PC doesn't recognize 2.5" drives connected with adapter - why not?

[Brian Kendig]

I can't get any of my desktop PCs to recognize any of my 2.5-inch
laptop hard drives connected with either of two adapters, and I could
use some help figuring what I'm doing wrong.

One of the adapters I purchased from NewEgg a few months ago; the other
I got from CompUSA last week. They're really simple - the side with
holes connects to a laptop drive's pins (and it's keyed so it can't go
on the wrong way), the side with pins plugs into an ATA cable (again,
it's keyed to make sure it can only be connected one way), and there's
a power cable (with pins clearly marked as to which connects to red and
which to black) which plugs into a four-pin power connector. There's no
way to connect it the wrong way. I did verify that the pins are
connected properly.

But neither adapter works. I tried a few different laptop drives and a
few different PCs, and got the same result each time: the PC hesitates
when it tries to see the laptop drive, but it finally gives up without
detecting the drive. I tried this with the laptop drive on its own ATA
bus, or as a slave drive, or as the only drive in the system. The 2.5"
drive doesn't even appear to be spinning up. (But when I put it back in
its laptop, it works fine.)

I used the BIOS menu to tell the computers to autodetect the ATA
drives. I tried leaving the 2.5" drives unjumpered (they should default
to master), and I also tried explicitly jumpering them to master or
slave.

What am I doing wrong? Other people haven't had trouble with this, but
nothing I do can get it to work.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

I can't get any of my desktop PCs to recognize any of my 2.5-inch
laptop hard drives connected with either of two adapters, and I could
use some help figuring what I'm doing wrong.

One of the adapters I purchased from NewEgg a few months ago; the other
I got from CompUSA last week. They're really simple - the side with
holes connects to a laptop drive's pins (and it's keyed so it can't go
on the wrong way), the side with pins plugs into an ATA cable (again,
it's keyed to make sure it can only be connected one way), and there's
a power cable (with pins clearly marked as to which connects to red and
which to black) which plugs into a four-pin power connector. There's no
way to connect it the wrong way. I did verify that the pins are
connected properly.

But neither adapter works. I tried a few different laptop drives and a
few different PCs, and got the same result each time: the PC hesitates
when it tries to see the laptop drive, but it finally gives up without
detecting the drive. I tried this with the laptop drive on its own ATA
bus, or as a slave drive, or as the only drive in the system. The 2.5"
drive doesn't even appear to be spinning up. (But when I put it back in
its laptop, it works fine.)

I used the BIOS menu to tell the computers to autodetect the ATA
drives. I tried leaving the 2.5" drives unjumpered (they should default
to master), and I also tried explicitly jumpering them to master or slave.

What am I doing wrong? Other people haven't had trouble with this, but
nothing I do can get it to work.

Only one thing comes to mind: could the drive(s) have been setup to not spin on powerup?

 

[Rod Speed]

I can't get any of my desktop PCs to recognize any of my 2.5-inch
laptop hard drives connected with either of two adapters, and I
could use some help figuring what I'm doing wrong.

One of the adapters I purchased from NewEgg a few months ago;
the other I got from CompUSA last week. They're really simple -
the side with holes connects to a laptop drive's pins (and it's keyed
so it can't go on the wrong way), the side with pins plugs into an
ATA cable (again, it's keyed to make sure it can only be connected
one way), and there's a power cable (with pins clearly marked as
to which connects to red and which to black) which plugs into
a four-pin power connector. There's no way to connect it the
wrong way. I did verify that the pins are connected properly.

But neither adapter works. I tried a few different laptop drives
and a few different PCs, and got the same result each time: the
PC hesitates when it tries to see the laptop drive, but it finally
gives up without detecting the drive. I tried this with the laptop
drive on its own ATA bus, or as a slave drive, or as the only drive in
the system. The 2.5" drive doesn't even appear to be spinning up.

That's the important bit. You should be able to confirm whether
its spinning up or not by putting your hand on it to feel that.

(But when I put it back in its laptop, it works fine.)

I used the BIOS menu to tell the computers to autodetect
the ATA drives. I tried leaving the 2.5" drives unjumpered
(they should default to master), and I also tried explicitly
jumpering them to master or slave.

Try cable select.

What am I doing wrong?

I'd try another ribbon cable back to the PC.

And make sure its actually plugged in at the PC end |-(

Other people haven't had trouble with this,

Yeah, it should work.

 

[ohaya]

I can't get any of my desktop PCs to recognize any of my 2.5-inch
laptop hard drives connected with either of two adapters, and I could
use some help figuring what I'm doing wrong.

One of the adapters I purchased from NewEgg a few months ago; the other
I got from CompUSA last week. They're really simple - the side with
holes connects to a laptop drive's pins (and it's keyed so it can't go
on the wrong way), the side with pins plugs into an ATA cable (again,
it's keyed to make sure it can only be connected one way), and there's
a power cable (with pins clearly marked as to which connects to red and
which to black) which plugs into a four-pin power connector. There's no
way to connect it the wrong way. I did verify that the pins are
connected properly.

But neither adapter works. I tried a few different laptop drives and a
few different PCs, and got the same result each time: the PC hesitates
when it tries to see the laptop drive, but it finally gives up without
detecting the drive. I tried this with the laptop drive on its own ATA
bus, or as a slave drive, or as the only drive in the system. The 2.5"
drive doesn't even appear to be spinning up. (But when I put it back in
its laptop, it works fine.)

I used the BIOS menu to tell the computers to autodetect the ATA
drives. I tried leaving the 2.5" drives unjumpered (they should default
to master), and I also tried explicitly jumpering them to master or
slave.

What am I doing wrong? Other people haven't had trouble with this, but
nothing I do can get it to work.

Hi,

The 2.5" adapters that I've used have a small cable that is terminated
with a (white) 4-pin Molex connector for power. Did the adapters that
you tried not have something like that? I'm only asking because your
post seems to indicate that you might have had to connect pins rather
than using the connector?

Have you been trying with just the same power connector and IDE cable
off of the PC, or have you tried using a different 4-pin power connector
and IDE cable from your PC?

One possible other test: Go get a 2.5" external USB2 enclosure (they're
fairly inexpensive), and put one of the 2.5" drives into that, then plug
the external enclosure into a USB2 port on your PC and see if the PC can
then recognize the drive.

Jim

 

[Rod Speed]

Brian Kendig wrote
***************************************************************************************

The 2.5" adapters that I've used have a small cable that is terminated with a (white) 4-pin Molex
connector for power. Did the adapters that you tried not have something like that?

He clearly said that it does.

I'm only asking because your post seems to indicate that you might have had to connect pins rather
than using the connector?

Have you been trying with just the same power connector and IDE cable off of the PC, or have you
tried using a different 4-pin power connector and IDE cable from your PC?

One possible other test: Go get a 2.5" external USB2 enclosure
(they're fairly inexpensive), and put one of the 2.5" drives into
that, then plug the external enclosure into a USB2 port on your PC and see if the PC can then
recognize the drive.

You can also get just the cabling etc, no actual housing.
Usually a single connector block which has a 2.5"
connector on one side, a 3.5" connector on the other.

 

[ohaya]

Rod,

Comments interspersed below...

He clearly said that it does.

You're probably correct, but the OP said "a power cable (with pins
clearly marked as to which connects to red and which to black)" which I
thought might mean that the adapters that he tried just had two wires
with pins on the end, so I thought that I'd just check...

You can also get just the cabling etc, no actual housing.
Usually a single connector block which has a 2.5"
connector on one side, a 3.5" connector on the other.

I think that what you're describing is the "wadapter(s)" that the OP was
talking about in the original post...

Jim

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod,

Comments interspersed below...



You're probably correct, but the OP said "a power cable (with pins
clearly marked as to which connects to red and which to black)" which
I thought might mean that the adapters that he tried just had two
wires with pins on the end, so I thought that I'd just check...

I think that what you're describing is the "wadapter(s)" that the OP was talking about in the
original post...

Nope. He's clearly talking about the entirely passive adapters
which just allow connection to the extra pins on the 2.5" drive
that carry the power and which feed the others straight thru.

The ones I was talking about do an IDE/USB conversion
and have to have a bridge in what the drive plugs into.

 

[mike]

I can't get any of my desktop PCs to recognize any of my 2.5-inch
laptop hard drives connected with either of two adapters, and I could
use some help figuring what I'm doing wrong.

One of the adapters I purchased from NewEgg a few months ago; the other
I got from CompUSA last week. They're really simple - the side with
holes connects to a laptop drive's pins (and it's keyed so it can't go
on the wrong way), the side with pins plugs into an ATA cable (again,
it's keyed to make sure it can only be connected one way), and there's
a power cable (with pins clearly marked as to which connects to red and
which to black) which plugs into a four-pin power connector. There's no
way to connect it the wrong way. I did verify that the pins are
connected properly.

But neither adapter works. I tried a few different laptop drives and a
few different PCs, and got the same result each time: the PC hesitates
when it tries to see the laptop drive, but it finally gives up without
detecting the drive. I tried this with the laptop drive on its own ATA
bus, or as a slave drive, or as the only drive in the system. The 2.5"
drive doesn't even appear to be spinning up. (But when I put it back in
its laptop, it works fine.)

I used the BIOS menu to tell the computers to autodetect the ATA
drives. I tried leaving the 2.5" drives unjumpered (they should default
to master), and I also tried explicitly jumpering them to master or
slave.

What am I doing wrong? Other people haven't had trouble with this, but
nothing I do can get it to work.

I have two of these adapters. The older one works flawlessly anywhere I
stick it.
The newer one came with a USB/IDE converter. It works sometimes on some
computers, but mostly doesn't work at all. Says HX-IDE-K in big letters.
It's nothin' but interconnect and I've been over it with a Continuity
Tester. Haven't had the motivation to figure out why it doesn't work.
Post what you conclude.
Thanks, mike