# Reading from an old Hard Drive

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-from-an-old-hard-drive/702009>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 21, 2014, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-from-an-old-hard-drive/702009 "2014-10-21T10:29:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-from-an-old-hard-drive/702009/22 "2014-10-22T20:29:11Z")

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Well, I have learned stuff today. Never used USB for a HD connection.

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-from-an-old-hard-drive/702009/23 "2014-10-22T22:26:57Z")

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The adaptor is obviously a superior model as it comes not only with its own power supply but alternative SATA or ide connectors. It can also connect to either a 2½ or a 3½ inc drive.

I will, as a last resort, try one of the rear USB sockets.

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**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-from-an-old-hard-drive/702009/24 "2014-10-22T22:43:23Z")

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> [@bob\_2](#):
>
> I have tried three different USB ports (Two USB2 and one USB3)
> 
> The drive is IDE and the computer SATA so I can’t add it as a slave drive.

No, you can buy a SATA to IDE adapter. They cost about $4. I have one, and it works fine.

Is it just in the desktop and device manager that you can’t find it, or can you not find it in the BIOS either?

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-from-an-old-hard-drive/702009/25 "2014-10-22T22:45:01Z")

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i have an external power supply adapter and it is intermittent using Window 7. it works fine on other stuff.

so it might be your particular versions and upgrades of Windows 7. your hardware. the phase of the moon and how many toothpicks you used last year are all factors to be considered.

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**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-from-an-old-hard-drive/702009/26 "2014-10-22T22:59:33Z")

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> [@GusNSpot](#):
>
> If any IDE drive is not the “C” drive, make it a slave. I have been told that you can’t have two ‘master’ HD’s on one OS.

Master slave IS per cable… You know, two Drives on one cable…  
The old way was to have a jumper on the drive to choose between them,  
the newer way was “Cable select” , which means the drive knew it was at the end to be master, and in the middle to be slave. But the cable had to be a cable select cable, and the drive has to have the jumper at CS.

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