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Got 2 HDDs: 80 gigs and 250 gigs. Both have IDE for data transfer and molex for power. I made the move to laptops years ago but I keep an old PC tower just in case I need to rummage through an old HDD or read a CD (not connected to my local network btw). So I decided to connect these HDDs to that computer. If the 250 gb one is in working condition, I can wipe it and use it for yet-another-backup-drive.

That computer only has SATA connections. I have an adapter from IDE to SATA, which I used, and for power I connected one of the (many) old power units I keep (powered it up by connecting the right pins).

HDDs work (I can feel plates spinning), but are not recognized by the computer. Tried both with the onboard XP (they don't appear on disk management) and an ubuntu on a stick. Nada for both. BIOS doesn't recognize them. Tried playing around with the jumpers for Master/Slave. Nada.

I got tipped that I might need to enable IDE emulation mode in the BIOS, but I don't see that option. I learned from googling that that option might be under a hidden BIOS menu, but I couldn't get to it (maybe I don't have the right key combo, though I tried many).

BIOS 1

BIOS 2

Any ideas?

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    You are better to use and IDE to USB adapter. Most IDE to Sata adapters just don't work.
    – Moab
    Jun 17, 2018 at 14:01
  • @Moab The adapter I had did work, on another old PC. If it's a BIOS issue or something that can be solved with software, I'd like to do that before spending any money.
    – Optimesh
    Jun 17, 2018 at 14:32
  • They are unreliable from motherboard to motherboard, that is why I never bought any and just used reliable usb adapters for accessing old ide drives. Its not a bios issue its a handshake issue with the sata controller, nothing you can do about it, either it works or it does not.
    – Moab
    Jun 17, 2018 at 14:54
  • Did you attach a power connector to the SATA-to-IDE adapter? Usually it's a floppy-style power connector.
    – sawdust
    Jun 17, 2018 at 23:35
  • @sawdust the adapter itself doesn't require power. I power the HDDs with an external power source, and they work (I can feel them spinning)
    – Optimesh
    Jun 18, 2018 at 6:56

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