Laptop HDD to External HD? How?

[texassprite]

Sorry if this has already been covered, but i couldn't find the exact answer I needed. I have a Dell Inspiron 1200, but I don't know anything about the hard drive other than it should still be working (though the laptop itself is not). How difficult is it to remove the HD and put it in an external enclosure? What type to buy?

Thanks for your help!

 

[masteryoda34]

Usually removing a hard drive from a laptop is pretty easy. Just a matter of a cover and a few screws normally.

As far as an external enclosure, you'll have to figure out whether its SATA or PATA and what type of power connector it has, then find an enclosure with the right connectors.

How big is the drive? For the price of an enclosure you might be able to just buy a new HD. And besides, hard drives wear out and die when they get old.

 

[JDMnAR1]

Your laptop should have an IDE drive, so you should be able to just buy a 2.5' enclosure with an IDe interface internally. On the Inspiron 1100, there are two screws that hold the drive caddy in place, then it just slides out and there are four screws that hold the drive to the caddy and the adapter should just slip right off.

 

[Rabbits]

Yeah, but your going to have to void your warrant though so be sure that you want to do that.

 

[magreen]

I took the hard drive out of an old broken laptop and put it in an $8 enclosure. Easy. It's a great portable storage thingie now.

 

[JackMDS]

If you just want to to use the drive as a spare external storage it is as is as spending $5.99 + ship

Take it out and put in this, http://www.newegg.com/Product/...tegory=92&N=2010090092

 

[texassprite]

Thanks everyone! (I thought I had subscribed to the thread, but I was wrong) Anyway, a spare external drive was definitely what I was looking for...