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Thread ID: 122884	2012-01-18 07:21:00	Hard Drive Question	pine-o-cleen (2955)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1254821	2012-01-18 07:21:00	Ok, so I got given a laptop without a hard drive and researching hard drive prices it seems they really have gone up. A lot. So, my question is, It needs a 2.5" SATA hard drive, can I buy an external drive and rip it apart and use the hard drive out of that? It just seems 2nd hand external hard drives are a heck of a lot cheaper than second hand internal ones. Is there a reason?	pine-o-cleen (2955)
1254822	2012-01-18 07:25:00	Ok, so I got given a laptop without a hard drive and researching hard drive prices it seems they really have gone up. A lot. So, my question is, It needs a 2.5" SATA hard drive, can I buy an external drive and rip it apart and use the hard drive out of that? It just seems 2nd hand external hard drives are a heck of a lot cheaper than second hand internal ones. Is there a reason? Yes, it is possible as long as your BIOS supports booting via USB. Although it would be very slow. I wouldn't buy a second hand hard drive. Internal or external. Externals ones would probably be cheaper because they take a bashing from being moved around so much.	Cato (6936)
1254823	2012-01-18 07:29:00	Oh I didn't plan to keep it as a USB drive. I meant that I would buy an external and then rip it apart and grab the hard drive out of it... What I want to know is, is this possible?	pine-o-cleen (2955)
1254824	2012-01-18 07:38:00	...and I just realised that I shouldn't have posted this in Chat. Sorry.	pine-o-cleen (2955)
1254825	2012-01-18 07:57:00	Yep its possible, generally most are only an internal HDD in a metal/plastic case. I've done it myself a couple of times, where the circuit board on the external enclosure has blown, removed the drive (some have another adaptor as well) and used it as a spare drive to save data when fixing PC's. You just have to make sure the interface on the Drive is SATA and not IDE. Edited: some manufacturers also use slower drives in externals,so there may be a bit of speed difference.	wainuitech (129)
1254826	2012-01-18 08:02:00	You'll also have to make sure the external contains a 2.5" drive, not a 3.5" if you want to fit it into a laptop.	Paul.Cov (425)
1254827	2012-01-18 08:24:00	...and I just realised that I shouldn't have posted this in Chat. Sorry. No problem, just change the title to Hard Question re Drive.	R2x1 (4628)
1254828	2012-01-18 08:54:00	I have a free sata HD 2.5" if it is of use pm your address.	CliveM (6007)
1254829	2012-01-18 09:34:00	Its perfectly acceptable to take a external HDD out of its enclosure and put in a PC, usually its just a normal SATA drive with a USB HDD controller attached. It can be done both ways as well, PC HDD to USB. I usually keep a SATA/USB unit around to get data off PC HDD's where the PC has died. Also good to upgrade existing external HDD's, just buy an new HDD or use one out of a PC and swap out the old one. My old 640GB WD is clicking away s new HDD time as soon as prices drop	The Error Guy (14052)
1254830	2012-01-18 09:43:00	Not all 2.5" external drives are normal drives with an adaptor - I have found a few without SATA connectors - the USB socket is soldiered directly onto the drive.	Greven (91)
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