Is it possible to convert an internal Hard Drive...

[XL]

...into an external one?

[Vietnamese Crippler]

Yes.

Search for "external enclosure" at your favorite online market place.

[XL]

Awww man. Can't you do it for me!?

TBH, I can't acess anything through Google. Can try eBay & play.com though.

[XL]

Also, I don't know if the hard drive is SATA or IDE. Or how to tel the difference...

[Downunder]

Look on the hard drive it will tell you.

also an IDE looks like this:

http://everythingaboutideharddisk.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/everythingharddisk-post-2.jpg

and a SATA looks like this:

http://www.pchelpwebshop.co.uk/images/WD_sata_250gb.jpg

basically the connections are different

[Jura]

Sata drives use flat contacts while IDE uses those many pins. The cable for Sata will usually be red, flat, thin and take up little space while IDE cables use the wide, flat grey ribbon cables.

If it's SATA you can use something like this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153066 You can just pop it in.

Or you can get something like this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817173042 where it goes inside the case.

[XL]

Cheers Jura. I've been done some looking into it myself and it's a SATA. Think I'll end up paying around £20 on eBay which isn't too bad.

Just need to work out if I need a 2.5" or a 3.5"? What does that measurement refer to?

[Vietnamese Crippler]

If it's from a desktop it's a 3.5" drive.

If it's from a laptop it's a 2.5" drive.

[XL]

Do all of these things need an additional power supply?

[XL]

I've found these 3 on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130409856932&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290429891067&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260637465412&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

The first one doesn't make reference to supplying a power cable. Will it need one anyway? Obviously if I can do without the external power cable I'd want to just to save space, etc.

Thoughts?

[Vietnamese Crippler]

Yes, you will need a power cable. I'm sure almost every, if not all, 3.5" enclosure REQUIRES a power brick because USB power is not enough to power up a 3.5" hard drive.

Email the seller to see if the kit comes with a power supply (which I'm positive it should).

[Downunder]

Just get one of these mate - solves all your problems

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230447608860&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_4259wt_911


http://www.cn-cctv.com/images/EBAY/CCTVHOME/HDD-DOCK/HDD-DOCK-2.jpg

[Jura]

Yeah its Bran-New. I'd definitely get that.

[Mooияakeя™]

Defo go for e-sata.

When I get my new SSD to run Win7, my 1TB is going into a caddy and e-sata. My Raptor will then be for games. Should be shit hot.

Caddy's are awesome. When there is life in that Harddrive, use it!

[XL]

So I got an enclosure. Just need to know how to format the hard drive so that it's just for storage...

[Vietnamese Crippler]

Put hard drive in enclosure --> Connect to computer --> Go to My Computer --> Right click the hard drive you want to format --> Choose "Format"

[dronepool]

So this hard drive enclosure would be ideal for me, right?

I'm not in a rush to do this at all but apparently last year my 6 year old PC's graphic card burned out (my computer was still on when the display stopped working) and if I ever wanted to access or format my harddrive without fixing the graphics card, this would be the proper way- right?

[Vietnamese Crippler]

Enclosure or dock, yes.

[XL]

FFS. Received the enclosure, hooked the thing up, started format and *CRACK* it stops working. I think it's the power block. Just gotta work out how to get the hard drive OUT of it now and send the fucker back!

[Downunder]

You should have got the dock bro

[Vietnamese Crippler]

Yeah, like docks are impervious to damage/bad parts :roll:

[Mooияakeя™]

You know, you can also get a tray for 3.5" and 5.25" bays also. It's great to keep dust out of a HDD u actually want to use for a bit (until it's full / you have what you need off it). I guess if your not so savvy, you could ask a mate if this appeals. A caddy is great if you have many to swap an enclosure is best if you only have one or will use it on the move / for transferring data.

[Downunder]

Yeah, like docks are impervious to damage/bad parts :roll:

No because all you need to do is take the bloody HD out of the dock and send it back. If he had bought a dock and just slapped the HD in he wouldn't have any trouble removing it - which seems to be the problem.


also - you never go wrong with a Bran-New dock

[Vietnamese Crippler]

Oat bran?

I'm curious why he can't get the thing out of the enclosure.

[XL]

It wasn't as hard to remove as I thought. The problem came with the fact that I had put one of the plastic sides on the wrong way. I was worried that it might snap when I tried to remove it and then I wouldn't be ale to send it back.

Looks like I have to foot the bill to send it back too. Is it possible to change your eBay feedback?

[#BROKEN Hasney]

It wasn't as hard to remove as I thought. The problem came with the fact that I had put one of the plastic sides on the wrong way. I was worried that it might snap when I tried to remove it and then I wouldn't be ale to send it back.

Looks like I have to foot the bill to send it back too. Is it possible to change your eBay feedback?

No, which is why I always leave eBay feedback to the last possible second.

[Vietnamese Crippler]

Technically you can, but you have to request a revision from the seller.

[XL]

Wow, looks like I'm dealing with a loon. I asked if I would have to foot the cost for returning the item. They didn't respond with an answer. So I sent it today and then sent the following message...

Personally I think it's the power cable that has blown not the enclosure. Sent today, recorded delivery (Barcode for tracking: AG791126736GB).

Can't say I'm pleased with having to foot the bill for returning an item that lasted barely 15 minutes. I'll certainly learn not to leave positive feedback so soon in future.


The reply...
so you are threatening to leave negative feedback? ok now we will go by rules, i am very co-operative person but where people start treating seller their servants i treat them at like my shoes
now listen this transaction was on ebay where rule is, i repeat rule is YOU HAVE TO SEND IT BACK AT YOUR EXPENSE NO MATTER WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM..understand?

don't you think people have gone mad and far away from humanity and speak like animals?
did i make these caddies?
was caddy opened?
was it used?
or you are mental person?
hmm?

i always say common sense must prevail before speaking but who will tell you whether you have any common sense or not? probably you are an uneducated person

now leave negative feedback and this is your only achievement in this life,,...shame on you, learn to respect others and also learn to follow the rules of this market otherwise close your ebay account and go to high street and pay 4 times more and then if you speak this kind of language see what happens at super store


And my reply...

Woah. No need to go off the deep end there.

I wasn't "threatening" anything. I said I wouldn't be inclinded to leave feedback as early as I did again. I left it that early because I have experienced sellers that get very annoyed when it's not left quickly (which is odd given that the seller should leave feedback first really).

I'm pretty sure if I DID go to a high street store I wouldn't get a response like that! Did I swear? Did I insult you personally?

For you to call me a "mental person" and "uneducated" is totally uncalled for - and then you ironically tell me to have respect for others? WOW!

I'm sorry that I am not a very experienced eBay buyer and that I haven't read all the T&Cs (who has?) but all I was doing was expressing my annoyance at having to fork out to return an item that lasted less than 15 minutes.

How about we just end the transaction? You refund me the money (minus the cost for you to send it) and I'll buy from another merchant?

[XL]

And that was my 4k milestone? :rant:

[Vietnamese Crippler]

4K means shit.

Multiples of 5K, c'mon now.

[XL]

Way to piss on my chips VC. I've been a member here for almost 6 years and have onky just got to 4k. And now you wanna take it away from me!? For shame.

[Vietnamese Crippler]

I've been here for almost NINE years and I'm barely making it to 8000.

EAT IT :mad:

[Downunder]

Leave the cockhead negative feedback - what a dick