I recently had my laptop's harddrive replaced, but I would like to take some data off of the old (functional) one? What kind of equipment do I need to do this?
The old harddrive is a 500 GB, 7000 RPM, 2.5 inch mobile harddrive. I remember that a friend helped me do this once and he had some sort of cord or attachment that he used to connect the harddrive to my computer.
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Does your laptop have slots for two hard drives? If so you could just put the old HD in the slave spot, transfer the files over and then take it back off. If not your going to need a get either a IDE to usb cable or whats in that link you put up there.
Thanks! I will have to look at my computer to see if there are 2 slots. Are they usually in a particular place?
Do any laptops have two slots for hard drives? I have not seen that.
For the external option, it depends on the type of hard drive, SATA or IDE.
They have different connectors.
I like something like this it works with IDE, SATA and laptop-sized and desktop-sized hard disks.
If you post the hard drive model number, we could figure out the connector.
If you don’t expect the connection to be permanent you don’t need an enclosure. You can use an adapter on a USB wire.
@jaytkay a lot of large desktop replacement laptops (17”/18”) aimed at gamers have 2 sata bays so they can offer RAID. You can also get 2 graphics cards in as well although you end up with something so heavy you probably wouldn’t want to carry too far.
@jaykay – It is a 2.5 SATA
@dabbler – Right, I don’t expect the connection to be permanent. So, do you think I should go for the thing that you linked to or to the one I linked to? Thanks!
@answerjill Yes the enclosure you linked to will work also, IF it’s an IDE drive. You mention that it’s “old” so it could be IDE, but if it isn’t that enclosure won’t work.
An advantage of the adapter thingie I linked to is that it will work with IDE drives and with SATA drives too, so you’re covered for future drive migration situations.
@dabbler – By old I just meant “former.” It isn’t really an old HD at all.
I would go for @dabbler‘s suggestion (the USB-to-hard-drive adapter) if you don’t plan to use the hard drive again.
Plus it’s a great thing to have in your toolkit for future hard drive upgrades.
And if you get it, here is a tip: Keep the adapter and its cables and power supply together in a ziploc bag so they don’t get separated. They look like random electronic bits and it’s really easy to lose something and make it all useless (voice of experience).
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