Convert an Internal PATA IDE (Desktop) 3.5″ Hard disk to External USB Hard Disk
Most of us upgrade our PC in every 2 to 3 years… When we do so we find we may have few extra full functional left over product from the old PC… One of which could be a PATA / IDE (U-ATA) Hard Disk drive…
Now days all new motherboard may come with only one single IDE slot, therefore you may find that, the fully functional HDD cant be connected to the desktop any more..
Rather than thronging the HDD away or thinking of re-selling it, one nice idea would be using it as one large external USB plug n play storage device…
How to Convert a Internal PATA IDE (Desktop) 3.5″ Hard disk to an External USB Hard Disk ??
Hardware you need
All you need to do is purchase one external USB 2.0 Casing or enclosure for IDE drives… In India its around INR Rs. 600/- to Rs. 1200/- depending on the brand and also from the place where it is been purchased..
One may look like this,
USB 2.0 Port, please note that all new motherboard will have native USB 2.0 ports now !!!
Softwares you would need
Now days for large USB 2.0 you dont need any special software, all major new linux distros and Windows 2000 SP4 or later which includes windows xp sp2 and windows vista or server 2003 sp1 and later natively support USB 2.0 interface…
How you can do it ??
Open up the pack, it will contain the HDD casing, open the casing from the top end, and it will have connectors for IDE cable and the power cable, just connect them to your IDE HDD slots.
Now put the casing cover back on and it may look like this bellow image,
Any external casing will come with external power supply adapter and one USB 2.0 dock cable….
The Larger Desktop HDDs like normal standard 3.5 inch PATA IDE disk will need external power source to operate, this adapter will work with any 220 volt home power socket !!!
You may visit the store to purchase the product…
they do accept paypal 
ravi said
am October 21 2007 @ 6:23 am
Nice tutorial………
Most us just throw our old PATA hard disk.This is very handy tut for old PATA user who are planing to upgrade their PC.
Choto Cheeta said
am October 21 2007 @ 6:33 am
Thank you for the comment
Satyam said
am October 22 2007 @ 8:45 pm
Owesum Post
I have 2 hdd of 4GB was thinking to throw it
This made it useful
Really Helpful Post
joe2005 said
am October 23 2007 @ 2:23 am
Nice Tut.Thanks
Sunny said
am October 30 2007 @ 8:42 pm
Hi,
Yaar kia ghazab ka totka bataya hai tum nay .I Like it !
i have 3 old harddrives…one is 8.1 GB with IDE interface.
2nd is 8 GB IDE Interface.
3rd is 120 GB with SATA interface..
now confirm me that ….. by looking at ur site..i got the idea that… this BOX thing will Convert my Harddisk into a Large USB Flash(Just Like Memory Stick like Kingston USB Stick). will it work the same way?
next is u mean to say that kay … i just have to plug in USB Cable into USB 2.0 Port. owlaa. here i go… can i start moving my data into in that so called new 120 GB USB Memory Stick(offcourse it is not a Stick but i m using it as an example).
Please i m waiting for UR Reply. ASAP.
Choto Cheeta said
am October 30 2007 @ 9:33 pm
Thank you for the reply…
Yes USB HDD will just work like you USB thumb or USB pen drives… They are plug n play under OS like Windows 2000 / XP / Vista or Server 2000 / 2003 or any other Linux !!!
as shown you have to power up the 3.5″ Casing drive with exter power supply adapter whichwould come with the casing !!!
Casings are around Rs. 600/- wtih 1 year warrenty
apoorva said
am November 5 2007 @ 1:44 am
well, its good i found out about this… i thought external hard disk enclosures were very costly, now i will buy 1 today itself..
amar said
am November 8 2007 @ 7:43 am
You can get a nice ZIPPYS external hard disk casing for Rs 300 at Nehru Place in Delhi!
Mani said
am November 27 2007 @ 6:19 am
hey,
I wonder wat about speed I mean tranfer rate, will it be affected?
Choto Cheeta said
am November 28 2007 @ 2:16 pm
Hello Mani,
No there wont be any speed issue with any of the External drives… !! Usually you would find them performing faster with USB as there wont be any OS activity going on the device…
Here is a USB drive running under vista…
!!!
thnx…
bhadri said
am December 1 2007 @ 11:28 am
hey , i jus got a Zippys 3.5″ HDD.
plugged it to a 160 gb IDE harddisk.
windows detects the new hardware and says it is ready for use… but it does not turn up in my computer at all.. i cannot acess it. any idea why.
the jumper is on cable select.
Choto Cheeta said
am December 1 2007 @ 5:32 pm
^^^
If you have one unpartioned drive then its possible to face such issue…
Under Windows XP, Right Click on My Computers and click manage
Next at your left side navigation menu select the option disk management… and if you have any unpartioned space, then partion it and asign drive letter to start using it…
~NG~ said
am December 11 2007 @ 6:30 pm
hi
wat a nice conversion technique !!!
gr8
keep up d gud work!!
njoy!!
sankar said
am December 13 2007 @ 4:15 am
hi i got a zippys external case fro my segate 120 gb hard disk..im using a vista platform.whenever i plug in the device it says the device is not able to start.can u help me out???
Choto Cheeta said
am December 13 2007 @ 8:32 am
There is an update available for Vista for USB devices, http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/941600 see installing that helps or not.. I would suggest run an auto update too
DVS said
am December 23 2007 @ 4:37 pm
Can I have the driver for the same. Acually I have the Zippy casing but lost the CD that came along with the same. Now I have changed the laptop & at times it creates problem when I try to explore the HDD.
amit said
am December 29 2007 @ 6:49 pm
hi,
i just bought this device to interface my desktop’s hard disk with the laptop (vista) but it refuses to work. The usb mass storage icon pops up in the taskbar when i connect, but disappears within a few seconds. i went to the vendor to get it checked but it worked fine on his desktop, so it appears to be an issue with vista.
i’ll be really grateful if you can help me out with this.
thanks.
Choto Cheeta said
am December 30 2007 @ 6:25 am
Hello Amit,
As its Windows Vista, I would say run an auto update !!! which would download any missing driver or patch which may be needed to run your device…
For ex, pay a visit here, For Vista USB Driver Issue
James said
am March 26 2008 @ 4:53 pm
I was just about to create one topic in Thinkdigit forun about how to turn an Internal IDE HDD into External USB HDD & I saw there is allready one such topic
When I was reading the replies, I saw one member has given this page’s link. (Thnx a ton to him)
Thnx a lot yaar, u r doing gr8 job, keep it up.
Niraj Pathak said
am April 11 2008 @ 6:14 pm
from where i can get this magic BOX?
Jamshid said
am May 12 2008 @ 2:22 pm
I looked for the casing but it seems to cost above INR 1000.
I think it’s better to buy a new HDD for just INR 1700 rather than buying a casing of Rs. 1000! or atleast use the existing hard disk…
Thanks
Choto Cheeta said
am May 12 2008 @ 5:00 pm
Hello Jamshid
This is just to confirm you, the casing from brands like Techcom / Frontech is Rs. 450/- for IDE where as Rs. 550-600 for SATA HDDs
None of them comes with any warranty !!
jineesh said
am June 3 2008 @ 12:21 pm
i hav a 40 gb ide hdd i m making it external
thank u 4 ur advice
Lokesh Bhagwani said
am July 15 2008 @ 9:46 am
Hi
i have seagate 40 GB HDD, Casing and a laptop can you tell me how can i make this 40 GB hdd boot from that laptop and would like to run my laptop using this Hard Disk and Casing. I don’t have the driver cd which came with the casing could you please help
Lokesh
abhishek said
am July 21 2008 @ 8:35 am
hi i will like to know thAT i have a 250gb seagate ide drive
suggest me a good n cheap USB casing for it
i want to use it with my laptop