HDD USE AS EXTERNAL DRIVE

ANKIT313D

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Jan 26, 2010
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I got a new hdd hard drive 1TB ,..is there any way i can use it as a portable drive,and use to exchange and store data between multiple pc's(new as well as old.)..if yes what do i require?..is there any difference between hdd 's used by old and new computers..
 
Solution

Last things first. Yes, there is a difference in some cases. If the drive is old enough, it may have an EIDE interface (40-pin cable) and not the current SATA interface.

To use it as a portable drive, you must first pick USB 2.0 (compatible with almost every computer) or USB 3.0 (works at 2.0 speeds with a 2.0 machine; much faster with a machine that supports 3.0)

Then you must decide whether you want to spend more and put it into a nice safe enclosure, or spend less...
You need an external case with USB and/or eSATA/Firewire. They are cheap and it is easy to install your 1TB in it. For reference, start with the link below and filter on the left for your internal interface type (SATA most likely) and desired external interface. No need to spend lots of money...

http://www.newegg.com/store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=92&Tpk=hard%20drive%20enclosure#
 

Last things first. Yes, there is a difference in some cases. If the drive is old enough, it may have an EIDE interface (40-pin cable) and not the current SATA interface.

To use it as a portable drive, you must first pick USB 2.0 (compatible with almost every computer) or USB 3.0 (works at 2.0 speeds with a 2.0 machine; much faster with a machine that supports 3.0)

Then you must decide whether you want to spend more and put it into a nice safe enclosure, or spend less and use it as a bare drive. For now, I'm going to assume that it's a 3.5" drive.

Simple, cheap, fragile could be something like this cable that will attach a bare drive, SATA or EIDE, to a USB port. For example, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002&cm_re=usb_sata_adapter-_-12-232-002-_-Product

A little more work, a little better looking, a little more rugged: Buy an empty enclosure and install the drive in it. But you might as well have bought an external USB drive anyway: For example, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817707153&cm_re=usb_enclosure_3.5_sata-_-17-707-153-_-Product


And there are enclosures that will allow a full-speed ESata connection, if your newer machines have ESata ports. For example, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182179&cm_re=esata_enclosure_3.5-_-17-182-179-_-Product
 
Solution
About the only thing you have to worry about is being too rough with it while transporting / moving it around. The desktop 3.5" hard drive isn't designed with a high shock rating like a 2.5" laptop hard drive. Be careful with it and it will last a very long time.