Perhaps you have an unnecessary one HDD, extracted from an old computer or laptop that is lying around gathering dust. If yes, then it will require very little investment to turn it into a detachable portable USB drive 2.0 or 3.0. Find out how.
Old laptop disk or desktop computer not very suitable for connecting to new equipment - of course, it does not reach the speed and capacity of the new drives that are connected to the computer. However, you can insert old disk into a special case (adapter) and make it into a portable USB drive.
A special adapter is not just a piece of plastic - it includes a set of corresponding inputs and is an adapter for USB. Thanks to it, a hard drive that is designed to connect to motherboard through the appropriate connectors (IDE or SATA), you can connect it to a USB port, that is, make it portable. 
The prices for adapters are quite reasonable, on average about 1000 rubles. Also the cost depends on USB interface– an adapter with USB 2.0 will be cheaper for USB 3.0 (the difference is in data transfer speed).
Types of hard drives by interface
The adapter itself is not universal and you need to select the appropriate model for a specific drive. You should pay attention to the size of the drive (2.5″ or 3.5″), as well as the cable and power cable (ATA/IDE lub SATA).
Wheels 2.5″ much thinner and are mainly equipped with laptops. They can be connected via an ATA/IDE cable or a SATA cable. 
Wheels 3.5″ slightly thicker and are usually installed in a desktop computer. Also divided into ATA/IDE and SATA. 
Sometimes certain combinations may occur - a new connector can be connected via controller to the "old" motherboard (SATA/IDE). Definition hard drive is a key point, because you need to select the appropriate pocket (adapter) for the given size and interface of the drive.
How to choose the right adapter
When choosing an adapter, you should study the properties and find the right model that matches the method of connecting the hard drive and its connector. Below is an example of randomly selected USB adapters For various types hard drives.
- 2.5″ SATA: NATEC Rhino 3.0;
- 2.5″ IDE: Logilink 2.5;
- 3.5″ SATA: ITEC MySafe Advance 3.5;
- 3.5″ IDE/ATA: PRO-TECH 3.5;
- 3.5″ IDE / SATA: Tracer 731.
Installing a hard drive into the adapter
Installing a hard drive into the adapter is not difficult. Depending on the model, it may vary slightly and usually takes no more than a minute. Place the drive into the adapter housing, and then connect the wires to the appropriate connectors. 
Connection features
Depending on the adapter model, interface and type of hard drive, there may be one or two USB cables on the outside. A USB cable is used to connect to a computer port, and a second one may be required for additional power.
When connected via a USB cable, the hard drive should be immediately detected by the system and available for data transfer.
To access the contents of your hard drive via USB from a PC or laptop, you will need a special device - an adapter.
The connection is not complicated, the main thing is the presence of a special device. There are several types of devices that allow you to connect the hard drive (hard drive, HDD) of a desktop computer or laptop to USB and open its contents. Here are the two most popular: a universal USB controller (for example, AGESTAR FUBCP) or a case adapter (SATA External case, ITEC MySafe Advance and others).
In China you can buy the following devices that are built-in instead of a laptop disk drive:
There are also combined options with a complete set (adapter, cord, power supply).
The advantages of the first one are that such a device is cheaper than a case adapter, and often supports several types of connections (SATA, IDE). However, using a regular hard drive as a portable drive with it is problematic, since it will not be protected by anything.
The second option is a case adapter, which is specifically designed to turn a hard drive into portable device memory with a sufficiently large capacity, since the case will reliably protect against dust and mechanical damage. But at the same time, the versatility of the device suffers: before purchasing, you will have to decide which connector the purchased adapter will support.
Using a hard drive in a case version is a fairly simple procedure, so let’s look at how to connect and open a hard drive via USB using universal adapter(using the example of AGESTAR FUBCP).
Connection procedure
The first thing you need to do is determine the type of HDD connector that you plan to connect via USB. Plugs come in the following types:
SATA (a more modern connector, used in newly built PCs and laptops);
IDE (can be found mainly in “experienced” PCs).
We will consider the connection using the example of AGESTAR FUBCP, since it supports both “old” and modern HDDs. The average cost of such a device in Russian electronics stores is about 1,500 rubles.
The device is equipped with three interfaces (plugs):
- SATA (7-pin plug).
- IDE 40pin (40-pin plug, for IDE 3.5″).
- IDE 44pin (respectively, 44-pin plug, for IDE 1.8″/2.5″).
Description of AGESTAR FUBCP connectors below.
Step-by-step connection of HDD to computer
So, we have determined the connector of the connected hard drive; now it needs to be connected to the corresponding connector on the device. After that, insert the USB connector for data transfer (black) into the USB port of your computer or laptop. If we are working with a laptop hard drive (2.5”), we can turn on the adapter, and the HDD should appear in the list of computer drives. Sometimes, with such a connection, the hard drive may not have enough power and will not be detected by the system. In this case, turn off and connect the red USB connector of the adapter to any of the computer ports and turn on the adapter again.
If the connected hard drive was previously installed in a PC (3.5” format), the power supply from your PC’s USB will not be enough for it. The AGESTAR FUBCP comes with a power supply for 3.5" hard drives. To open the hard drive via USB, first connect it to the appropriate connector (IDE/SATA), then insert the black USB cable into one of the USB ports of the computer, then connect to the adapter a power supply that operates on 220 V (plug it into a power outlet) .
After all cables are securely connected, turn on the adapter. The connection is complete, the hdd will be detected by the computer, and you can work with it.
When the first computers appeared, all programs, games and other files took up virtually no disk space. Now things are completely different, and it is often necessary to install additional storage media. Therefore, every user should know how to connect a second hard drive to a computer. In fact, this is not difficult to do, you just need to follow simple instructions.
First, the device must be purchased in a store. Please note that the hard drive has several connection interfaces. After purchasing the purchase, you can begin installing the device.
Preparing for installation
- How many hard drives are already connected to the motherboard? Most often, a computer has only one hard drive, so installing a second drive is not difficult. In most cases, the HDD is located directly under the DVD-ROM, so finding it will not be difficult;
- Is there additional space to install a second hard drive? If it is not possible to install a second or third disk, then you will have to purchase a USB drive;
- What type of cable is used to connect the hard drive to the computer? If the purchased device does not have the same interface as on a PC, it will be difficult to install it.
Please note that you will need a 3.5-inch hard drive. There is no need to buy small disks designed for laptops.
Physical disk connection
If system unit not yet disassembled, disassemble it. It is now recommended to get rid of static electricity. This is done by any means known to you. If you wish, you can purchase a special grounding bracelet in the store.
After some minor manipulations, the hard drive will be secured in the case; now all that remains is to connect the hard drive. Before plugging in the power cable and cable, it should be noted that the procedure is slightly different for the IDE and SATA interfaces.
IDE interface
When connecting a drive with IDE interface ohm, it is recommended to pay attention to such a nuance as setting the operating mode:
- Master (main).
- Slave (subordinate).
If you are installing an additional hard drive, then you must enable Slave mode. To do this, you need to use a jumper (jumper), which is installed in the second place. The first row includes Master mode. It is important to note that on modern computers, the jumper can be completely removed. The system will automatically determine which hard master is.
At the next step, you need to connect the second or third hard drive to the mother. To do this, the IDE interface is connected to a cable (wide, thin wire). The second end of the cable is connected to the IDE 1 Secondary socket (the main drive is connected to the zero socket).
The final connection step is power supply. To do this, a white chip with four wires is connected to the corresponding connector. The wires come directly from the power supply (a box with wires and a fan).
SATA interface
Unlike IDE, a SATA drive has two L-shaped connectors. One is for the power connection, and the second is for the data cable. It should be noted that such a hard drive does not have a jumper.
The data cable is connected to a narrow connector. The other end is connected to a special connector. Most often, the motherboard has 4 such ports, but there are exceptions and there are only 2 ports. One of the slots may be occupied by a DVD drive.
There are cases when a drive with a SATA interface was purchased, but no such connectors were found on the motherboard. In this case, it is recommended to additionally purchase a SATA controller that is installed in a PCI slot.
The next step is to connect the power. An L-shaped wide cable is connected to the corresponding connector. If the drive has an additional power connector (IDE interface), it is enough to use one of the connectors. This completes the physical connection of the hard drive.
BIOS setup
When all manipulations with the hard drive are completed, you should turn on the computer and then enter the BIOS. It is important to note that launching the BIOS on each computer is carried out differently. To do this you need to use the key:
- Delete;
After entering the BIOS, you need to proceed to configuration settings. It is important to assign booting from the drive on which the operating system is installed. If the priority is set incorrectly, the system simply will not boot.
If one of the disks does not appear in the BIOS, it means that the hard drive was connected incorrectly or the cable was damaged. It is recommended to inspect all wires and reconnect (don't forget to turn off the computer).
Once the BIOS setup is completed, you can boot into the operating system. After this, all that remains is to assign a letter to the drive.
Final stage
Since connecting the hard drive to the computer is not enough, you need to make the final setup directly from Windows. On some computers, a similar procedure is carried out in automatic mode. To check this, you should open “My Computer”, and then see if the new disk.
If nothing happens, you need to launch the control panel. Then select “Administration”. Once a new window opens, you will need to select “Computer Management”. In the left column, you need to find the “Disk Management” tab (on some computers “Disk Manager”).
- At the bottom of the window, select disk 1 (if more than 2 hard drives are connected, select the disk with the highest number). This will be the new hard drive;
- You must assign a letter to the logical volume. To do this, right-click on the disk and then select “Assign letter”;
- As soon as the disk is assigned a new letter, it must be formatted. The procedure can take a long time, it all depends on the size of the hard drive. When formatting, it is important to select the NTFS file system.
When the formatting process is complete, a new disk will appear in the My Computer root directory. If for some reason you cannot connect the HDD using the built-in manager, it is recommended to use third-party programs.
An excellent tool for working with hard drives is Partition Manager. In addition, such a utility allows you to split the disk into several logical volumes.
Conclusion
Connecting a hard drive takes no more than 15 minutes. If you follow the instructions, there shouldn't be any difficulties. Modern computers don't need additional settings BIOS, of course, if the disks are not installed in absolute new computer. Also, do not forget that how big the connected hard drive can be depends on the operating system.
Video review: connecting a hard drive
Good day everyone, my dear friends. Today I want to tell you about how to connect a hard drive via USB to a computer or laptop. Personally, I had this question when I replaced it on my laptop, after which the old “hard” remained restless, although fully functional. Therefore, I hasten to please you. If you have such a device, then you can make an excellent mobile data storage out of it.
There is, however, one small condition. These methods are only suitable for more or less modern hard drives with an interface of at least SATA.
USB Box (containers, pockets)
Cam Box - This is (as you understand) a certain box (plastic or metal), inside of which there is a special slot for a particular disk. Naturally, it is worth noting that there are boxes for both large HDDs (3.5) and small ones (2.5), which go under laptops.
The HDD is simply inserted into the box, and after assembly it will be no different from the usual one external hard disk. After that, you just need to insert into it USB cable and connect to your computer. This way you get double benefits:
- You bring an old device back to life and use it;
- You practically get an external HDD for free
On such media it will be possible to store any backup and archival copies, or use it in everyday life.
All the fun will cost you an average of 300-500 rubles.
Adapter (SATA-USB)
The easiest and least expensive way is to purchase a special SATA-USB adapter. The adapter itself is a cable, at one end of which there is a connector for connecting a disk, and at the other end USB port.
Well, I think you guessed what needs to be done in this case. Yes, it's simple. Connect the hard drive to the connector, and insert the other end into the USB port of your computer or laptop.
But it’s just worth considering that conventional HDDs (3.5) may not have enough power from one USB cable, so purchase a cable with two connectors and use them simultaneously.
Depending on the company and the quality of the product, such cables will cost you approximately 200-600 rubles.
Dock station
The most expensive, but very effective option is to purchase a docking station. These devices are somewhat reminiscent of old consoles like Dendy or Sega. The similarity is that instead of connectors for cartridges, there are connectors for HDDs. All you have to do is simply insert the hard drive into this station, and then connect it via USB to the computer.
There are such devices different types, and in many cases you will be able to work not only with one disk, but with several at once, even of different form factors (2.5 and 3.5).
The cheapest options with one device will cost you no less than 1000 rubles, or even more. More powerful stations cost 3 and 4 thousand rubles each.
As you can see, there are enough ways to connect a hard drive via USB to a computer, for every taste and color. So you no longer have to leave all your devices unattended.
Well, this is where I end my article. I hope you liked it, so don't forget to subscribe to my blog updates and also share blog articles on in social networks. Good luck to you. Bye bye!
Best regards, Dmitry Kostin
Hello, friends. Sooner or later, disk space runs out. We constantly fill our devices with data and one day we find out that there is no more space on our disk. And I want it to always be there. Today I’ll tell you how you can quickly solve this problem yourself. In today's article we will connect the hard drive to the computer ourselves.
So, friends, you have discovered that you have a problem, but don’t worry, connecting the HDD is actually simple. IN regular computer install from one to six hard drives. You can make them into a place to store files, you can install another operating system. For example, on one disk you have Windows 10, and on the other Windows 7. When necessary, you boot from “seven”, and when not, from “ten” - you can do that. And you can make RAID arrays if necessary.
We connect a 3.5 hard drive from a laptop to a computer via a USB adapter
The easiest and most hassle-free option is to buy an external portable hard drive. This drive is connected via a USB connector and used as a large flash drive. The advantage of this solution is that you can store a lot of things on it? It connects easily to your computer, is compact and easy to carry. There are also disadvantages:
- the presence of a cord that must be connected all the time;
- read-write speed is lower than that of a disk connected in the usual way;
- special sensitivity to shocks and falls.
What does this have to do with a laptop disk? Inside this case is the most ordinary laptop hard drive. And if you have such a used laptop disk, you can make it portable yourself. The most important part is the adapter. You can buy an adapter in a store, taking the disk with you, and the seller will select an adapter for you, and perhaps even a beautiful case. Putting everything together we get a portable disk:
It can now be connected to a USB port. Or this option, without an adapter, just a connector screwed to the case, into which the hard drive is then inserted. The case itself can be secured in the system unit basket with screws:
This option is suitable for connecting an HDD without an adapter, inside the system unit. Read on.
Connecting a HDD without an adapter at home
You can easily connect the same 3.5 hard drive yourself. You will need an additional SATA cable for the hard drive and possibly an additional power plug (if there are not enough connectors on the power supply). On sale there are the following cable options where everything is in one:
We open the system unit after disconnecting all the wires from it, and unscrew the screws:
...remove the cover,
Connect the data cable to the motherboard...
...and the hard drive along with the power connector:
It is highly desirable that the 3.5 disk does not hang on the wires. If possible, it is better to secure it in a stationary state to avoid vibrations and shocks.
Then, we find a suitable place for it and secure it, if possible, with standard mounting screws in the basket, or at worst with plumbing tape, so that our disk is firmly and motionlessly fixed. We put the cover of the system unit in place.
How to connect a second, additional hard drive to a computer via a SATA connector
If you have a standard hard drive from your computer, you can just as easily connect it as a second drive. We do everything according to the same scheme. First, we secure the new disk with standard screws on both sides in the disk basket so that there is no vibration:
Then we connect the cable and the power connector. The disk is connected.
Connecting an IDE hard drive to the motherboard and SATA connector
If your computer's motherboard has connectors for connecting an IDE hard drive, you can try connecting such a drive. For a long time, all computers worked on the IDE interface, something like this until 2005. A disk with such an interface looks like this:
The connection socket looks like this:
Sometimes the connectors are multi-colored. And the cable for connecting to the motherboard looks like this:
The blue block connects to the motherboard, the black (topmost) to the hard drive, and the white to the DVD drive.
There is an important point when using IDE drives. If you are going to use such a disk, you need to correctly switch the jumper to the position Master or Slave. This option tells the system what role this disk will play. Master— this disk is considered the main one, and loading will take place from it. Slave— secondary disk.
U different manufacturers own pinout of jumpers. The decoding of the switching modes is always indicated on the disk case:
By setting the jumpers to a certain position, we indicate the priorities - which disk is the main one. Previously, when there were several such disks, it took a lot of time to switch them. The SATA interface does not have these disadvantages. The IDE interface has long been outdated and is no longer used modern devices. However, you can connect your existing IDE drive to the SATA socket on the motherboard using a special adapter. You need to connect the adapter to the IDE drive:
...and a SATA cable and power cable to the motherboard and power supply. In this way, you can increase disk space by some, albeit small (by modern standards) amount. Everything is more than a flash drive!
If you bought a new hard drive, you must initialize it before using it, otherwise Windows will not see it, even if it is connected correctly. This is done using special programs type Acronis Disk Director 12. First, install the disk in the system unit, connect, load Acronis Disk Director:
At first you will not see the new connected disk under Windows. However, if in your Windows versions If the “Disk Management” snap-in is available, you can try to initialize the connected disk through this snap-in. In the photo, we first went to “Computer Management”, then to “Disk Management”.
However, I always use Acronis; it is guaranteed to see all disks connected to the computer.
Need to choose required disk, right-click to open the menu, select “Initialize disk”, and then at the very top click “Apply pending operations”:
After initialization, we create a partition or partitions on the disk, formatting them in file system NTFS. At this point, the operation of connecting the disk to the computer can be considered completely completed. We connected it physically and programmatically. After these steps, the disks can be used for their intended purpose - installing an operating system or making volumes out of them to store your data.
If you decide to install another operating system on a new drive, then after installation, when you boot your computer, you will need to select the drive on which you installed it. This is done through the BIOS. To enter the BIOS, first press the key DEL, and then select the desired disk:
I repeat, you need to select from the list that appears the disk that you need. You can then change the download at any time. In general, you can connect a hard drive yourself very easily, try everything and you will definitely succeed.
