Connecting a Laptop Hard disk directly to Desktop (SATA)

Are all your SATA controllers enabled to AHCI in the BIOS? Also, not too sure if you want to hot plug (plugging in your harddrive while computer is on). Don't worry about the power voltage, if you have the right cable/plugs, it should work fine.

Thank you for the reply.



Yes, it is. Only in my XP machine, I've set it to IDE. Either way, I just want to use it as slave.



No such intentions, I just want to connect it as slave and back all the data up to my primary HDD (regular) which has the OS.



That's all I wanted to know, and yes; both the connectors (data & power) suits.

I did see in some other thread the advice to use molex-sata interface cable (power), with 'yellow' (12v) wire removed. Should I be doing so or the device itself will ignore the higher voltage & choose 5v ?

I don't want to waste data rate by using USB interface.

Thanks again for the reply.

You do not have to worry.
The sata Power connector from the MB will have both the +5 and the +12 V.
BUT internally in the Notebook HDD, they omit the +12V line so the +12 V does not go into the HDD. And this is why you DO NOT need to cut the yellow +12V wire on a Molex to Sata cable.

If your PSU outputs provide an unused SATA power connector, use that. Otherwise and adapter from a 4-pin Molex to SATA will do the job, and it will not push 12 VDC where it should not go.

If the drive originally was being used as SATA (more properly, an AHCI device), your machine may not handle it well if the Port Mode is set to IDE Emulation. You MAY have to set the Port Mode to AHCI and then install in Win XP the AHCI device driver that should be on a CD that came with your mobo. If you don't have that, look for such a driver on the mobo maker's website. Win XP does not have a "built-in" driver for AHCI devices, but you certainly can install a device driver for them. The only limit is that such drives handled this way can't be used to BOOT from, and you don't intend to do that.

I haven't used molex-sata interface cables. Since my psu unit is modular and so I am able to use sata interface to power my hard drives.

The sata interface may adjust the voltage, but not too sure.

From doing research, it seems you should only do 5v for your current hard drive (yellow wire removed). Otherwise, using full 12v might overload your hard drive.

I don't know the specs of your hard drive other than it being 5v.

I see. I am not too familiar with circuits. I only assumed since all my hard drives uses sata power. I was cautious for his hard drive if it may be an over voltage.

Muchas gracias fantastik250, RetiredChief & Paperdoc !!!  



I intent to do so.



Thanks a lot  


I've been reading the TH threads since 2005, and surely I should have joined this great community. Thanks a lot to each of you for your response. I'm away from home at the moment, will surely post the details asap.

Have a nice day.

Best answer selected by Krish_666.