3

I have a spare 3.5" HDD at home and I want to use it on my notebook. My notebook have a e-sata port and I have a sata-e-sata cable, if I use the e-sata cable with a computer psu, can I use it on my notebook?

Improve this question

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
4

Short answer: Yes

Some detail: You need to juryrig the PSU to provide power to the harddrive, without requiring a motherboard to turn it on. While this juryrigging is outside of the scope of this answer, it's not that hard, and you can find guides on how to do so around the web. It basically means gutting the ATX connector on the PSU and shorting a few pins. Beware that some PSUs have sens-wires used to measure the actual voltage it supplies, and these can just be tied to the corresponding wires. What this means in practice are two main points:

  • Unless you can get your hands on an old AT power supply, it means sacrificing a PSU.
  • You probably want one with a main switch on the back, so that you can turn it off without having to pull the plug on it.

When connecting it all, apply power to it, and let the harddrive spin up a few seconds before connecting the e-sata cable. Otherwise your OS will think it's a faulty drive.

Sources:

  1. I've juryrigged PSUs to serve as 12V desk supply for electronics
  2. Some contraption at my old job involved externally powered 3.5" harddrives.
Improve this answer
2
  • In the past I've just jumpered the gray PWR_OK pin to ground with a paperclip.
    – rob
    Jun 6, 2015 at 3:52
  • It's what's I'm doing right now
    – Mateus Felipe Martins Da Costa
    Jun 21, 2015 at 18:14
3

Yes. There are also commercially-available enclosures which do basically the same thing.

Improve this answer
0
3

As long as the drive is powered, it shouldn't be an issue. I would recommend a 3.5" USB SATA HD Enclosure instead. They're really cheap.

Improve this answer
0

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .