Putting hard drive in a portable case

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jan Groshan
  • Start date Start date
J

Jan Groshan

I am tossing two old computers, but would like to put the hard drives into
cases to be used as "portable" drives. Is there somewhere I can go to find
out how to do this? Is it difficult?
 
I am tossing two old computers, but would like to put the hard drives into
cases to be used as "portable" drives. Is there somewhere I can go to find
out how to do this? Is it difficult?
Click to expand...

The process is fairly straightforward:

- Remove drives from systems

- Buy External Enclosure, with matching drive interface
(typically PATA/IDE for old drives)

- Open enclosure, install drive, jumpered to master or
single. Plug in power and data connectors.

- Power up enclosure, plug in both ends of the USB cable to
enclosure and system
 
Do I understand you to mean that the enclosures come with the connections
already installed? What's the difference between "master" or "single" and
how do I tell?
 
| Do I understand you to mean that the enclosures come with the connections
| already installed? What's the difference between "master" or "single" and
| how do I tell?

You can get enclosures with or without connections in them. The ones that
have no connections would be used when you install your own connectors.
These are usually for SCSI.

One issue with IDE is there is no standard for an external connection.
You would do well to find an enclosure that has IDE inside for an IDE
drive and USB outside to plug into your new computer's USB 2.0 port.
This kind of enclosure is fairly common. But I have had trouble with
the "Nexxtech" brand sold at CircuitCity in which it would corrupt data
being written (it always read OK). I worked around it for the need I
had by reading back and if in error, write again until correct (and in
almost all cases only one write attempt fixed it).

You might be better off just buying new USB external drives. You'll
get more space for the money and cost of power and desk space. And
there are fewer hassles. Just wipe off your hard drive while it is
in your computer and set it aside to give away to someone needy.

If USB is too slow (USB 2.0 is slower than EIDE), you might want to get
eSATA instead.
 
| Do I understand you to mean that the enclosures come with the connections
| already installed? What's the difference between "master" or "single" and
| how do I tell?

You can get enclosures with or without connections in them. The ones that
have no connections would be used when you install your own connectors.
These are usually for SCSI.

One issue with IDE is there is no standard for an external connection.
You would do well to find an enclosure that has IDE inside for an IDE
drive and USB outside to plug into your new computer's USB 2.0 port.
This kind of enclosure is fairly common. But I have had trouble with
the "Nexxtech" brand sold at CircuitCity in which it would corrupt data
being written (it always read OK). I worked around it for the need I
had by reading back and if in error, write again until correct (and in
almost all cases only one write attempt fixed it).

You might be better off just buying new USB external drives. You'll
get more space for the money and cost of power and desk space. And
there are fewer hassles. Just wipe off your hard drive while it is
in your computer and set it aside to give away to someone needy.

If USB is too slow (USB 2.0 is slower than EIDE), you might want to get
eSATA instead.

--
|---------------------------------------/----------------------------------­|
| Phil Howard KA9WGN (ka9wgn.ham.org) / Do not send to the address below |
| first name lower case at ipal.net / (e-mail address removed) |
|------------------------------------/-------------------------------------­|
Click to expand...

get a Vantec Nexstar for 3.5 drives. 29 bucks cdn. works great looks
great too. You can install the drive then reformat it and be ready to
use it in about 10 mins. I just did the same thing with an old 80gb WD
ide and give it to my kid in university.
-J
 
Thanks to all for their advice. You have been very helpful.



| Do I understand you to mean that the enclosures come with the
connections
| already installed? What's the difference between "master" or "single"
and
| how do I tell?

You can get enclosures with or without connections in them. The ones that
have no connections would be used when you install your own connectors.
These are usually for SCSI.

One issue with IDE is there is no standard for an external connection.
You would do well to find an enclosure that has IDE inside for an IDE
drive and USB outside to plug into your new computer's USB 2.0 port.
This kind of enclosure is fairly common. But I have had trouble with
the "Nexxtech" brand sold at CircuitCity in which it would corrupt data
being written (it always read OK). I worked around it for the need I
had by reading back and if in error, write again until correct (and in
almost all cases only one write attempt fixed it).

You might be better off just buying new USB external drives. You'll
get more space for the money and cost of power and desk space. And
there are fewer hassles. Just wipe off your hard drive while it is
in your computer and set it aside to give away to someone needy.

If USB is too slow (USB 2.0 is slower than EIDE), you might want to get
eSATA instead.

--
|---------------------------------------/----------------------------------­|
| Phil Howard KA9WGN (ka9wgn.ham.org) / Do not send to the address below
|
| first name lower case at ipal.net / (e-mail address removed)
|
|------------------------------------/-------------------------------------­|
Click to expand...

get a Vantec Nexstar for 3.5 drives. 29 bucks cdn. works great looks
great too. You can install the drive then reformat it and be ready to
use it in about 10 mins. I just did the same thing with an old 80gb WD
ide and give it to my kid in university.
-J
 
Do I understand you to mean that the enclosures come with the connections
already installed?
Click to expand...

Yes, the enclosure claiming PATA/EIDE support will have a
circuit board with a connector for power, USB I/O cable, and
for the drive interface. Some have internal power and some
an external brick PSU but either way it will be clear how to
set it up once you are looking at it and have the drive
ready to install.


What's the difference between "master" or "single" and
how do I tell?
Click to expand...

The difference is that some drives like Western Digital, use
a single jumper setting instead of master (they have both
settings as shown on the drive label). Other drives don't
have any single jumper setting and so are set to master.
 
Jan said:
I am tossing two old computers, but would like to put the hard drives into
cases to be used as "portable" drives. Is there somewhere I can go to find
out how to do this? Is it difficult?
Click to expand...

Many vendors including newegg.com offer enlosures for drives. Look
there. Pretty simple really.
 
Thanks Kony. I've successfully removed the hard drives. Now I just have to
buy the cases and pray it's as easy to install them as it was to uninstall
them !
 
Thanks for the suggestion Plato. There are sooo many cases to choose from.
Now a new question comes up.....how do I know if I have a 2.5" or 3.5" hard
drive? What do I measure ?
 
Oops ... another question....

Will I have to reformat the hard drive once I finally figure out how to
install it in the enclosure/case?
 
Oops ... another question....

Will I have to reformat the hard drive once I finally figure out how to
install it in the enclosure/case?
Click to expand...

No, you don't have to reformat it (but you can if you really
want to).
 
| On Sep 2, 7:34 pm, (e-mail address removed) wrote:
|>
|> | Do I understand you to mean that the enclosures come with the connections
|> | already installed? What's the difference between "master" or "single" and
|> | how do I tell?
|>
|> You can get enclosures with or without connections in them. The ones that
|> have no connections would be used when you install your own connectors.
|> These are usually for SCSI.
|>
|> One issue with IDE is there is no standard for an external connection.
|> You would do well to find an enclosure that has IDE inside for an IDE
|> drive and USB outside to plug into your new computer's USB 2.0 port.
|> This kind of enclosure is fairly common. But I have had trouble with
|> the "Nexxtech" brand sold at CircuitCity in which it would corrupt data
|> being written (it always read OK). I worked around it for the need I
|> had by reading back and if in error, write again until correct (and in
|> almost all cases only one write attempt fixed it).
|>
|> You might be better off just buying new USB external drives. You'll
|> get more space for the money and cost of power and desk space. And
|> there are fewer hassles. Just wipe off your hard drive while it is
|> in your computer and set it aside to give away to someone needy.
|>
|> If USB is too slow (USB 2.0 is slower than EIDE), you might want to get
|> eSATA instead.
|>
|> --
|> |---------------------------------------/----------------------------------?|
|> | Phil Howard KA9WGN (ka9wgn.ham.org) / Do not send to the address below |
|> | first name lower case at ipal.net / (e-mail address removed) |
|> |------------------------------------/-------------------------------------?|
|
| get a Vantec Nexstar for 3.5 drives. 29 bucks cdn. works great looks
| great too. You can install the drive then reformat it and be ready to
| use it in about 10 mins. I just did the same thing with an old 80gb WD
| ide and give it to my kid in university.

I have not seen one of those in the stores around here (south of our shared
border).
 
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