How to Build an External Hard Drive

[@cri8tor]

Finally, I found the tutorial that is truly useful for those of us who have old and new 2.5" IDE's and can't get them to work. I have new and old hard drives that I haven't been able to make work as external drives. The most helpful part of this video was the instructional on how to format a new, or old, hard drive. Cheers m8

[@johnmyers4365]

thank you! ive been looking around trying to figure out how to do this and you put it in the most simple, quickest, and most understandable steps, people who know nothing about electronics could do this the way you explained it, people need to explain things like that

[@jerryg50]

Compared to SATA the IDE will be a lot slower. IDE is using a parallel data type transfer. The SATA is a very high speed serial type data. SATA may also show as SCSI in the drive properties, because SATA with some types of drives will emulate SCSI.

[@duraiprasanth]

👍

[@live-concept]

SSD now is a lot faster than HDD

[@YizusCrist]

@@live-concept and now Nvme are a lot faster than SATA SSDs

[@Happy-Me.]

Great video. I had to take my 2.5 SATA hard drive out of a fully working but very out of date Toshiba Equuim with windows XP today. This laptop had served me well.

[@sebastiansuarez1549]

Dude the time it takes to format a disk doesn't depend on if you have 10 Xeon CPUs with 1tb of RAM, it just depends on the hard disk speed

[@michaelnelson2951]

Thank you cleared up a lot of procedure issues for me.

[@reviewthecheapest]

I have done this and it is very convinient and money saving.

[@ebbalundqvist1936]

Your videos are really good, it’s easy to follow and understand when you explain. Thank you so much!

[@mariam2970]

Thank you for the video! It was exactly what I was looking for! I have an old Fujitsu hard drive and I didn't know how to find a case for it! You have been a huge help!!!!

[@rman8028]

Very well explained process with minimal compu-speak. Thank you immensely!

[@mynameismine0]

please also post a video for "how to detach INTERNAL HARD DRIVE FROM DESKTOP" to retrieve its data & use it on laptop ??

[@Babblingboolean]

+A B Interesting idea I'll definitely look into but with a backlog of projects and house renovation, it will be a few months before that happens.

[@mynameismine0]

hey, thanks buddy, u explain very well until the classification of SATA (new ! from desktop) & IDE (old ! from laptop) in 2.5 & 3.5 Sizes. now , what should I do if I don't have the cases & how can I connect my OLD DESKTOP HARD DRIVE to my LAPTOP ? Do I need a compatible cable & a power adapter ?? Will my laptop be able to accomodate my old internal hard disk with all my data ?? PLEASE , Boolean, DO REPLY. & THANKS AGAIN, you're doing a good job........

[@mynameismine0]

hey, thanks buddy, u explain very well until the classification of SATA (new ! from desktop) & IDE (old ! from laptop) in 2.5 & 3.5 Sizes. now , what should I do if I don't have the cases & how can I connect my OLD DESKTOP HARD DRIVE to my LAPTOP ? Do I need a compatible cable & a power adapter ?? Will my laptop be able to accomodate my old internal hard disk with all my data ?? PLEASE , Boolean, DO REPLY. & THANKS AGAIN, you're doing a good job.

[@sswiths5328]

Thank you, man.. I got the HDD and the external USB for it, but didn't know what to do.. your vid helped me formatted it. and it works.

[@everyoneSalegend]

What about overheating problems with these enclosures, how serious are they? Is there a way to avoid those problems, maybe to look for specific type of enclosure (with a fan or something) or something else? What do you think about those USB to IDE / SATA 2,5" / 3,5" (universal) kits? Are they better then these external hdd enclosures or not? Thank you!

[@Babblingboolean]

+everyoneSalegend Different cases have different performances, nothing to do with being universal or not. I suggest searching some tech sites for some cases in your budget and see what has a good review as there are hundreds of different models available.

[@SmartLifeEnthusiast]

Formatting doesn't have much to do with the speed of your pc (the i7 you mention), it has more to do with the disk write speed and the connector speed. As you have a USB 2 connector, your speed is limited quite a lot, you'd be better of with USB 3

[@letsplaypokepeterlppp5980]

This is a good Video for people who dont know how to do this. Thumbs up from me👍👍

[@benedictoperana1015]

very informatively clear video

[@lok974]

Thank you so much this is so helpful, I fix my hard drive because of you it wasn't showing on my computer and now it's working great I did exactly what you said in the video. have a great day

[@SmartLifeEnthusiast]

Is it possible to find/build an external hard drive casing for a 3.5" IDE hard drive with power supply? I took 2 IDE drives out of different old computers, one needs a power connection and the other has a powered bus.

[@ermonski]

I agree with this. I still don't get why people still buy pre-made external hard drives where some of them are proprietary and are not SATA compatible hence you can't move the drive to another enclosure once some of the parts gives up.

[@sudeshnaray6505]

The differentiation between 2.5 &3.5 was very good.

[@everyoneSalegend]

+SUDESHNA RAY It's a difference by 1" they say...

[@tonga1235]

".. this computer's really fast .." Though it took so long to load the 'Computer -> Manage' that you had to skip it

[@logiic8835]

Ok

[@glennbaxter7254]

What exactly did you build?

[@sagarkalita6208]

Thanks buddy i really get a lot of information about 3.5 hard drive again thanks😊😊😊😊☺

[@ngaruadigitalmedia6895]

Cool video with good information.

[@Babblingboolean]

Thanks 👍

[@MrGuidoJacobs]

I might buy this thing, but do i have to take a thunderbolt plugin?

[@shanesalkeld8240]

Thanks!!!! Formating first one now. Great how to video. $6 For and 500 gb external HD.

[@MeOhMe1990]

Thank you that was super helpful.

[@muquaddasalam116]

Excellent Explanation

[@AncientBart]

Thank you! I'm gonna be making external hard drives for money :)

[@edgarperez678]

Thank You Brotha!!!!

[@UKtilly]

Excellent clear explanation. thank you.

[@mikeshdtv]

Great informative video but in your video you do not mention if someone has an external hdd and has an operating system already on that external hdd and how to boot into either operating system, the one in your pc or laptop.

[@realvivifromloona]

Thanks! Now i have a place where to save my movies!

[@bland9876]

Always remember to at least get a USB 3.0 enclosure if you want your drive to be faster you must also connect it to a 3.0 port on your computer though

[@akweeey]

omg thank you so much i just finished salvaging our old cpus since we had a small computer shop before and i was wondering if i could see the contents again haha

[@macgyver24]

Good video... Good explanation! Ur voice isn't too fast lol. But for the 3.5 desktop one you really need a case??. I have a single usb to sata cable. It even has 2 usb connectors but it doesnt work :(... Help?

[@arunmishraajm]

fantastic !! Nice video, he explained all thing in very good manner and smartly.. Thanks !!

[@ChinmayiKaushik]

Instead of the external enclosure can I use SATA and power adapter cables with usb to use the disk externally? I have difficulty finding the enclosure of the right size. My hard disk is 3.5" similar to the one in the video but its a lot thinner, almost half the thickness.

[@Babblingboolean]

You could technically connect the hard drive to the computer using a SATA wire and power connections to the power supply but your computer case would remain open and static could damage the hard drive just sitting there without any protection. If your HDD is the same size but thinner then why not use an enclosure anyway? HDD enclosures usually include screws to attach a HDD in a enclosure to prevent it from shaking, so if the HDD is thinner, it wouldn't make a difference. The only way I know to connect a HDD to a computer via USB is with an adapter, HDDs themselves don't have USB ports directly on them.

[@ChinmayiKaushik]

Babbling Boolean Alright, thank you!

[@Robert636]

Babbling Boolean, creating the external hard drive went great everything show on line ready to use. not quite sure how to write and read on it. can you please explain?

[@MTxD]

it is not "How to Build an External Hard Drive", it is how to install a harddrive into an External Hard Drive

[@jayjayf9699]

hey, I'm basically trying to recover old data from my old Toshiba satellite pro L650, it says it is a eSATA drive, does that mean its the same as a SATA? Do I need to buy a special adaptor or can I still use a SATA adapter?

[@mynameismine0]

hi, Suggest A KIT FOR SATA (2.5 & 3.5) & IDE (2.5 & 3.5) - DESKTOP HARD DRIVES to turn them into EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE - in India (which brand ?? what prices ? what capacity (how many GB ?? ) Please DO REPLY. thanks.

[@kotamrajuradhika]

thanks for the video, explained in a really good way :)

[@fuzz2978]

What do I need to do,to make a 1tb hard drive into an external one for the Xbox that I use now? And can I swap a 500g to a 1tb or does that need formatted?i don't have a PC.

[@jairana86]

Will it also support on desktop? It will need a driver after installation in case? it will work like a external hard disk when plugged into the computer, like other external hard disk do? will it work like a USB to any computer?

[@Babblingboolean]

It'll work like a USB stick or regular external drive, no driver should be needed.

[@jopht1640]

I can't find hardwares for my fostex FD4 digital mixer recorder,it's an old equipment,my Iomega jaz stops working.I saw in the manual I can install 2.5" ide hd inside,but hard to find the hardwares,like mounting parts,50 pin sockets,etc.,help is greatly appreciated.

[@tvpharoah1314]

Came here to see how to make my 3.5 become an external drive, accidentally found out that a block i found a long time ago is actually a 2.5 external hard drive. Time to look for it and find out what's on it

[@cwrigh13]

Hello thanks for the video. Is there a way of daisy chaining two (or more) 2.5 inch HDs together as an external HD?

[@AaronBilger]

Would you say it would be more reliable if I used a new hard drive vs. a external hard drive found on Amazon?

[@Babblingboolean]

If the external HDD on Amazon is brand new and from a reputable seller than it shouldn't matter.

[@Fasi445]

hey i liked ur video, this will help me alote.... but i have a Q. i have a SATA 120GB hardrive (small one) from a new laptop that was broken, my question is: Can u link it to a smart tv for recording?

[@Babblingboolean]

Most likely no. That's only possible if the TV itself has that feature built-in (which I've never heard of) or some other third-party device (which I have to buy and test myself) like this: goo.gl/86F3JS That particular model allows USB connectivity or placing a 2.5" hard drive inside.

[@Fasi445]

its a Samsung smart tv, it should work with an extrern hard disk but i'm not sure if it works with this

[@GopakumarGgopz]

Hi, I've an IDE internal HDD,I need to connvert it into an external one. This video was very helpful for me. Could you please tell me from where I could get the IDE casing....

[@Babblingboolean]

In my area stores don't sell them anymore so I had to use eBay.

[@GopakumarGgopz]

Okey... Thank u....

[@gatekeepermoraleta6363]

Hi. I just found your video. I got a question. Can I use my external hard drive without using a power cord? If so, how? Thank you

[@Babblingboolean]

Usually only 2.5" drives can be used without an additional power cord. 3.5" drives require the extra power cord though.

[@Friskee62]

After I retrieve all the stuff on my HD, how do I keep just my pictures. I don't care about anything else, I have a new 'puter, just want my pics saved on the old HD. I will be making my old 500G HD a new external HD. I have Windows 10, it sucks but. Thanx...

[@mdyousupalisamir]

Where did you get IDE ?? Product link Pls ..

[@adarshpal0]

I have IDE 3.5 inch type hard drive, but the enclosure have the power supply port. i did not understand the function of it, what is the need of it?

[@BarryKoostachin]

Decent video dude. The enclosures for ole IDE internal hard drives are friggin difficult to find. However I have an usb 2.0 to IDE SATA adapter that little device is useful. But you would have to be careful not to move it around. Got it from walmart canada more than a year ago, before standard shipping fee jumped from 15.00 to 100.00 to northern area.

[@JPMitreN]

Can you combine both into one…. I have a bunch of both

[@dragontouch1634]

Hello Babbling Boolean! What type of camera you used to record your tutorials? I like the video quality. Would you recommend it or is there another one you would recommend?

[@Babblingboolean]

+DRAGON TOUCH I think for this video I used the Sony HX20V, now I'm currently using the Canon T5i.

[@dragontouch1634]

Babbling Boolean Good day and thank you for the information. Keep up the great work.

[@noldeeshots]

Hi is there any other way to access the 3.5 hard drive without the enclosure, like example, I want to connect it to my laptop just to copy files in it, but without enclosure. Hope you reply, thanks.

[@Babblingboolean]

If you have the right connector for your drive to a USB then sure. Like SATA to USB. However, without a case be careful on how you handle the drive or you risk permanent data loss.

[@noldeeshots]

@@Babblingboolean I tried using SATA to USB but doesn’t recognize in my laptop.

[@henriqueloureiro1179]

Pro tip select "Quick Format"

[@tubersguy9397]

@Kamey also it won’t make a full format

[@MeatNinja]

I did this, when I plug in the external hdd and turn it on I get an error message saying the usb-device doesn't get recognized. The drive still worked before I replaced it with an ssd last week. Is it a problem that the drive still has the old Windows on it? Any idea how to fix this?

[@HustleHabit]

Good video, buddy. Thanks for the information.

[@بسام-ط7ع]

Does it make any noise when it work .. because l have this problem with my case . thank you .

[@SausagesandMustard]

Great video, thanks. Im just wondering is it possible to combine more than one IDE Hard drive and putting it into a single casing? I have a few old hard drives that I would love to be able to create a big one out of.

[@Babblingboolean]

You have to find a case that has more than one slot. Since IDE is old, it might be difficult to find.

[@SausagesandMustard]

Okay Thanks :)

[@upayemoony1157]

Sounds like you want to do a RAID array. You need more than a case for that. Likley a NAS box.

[@SausagesandMustard]

@@upayemoony1157 thanks but I cant even remember what I was using this for 😂

[@macoycoy4664]

Great Vid thanks for info now i can reuse my sata hardrive

[@mm.7053]

Thanks bruda!

[@itzzaland7844]

What are the speeds on it when u use it externally compared to internally? Is there any drops?

[@Babblingboolean]

That depends on the speed of the drives, port connection, and cable type. Basically, the results can vary based on your setup for internal and external. You'll need to do research based on your setup.

[@TheHardneckmc]

Would a 3.5 HD using this method work on a PS4 or xbox one?

[@tspiderkeeper]

1.5 TB 3.5 HD that is a big hard drive an around 50 bucks sometimes higher depending where you buy it but that is a lot of space you'll never run out lol

[@Blacktop_Rabinowitz]

Hah! You should see the movie collection I want to move from DVD to HDD lol. But you're right, though. 1.5 TB is much more than enough room for the average person.

[@Charles77598]

Fantastic video! Thanks!

[@littlewoot]

Thank you!

[@mangreat71]

Can you get a bluetooth external hard drive ? If so where can i buy it ? Because I'm trying to burn cd's because i forgot my computer password. So I'm trying to use my android with a external cd burner to burn cd's ????

[@balabharath4511]

I have internal hard drive of 250 gb + OS with 4 partitions. If I convert that to an external drive all 4 partitions along with folders in it will be there??? because in many videos I can see only one drive is available when we convert internal to an external..?? Some one please help!!! 

[@Ulujmf]

Hello question, I have dell xps 8500 . it has ssd 32gb and 2tb hd. I know the ssd is to boost the booting. does it mean the boot occurred on the ssd or the hd?does windows in install on the ssd or hd?thanks

[@rushi6264]

Can I use my new Seagate DB3.4 HDD SATA250GB??? It doesnt have any partitions.

[@bland9876]

You can also open up an old external hard drive and switch it out for a bigger one I recently removed a 100gb drive and put in a 750 GB Drive

[@bland9876]

Also you can open up an external CD drive and put in a hard drive in side

[@mynameismine0]

Also, my desktop is not functioning , it does not boot , So , can I remove its hard drive from it & attach it to my laptop ? Will that work OR first I'll have to boot my desktop ??? PLEASE DO RESPOND . thanks.

[@1982rhl]

You can connect your pc harddrive to laptop as shown in the video and retriver your data..

[@realvivifromloona]

You don't have to boot up your desktop. Just connect it as shown in the video.

[@jcarney1987]

Unless you know for a fact you are going to have files bigger than 4GB, then format is fat32. fat32 can be read across multiple Operating systems including Linux, Macs, etc. That is the reason why USB are fat. If you know you are going to be stuck using windows, then NTFS has it's benefits.

[@mike_skinner]

I format to ext4. I gave up windows years ago.

[@kiranrai3450]

This is an awesome video! thank you sooo much!

[@tweedie2100]

I have a tronsmart streaming Bob with a sata cable,What can i hook it up to?

[@melaniemiller3110]

I have a pc that the power supply died, I am going to get a case for my hard drive, will I be able to transfer my files that I want to save onto my new pc with this set up? I don't want to format the hard drive for storage until I get the info off that I need.

[@cri8tor]

Yes, I just did it with an old IDE hard drive I placed in an external enclosure case. I was able to see all the files just as if they were on a thumb drive.

[@melaniemiller3110]

how did you transfer the files to the new computer, mine keeps saying the drive is corrupted

[@Babblingboolean]

Melanie Miller What cri8tor said was correct. You can take the HDD out, put it into an external case (but don't format it!) and copy your data to another computer. For your corrupted HDD problem there isn't anything I can help with sorry. Your best bet is to ask in "tomshardware" website in the computer forum section, there are some very knowledgeable members there. Good luck.

[@Naferner_Said]

sata power is the larger one of the 2, the smaller one is the data btw.

[@AlexNikoOfficiel]

I don't know why but i prefer the 2.5" obe, it's more compact !

[@alan33ukgoldie7]

BRILLIANT MAN LILL WELL WANTED ITEM

[@skipstodder8996]

Mine doesnt show up in disk management how to fix? u talked about it for a sec but didnt say how to fix it

[@dushyanthkandiah3718]

how many volts of power it requires ? and what kind of adapter ?

[@stanleyjohnson8409]

Thanks man great way to save some cash.

[@PushpikaWanasundara]

Youre a good teacher :) thanx by the way

[@dontecox14756]

Do those work for all pcs? Or are they for certain ones like for instance i have a toshiba windows 8 will the big hard drive work for it?

[@Babblingboolean]

Yes, standalone HDDs (as shown in the video) are pretty generic.

[@dontecox14756]

thx :)

[@arn150]

i have put together a 2.5 sata external hard drive but it will not show up on my computer what do i do? Please

[@Babblingboolean]

It might have to be formatted first. Google search "how to format a hard drive" make sure you use NTFS formatting.

[@shaikshamsu]

Great informative video but in your video. you do not mention about volts of power it requires ? and what kind of adapter ?

[@vladusa]

I’m building a hard drive business from scratch and the internet isn’t your friend when it comes to entrepreneurship and details...

[@udaytanavade2009]

is ide to USB convertor also getting with with this case cover ?

[@iguweegua4704]

well explained.

[@omkaringale8027]

Will it work properly or slower than external hard drives..??

[@Babblingboolean]

It all depends on the enclosure you're buying and the speed of the drive you're going to place in the enclosure.

[@cashempiregh]

Thanks guy

[@tejas.saxena]

You gotta folder named speak punjabi... 😂 Keep it up man..

[@r50142]

Hey i made a backup witch is named Infinity on a disk. Welp my pc was gone so i needed to use it. (It has antivirus so when u install it but you virused your computer and is gone it already has the advanced antivirus for worms and advanced viruses and also the basic ones. Also if you have multiple viruses the antivirus will kill one by one and export outo your computer so your safe. (If the computer is still virused it means that is still processing the kill if the kill goes in error it will restart the antivirus and then repair the error and then kill the virus so don't worry if your computer will reboot or shutdown the anti virus is still killing the virus)