Depends on the hard drive. If its a full size desktop drive, usually yes. If its a notebook drive then no.

I have a spare power supply around the shop that I use for times like this. Plug it in, power up the drive to be accessed then plug the USB cord into the server. Access the drive then unplug everything.

Used it last week to access a HD I am formatting for a friend and copy the OS to while getting ready to overhaul his computer. Works like a charm.

[slodave]

Not entirely true for laptop HD's. The SATA HD's need power. The old IDE's do not.

[Joeaksa]

I must have a fancy adapter. The SATA for my new 17" Dell works fine in the adapter with no external power supply. It must come from the adapter.

[slodave]

My adapter requires a sata cable to plug in a drive, so it also needs an external power source. Does your adapter just plug into the drive?

[slodave]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Newegg.com - SABRENT ECS-STU35K Aluminum 3.5" USB 2.0 Black External Enclosure - External Enclosures


There is what I am thinking...

This case makes for a nice one time enclosure, but to swap drives in and out will become a pain. The sides are not secured to the bottom and fall off. It's annoying when you have to swap drives all the time.

[porsche4life]

Ok good to hear that dave... Ok back to the drawing board... I have several PC power supply laying around... Think they are all the ones that got nailed by lightning....

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by slodave

My adapter requires a sata cable to plug in a drive, so it also needs an external power source. Does your adapter just plug into the drive?

Just confirmed that mine has the SATA drive plugging into the adapter, which then goes into the USB port. Then is a second smaller cable that plugs into the adapter and into the SATA drive providing the power, so no external power needed.

Got this at Fry's years ago. Been worth its weight in gold, or Porsche parts!

[nynor]

i have a SATA and an IDE enclosure. they work great. they have their own power supply that powers the drive.

[spuggy]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Won't I need a power supply for that?

Only for 3.5/5.25" drives. Laptop drives don't have a separate power connector and don't draw so much the USB bus can't power it.

For larger desktop drives, it comes with a power brick that uses a C14 power inlet and a "kettle" lead (US power to a C13 connector).

The outlet is the "standard" keyed 4-pin HDD plug you find on the motherboard flying power leads in the disk bays, with an adapter for SATA desktop drives.

[porsche4life]

None of the drives are laptop drives... So I need a power supply....