Can i turn an external hard drive into internal?

[hbriggs]

as hard drive prices are so high would it be possible to take apart my 640 gb external drive and use for my new build as boot drive?

thanks in advance

 

[vx53c]

hahaha, yeah i guess you can. Put a usb extension from the rear of your case inside it and attach the drive into the bay with an adaptor. Very ghetto solution but i like your style
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-5-SSD-HDD-3-5-MOUNTING-ADAPTER-BRACKET-PC-/180706471064?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a12f1ec98

Hey you can even try this thing here
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Adapter-USB-2-0-Rear-Panel-Cable-Bracket-Motherboard-C1-/130489496070?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e61c7b206
Unscrew the bracket so that you have just the females, theeen http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-male-mini-B-5-Pin-male-Connector-Adaptor-MP3-C-/220596899768?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item335c998fb8

Awesome

 

[hbriggs]

well if i take it apart will it not just be like a normal drive with sata etc?

 

[vx53c]

Probably, but not surely. Which brand and model you got?

 

[hbriggs]

Samsung S2 640GB USB3.0 Portable Hard Drive
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-133-SA&groupid=1657&catid=1659&subcat=1394

 

[nordlead]

EDIT: heh, turns out the S2 is special made since it has no SATA or PATA connectors. I've never seen a HDD like that before.

You could still use it as an internal HDD, but doesn't seem worth it.

 

[vx53c]

I couldn't find an image of it on the net opened. It probably can be rid of it's enclosure but i cannot give you a definite answer.

 

[hbriggs]

its fairly modern usb 3.0 so i expect it to be sata i may just buy a 60 gb ssd for boot drive and this for storage

 

[hbriggs]

will a 60gb boot drive be sufficient for os and a few programs?

 

[vx53c]

OS, browsers, ms office, photoshop and generally all the essentials go up to 30-32gigas

 

[hbriggs]

so i could fit 1 game on the ssd. can i run games from the storage drive?

 

[vx53c]

yup

 

[hbriggs]

cool can i run programs such as games from the external hard drive

 

[vx53c]

Yes of course. It will be slower than a normal hdd but you can install your apps and games in a usb stick if you wished it.

 

[hbriggs]

its usb 3 will that be near the speed of normal hdd