# Laptop hard drive to external hard drive **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 23, 2007, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-hard-drive-to-external-hard-drive/423677 "2007-10-23T07:56:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tanaqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-hard-drive-to-external-hard-drive/423677/1 "2007-10-23T07:56:18Z")
So here`s the deal. My laptop recently died. However, I know the cause of death, since it has happened before. Because of this, I`ve decided not to resurrect it this time, and have in fact purchased a new machine. Before the laptop died, I was able to burn all of my really important data to CDs, but there is still a lot of data on that harddrive which would make my life much easier were I able to retrieve. The problem with the dead laptop lies entirely with the power supply, and as far as I know there is nothing wrong with the hard drive whatsoever. Now, I have heard that you can basically extract a hard drive from your computer–obviously an internal hard drive–and install it into an external hard drive enclosure, basically making yourself a new external hard drive. I have seen some instructions for doing this on the internet, but I was wondering if anyone had ever done it before. Any computer people know how difficult this would be for me to do? I`m fairly good at the software side of things, but have no expertise with hardware whatsoever. Is there anything I should watch out for, if I do do this? Like how to not electrocute myself… :o Is it feasible? Most of the instructions deal with upgrading your hard drive and making your old one into an external drive, so would there be any problems with hooking it up to a new computer entirely? Any tips? ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-hard-drive-to-external-hard-drive/423677/2 "2007-10-23T08:07:18Z")
There are ‘enclosures’ which one can purchase for this purpose. I got one when my laptop hard drive went out, in the hopes that I could salvage any data (did not work). But, essentially what you are doing is turning your laptop drive into an external drive. It’s a little aluminum enclosure with gagetry to make the drive talk to your PC. The brand I got was a Dynex, but there’s plenty on the market. **Drachillix** is a good one to answer the Q about putting it in another laptop. Good luck. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-hard-drive-to-external-hard-drive/423677/3 "2007-10-23T08:11:48Z")
[QUOTE=Tanaqui] Now, I have heard that you can basically extract a hard drive from your computer–obviously an internal hard drive–and install it into an external hard drive enclosure, basically making yourself a new external hard drive. I have seen some instructions for doing this on the internet, but I was wondering if anyone had ever done it before. Any computer people know how difficult this would be for me to do? I`m fairly good at the software side of things, but have no expertise with hardware whatsoever. Is there anything I should watch out for, if I do do this? Like how to not electrocute myself… :o Is it feasible? Most of the instructions deal with upgrading your hard drive and making your old one into an external drive, so would there be any problems with hooking it up to a new computer entirely? Any tips? [/QUOTE] It is really easy - if you can use a screwdriver **without** perforating your skin you should be ok 😉 . You do need to know what sort of hard drive in in your old laptop. If it is older, it will be an IDE drive. A more recent drive will be a SATA drive. I’ll assume an IDE drive. Go to your local computer store and buy a 2.5" IDE (or SATA) USB2 enclosure. This will be a little metal or plastic box with an interface card, and won’t cost much at all. Make sure you have a small posi/plus screwdriver, and you may need a small torx, too. Take your laptop - eject the hard drive. Your manual will tell you how to do this. You may need to remove a screw or the battery first. The drive may be in a carrier or mount. It will have a interface adapter, too. Unscrew the drive from the carrier and disconnect the interface adapter. Always pull straight out from the drive. The drive (if it is an IDE) will have a set of 44 pins on one end - don’t touch or bend them. Connect the enclosure interface board. Make sure you line up the pins correctly and push straight - it won’t take much force. Insert the drive into the carrier and screw in as appropriate. Done. Good luck Si