Internal HD to external HD conversion ?

@ursplfrnd-8Ry66s • Oct 23, 2024

Oct 23, 2024

1.1K

Hello CEan's,

I am having an old internal hard drive. I want to convert it into external HD now. Is it possible? If yes, please tell me the procedure. I dont want to search google for this because all of us are engineers and many people here must have tried it. So i want your opinion and conversion procedure !

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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Apr 26, 2011

As I guess it, you want to physically remove the old internal hard drive and use it as an external HD. I'm also guessing that you want to transfer data to it via USB. I think you better get a new external storage device as the normal HDDs are subject to physical damages. I've lost a HDD in the past.
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optimystix

@optimystix-4yMPKC • Apr 26, 2011

converting to external drive is very easy. You need to buy an external hard drive casing for that. Take care about the following points :
1] there are 2 types of hard disk casings depending on the size of the disk. The one we use in the desptop pc is 3.5" (inches) and the ones we use in laptop is 2.5". I would assume that you want to convert an internal hard disk from your desktop pc so you need to buy a 3.5" casing for your disk.

2] it is again subdivided into 2 types based on the connectivity the drive uses. Old disks will typically have the IDE/PATA interface(I assume this is yours) while the newer disks have the SATA interface.
Thus you need to make sure you get the one according to the type of your disk.

3] basic 3.5" ones for PATA/SATA come for 450/650 rs respectively. While branded ones from Iball, Transcend, Iomega, Lacie etc can cost anywhere in the range of rs 1200 and upwards. The basic ones like intex too come with a 1 year warranty so you decide which one you would want to buy. The branded ones may/may not come with extra features so you need to check on that too.

remember, all you need is a 3.5"(assumed) hard disk case with USB to PATA interface(assumed)

p.s.: very old drives are not too good for carrying around as bumping them around could cause bad sectors and eventually data loss. But if the disk is just lying around and you want to use it for backup purposes w/o much carrying around then its fine to use it.
Newer drives are much better protected(even the internal series ones) against bumps and they can be perfectly used for converting them into external drives.
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ursplfrnd

@ursplfrnd-8Ry66s • Apr 26, 2011

The_Big_K
As I guess it, you want to physically remove the old internal hard drive and use it as an external HD. I'm also guessing that you want to transfer data to it via USB. I think you better get a new external storage device as the normal HDDs are subject to physical damages. I've lost a HDD in the past.
Hey The_Big_K , what all you said is absolutely true. I wanted to know the samething. I am already having 500GB Segate external HD. I have got 80GB of internal HD space in my system and i also have a old CPU with 4.13GB HD 😛. I am trying to convert that 4.13GB HD to external. Sounds crazy right? Its 4.13GB only but i dont want to throw it.
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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Apr 26, 2011

I'd configure it as a slave storage and use it to backup not-very-important files.
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optimystix

@optimystix-4yMPKC • Apr 26, 2011

ursplfrnd
Hey The_Big_K , what all you said is absolutely true. I wanted to know the samething. I am already having 500GB Segate external HD. I have got 80GB of internal HD space in my system and i also have a old CPU with 4.13GB HD 😛. I am trying to convert that 4.13GB HD to external. Sounds crazy right? Its 4.13GB only but i dont want to throw it.
buying a external casing will cost u at least rs 450. won't it be more convenient to use a 4gb pendrive costing about 300-325 rs than carrying that bulky unreliable(since its very very old) disk!

for the 4 gb disk , do as biggie mentioned. Connect it to ur motherboard and use it as ur secondary/slave drive.

but go for the external casing if u have more disks with u. U can always switch between the disks as required.
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ursplfrnd

@ursplfrnd-8Ry66s • Apr 27, 2011

Hey thanks for your explanation and suggestion !

optimystix
buying a external casing will cost u at least rs 450. won't it be more convenient to use a 4gb pendrive costing about 300-325 rs than carrying that bulky unreliable(since its very very old) disk!

for the 4 gb disk , do as biggie mentioned. Connect it to ur motherboard and use it as ur secondary/slave drive.

but go for the external casing if u have more disks with u. U can always switch between the disks as required.

Connecting it to slave slot is a better idea then. Thanks optimystix and The_Big_K .
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