Connecting hdd to laptop via usb. How to properly connect a hard drive from a computer to a laptop via USB. Description of AGESTAR FUBCP connectors below

Users personal computers, laptops and netbooks, are often faced with the need to connect additional external devices... One such device is external hard disk.

The need to connect a disk may be associated with transferring a significant amount of files to a laptop, exchanging information with other devices, or organizing external data storage. Sometimes the user just leaves the old one hDDwhich he intends to keep using.

With a decrease in size, modern laptops incorporate a significant variety of different types of storage devices into their designs.

Disconnecting the hard drive from the PC

Laptops typically use 2.5-inch hard drivessince they are smaller and use less power than desktop 3.5-inch drives. However, a 3.5-inch drive from an old PC can be used as an external drive with success.

Step 1. Turn off the computer and disconnect it from the 220 Volt power supply, so as not to accidentally turn on the PC when removing hard disk.

Step 2. Open the computer case, most often by removing the right side panel (viewed from the side of the PC connectors) after unscrewing the mounting screws or pressing the button and removing the panel along the case to the back and sideways.

Step 3. Find the hard drive inside the PC case. The hard drive is a rectangular metal box about the size of a small book and is usually housed in a special compartment in a PC case.

Step 4. The hard drive is usually connected to the PC with two cables. Inspect the cables carefully and carefully pull them out of the connectors.

Important!Dismantling operations are carried out with some, but not extremely significant, effort. Before removal, it is necessary to carefully inspect the part and make an appropriate decision on the method of its dismantling.

Step 5. Consider a method of securing the hard drive and, choosing a suitable method, remove it. The disk can be fixed with screws or in the case on special "slide" with latches on the sides, sliding out through the removed front panel of the case.

Connecting an external drive to a laptop

To connect external hard the first thing to do is determine its size.

Step 1. If you don't know the size of the drive, you can measure its width. Hard drives are rectangular in shape, and its width determines its size (form factor) in the name. The 3.5-inch drive is 10.2 cm wide and the 2.5-inch drive is 7 cm wide.

We measure the width of the hard drive, the width of a 2.5-inch drive is 7 cm, a 3.5-inch drive is 10.2 cm

Step 2. Next, you need to determine the type of hard drive connection in order to choose a case compatible with it, which serves as an "adapter" for connecting the drive to a laptop. Older computers used IDE-connected hard drives, nowadays SATA-connected drives are used.

Consider the type of HDD contacts. An IDE connector consists of two rows of metal data pins and a separate hard drive power connector. The SATA connector includes two small pads with flat contacts for transferring data and powering the drive.

Step 3. Purchase a case that matches the size and type of HDD connection, as well as the type of connection to the laptop. For example, purchase a 2.5 "enclosure with SATA connection for a 2.5" SATA drive.

Most buildings hard drives have a type of connection to a computer with uSB interface 2.0, as well as FireWire, as they are the most popular today. Some universal enclosures have a combination of both interface options.

Most USB 2.0 enclosures are compatible with any USB port on a laptop or netbook. However, enclosures with a USB 3.0 interface provide more high productivity when connected to uSB port 3.0.

Reference!All personal computers sold today are equipped with uSB ports 3.0, so you can purchase a USB 3.0 hard drive enclosure by making sure your laptop has this type of connector.

It is also important to consider that 2.5-inch cases are usually powered by a plug-in USB connector (port) on a PC and do not have their own power adapter, making them completely portable.

That being said, 3.5-inch hard drives need more power, so a power adapter is usually supplied with their cases. alternating current, which means they won't work where there is no power outlet.

Step 4. Installing hard disk in outer case very simple. Usually the maximum that is required in this case is a screwdriver. Most often, it is necessary to remove the top cover of the case, position the hard drive being inserted into it parallel to its base, and gently slide the drive onto the connection pad to connect it. Close the hard drive case cover (see photo).

Reference!To connect a hard drive to the case, refer to the instructions supplied with the HDD case.

In some cases, on older 3.5-inch drives, it may be necessary to rearrange or remove the jumper setting the hard drive as the Master or Slave device according to the enclosure's instructions.

It is also possible to connect a 3.5 and 2.5-inch hard drive to a special docking station. In this case, you need to carefully insert the disc into a suitable slot, pushing slightly from above to securely connect the pins of the disc to the station.

Step 5. After connecting the hard drive to the case, you need to connect the case to the laptop connector with a special cable included in the kit.

For this:

On a note! To supply enhanced power to the 2.5-inch hard drive, it is also possible to connect a second USB-connector located on the cable that comes with the case.

In addition to special enclosures for connecting a hard drive, an open version of connecting an HDD is also possible through a special adapter that is put on its connector.

Connecting an "old" drive in Windows

If the hard drive has already been used in Windows before it was connected, then it has already been formatted. In this case, when connected, it will automatically be assigned a letter in the system, and it will appear in windows Explorerready to use.

If the disk does not appear in the system, you may need to install a driver for the hard disk enclosure.

Step 1. Press the "Win + R" keys on the keyboard. In the "Run" window that opens, type "devmgmt.msc" and click "OK".

Step 2. The "Device Manager" will start. View the manager for devices with exclamation marks. If there is such a device, click on it right click mouse, and select "Update drivers" from the menu with the left button.

Step 3. In the window that opens, click on “ Automatic search updated drivers ".

After the system finds desired driver the exclamation mark from the device in the "Dispatcher" will disappear. You may need to restart your PC.

If the hard disk does not appear in the system, and at the same time a CD with drivers is included with the HDD case, then you need:

Step 1. Insert this disc into your laptop's optical drive by opening it with a push of a button and snapping it back in after inserting the CD.

Step 2. On the desktop, double-click the "This PC" icon with the left mouse button.

Step 3. A list of Windows drives and devices will open. Double click to open the CD drive.

Step 4. Find the executable file "Run" or "Setup" in the folders by double-clicking on it with the left mouse button.

Step 5. Set required software according to the suggested course of action. The HDD will appear on the system.

Connecting a new disk to the OS

If the hard drive to be connected has not yet been used in Windows, it will not appear in Explorer because it has not yet been initialized and formatted.

Step 1. Press the key combination "Win + R" on the keyboard. The "Run" window will start. Type in the line "diskmgmt.msc" and click "OK".

Step 2. Will start windows utility "Disk Management". Find in the left column a disk labeled as "Not initialized", and right-click on it, selecting "Initialize disk" with the left button in the drop-down menu.

Step 3. Put a check mark on the required HDD for initialization. Check the "MBR" box if the HDD has a capacity of less than 2 TB, and on "GPT", if more, and click "OK".

Step 4. After the disk is initialized, it will be put into the "Not allocated" state. Right click on the unallocated HDD space and left click on "Create Simple Volume".

Step 5. In the wizard that appears, click Next.

Step 6. Leave the default settings, click "Next".

Step 7. Select in the drop-down list the letter by which disk will be identified in the system, click "Next".

Step 8. Select the type of file system (usually NTFS) and volume label (any name of the HDD in the system), check the box "Quick format" and click "Next".

Step 9. Check the entered information and click "Finish".

The disk will be formatted and ready to use.

As soon as the connected external drive is working, you can exchange any files with it.

Find out detailed information on how to install in our new article.

Video - Three ways to make an external hard drive out of an HDD

Good day everyone.

Quite a typical task: transfer a large number of files from the computer's hard drive to the laptop's hard drive (well, or in general, just an old PC drive remained and there is a desire to use it for storage different filesin order to laptop HDDusually less volumetric).

In either case, you need to connect the hard drive to the laptop. This article is just about this, we will consider one of the simplest and most universal options.

Question # 1: how to remove a hard drive from a computer (IDE and SATA)

It is logical that before connecting a disk to another device, it must be removed from system unit PC ( the fact is that depending on the connection interface of your disk (IDE or SATA), the boxes that will be required for connection will differ. More on this later in the article ...).

Figure: 1. Hard drive 2.0 TB, WD Green.

Therefore, in order not to guess which disk you have, it is best to first remove it from the system unit and look at its interface.

As a rule, there are no big problems with extracting:

1. First, turn off the computer completely, including removing the plug from the network;
2. open the side cover of the system unit;
3. take out all the plugs that are connected to it from the hard drive;
4. unscrew the fastening screws and take out the disc (as a rule, it goes on a slide).

The process itself is quite easy and fast. Then take a close look at the connection interface (see Fig. 2). Now, most modern drives are connected via SATA (modern interface, provides high data transfer rate). If you have an old disk, it is quite possible that it will have an IDE interface.

Another important point ...

Computers usually use "large" 3.5 "drives (see Fig. 2.1), while laptops have smaller drives - 2.5" (1 "is 2.54 cm). The numbers 2.5 and 3.5 are used to denote form factors and it says about the width of the HDD case in inches.

All modern 3.5 hard drives are 25mm high; this is called "half-height" compared to much older discs. Manufacturers use this height to accommodate one to five plates. 2.5 hard drives everything is different: the original height of 12.5 mm has been replaced by 9.5 mm, which includes up to three plates (there are also thinner discs now). 9.5mm height has actually become the standard for most laptops, however some companies sometimes still produce 12.5mm hard drives based on three platters.

Figure: 2.1. Form factor. 2.5-inch drive - top (laptops, netbooks); 3.5 '' - Bottom (PC).

Connecting the drive to the laptop

For direct connection, you will need a special BOX (box, or in translation from the English. "Box"). These boxes can be various:

• 3.5 IDE -\u003e USB 2.0 - means that this box is for a 3.5-inch disk (and they are in a PC) with an IDE interface, for connecting to a USB 2.0 port (transfer speed (actual) no more than 20-35 Mb / s );
• 3.5 IDE -\u003e USB 3.0 - the same, only the exchange speed will be higher;
• 3.5 SATA -\u003e USB 2.0 (similarly, the difference is in the interface);
• 3.5 SATA -\u003e USB 3.0, etc.

This box is a rectangular box, slightly larger than the disk itself. This box usually opens from the back and the HDD is inserted directly into it (see Fig. 3).

Actually, after that it is necessary to connect power (adapter) to this box and connect it via USB cable to a laptop (or to a TV, for example, see Fig. 4).

If the disk and box are working, then in " my computer»You will have another disk that you can work with as with a regular hard disk (format, copy, delete, etc.)

If suddenly the disk is not visible on my computer ...

In this case, 2 steps may be required.

1) Check if there are drivers for your box. As a rule, Windows installs them itself, but if the box is not standard, then there may be problems ...

First, run device Manager and see if there is a driver for your device, if there are no yellow exclamation marks anywhere ( as in fig. five). I also recommend that you check your computer with one of the utilities for auto-updating drivers:.

Figure: 5. The problem with the driver ... (To open the device manager - go to the panel windows management and use the search).

2) Go to disk management on Windows ( to enter there, in Windows 10, just right-click on START) and check if there is a connected HDD. If it is, then most likely, in order for it to become visible, it needs to change the letter and format it. On this score, by the way, I have a separate article: (I recommend reading).

Figure: 6. Disk management. Even those disks that are not visible in Explorer and "my computer" are visible here.

A laptop is a portable computer on which many users store important information... Due to its form factor, the laptop can become unusable, for example, fall and break. In this case, it is highly likely that the hard disk of the laptop will remain intact, from which it will be possible to read data, and if necessary, it can be used in the future. Connect the hard drive from the laptop to desktop computer can be done in several ways, by installing it in the case of the system unit, or through the USB connector. Let's consider both options.

How to install a hard drive from a laptop to the system unit

A laptop hard drive is practically no different from a standard computer hard drive. Its only major difference is its size. For regular system units, 3.5 "drives are used, while for laptops, in order to save space, 2.5" drives are used. Accordingly, since a laptop drive is smaller than a standard drive for a system unit, it cannot be securely fastened and fixed inside the case.

To install a hard drive from a laptop into the system unit, you will need to purchase a special sled for 2.5-inch drives. They need to be installed in place for the 3.5-inch hard drive and secured. After that, a 2.5-inch disk is attached to this sled.

Please note: Some computer cases may initially provide mounting and mounting locations for 2.5-inch hard drives.

When the hard drive from the laptop is "planted" in the case of the system unit, you need to connect it. Disk connection is standard:

1. It is required to connect a SATA cable from motherboard to the hard drive;
2. Further, additional power is connected.

After following the steps above, you can turn on your computer. After loading the operating room system hard the drive will appear in the list of drives. If this does not happen, you need to check in the BIOS if the boot of this disk is installed.

How to connect a hard drive from laptop to computer via USB

You can connect a hard drive to a computer via a USB connector, in which case there is no need to disassemble the system unit. At the same time, you can connect a 2.5-inch drive via USB in different ways, we will consider three main ones.

Using an adapter

On the market you can find special adapters that allow you to connect a 2.5-inch hard drive to the USB connector. These adapters have SATA and power connectors.

Please note: If your computer hasUSB-connectors of class 3.0, it is better to purchase an adapter with just such a protocol so that the hard drive works faster when connected externally.

Using a removable housing

Similar to the previous version of connecting a hard drive from a laptop to a computer, but instead of an adapter, a full-fledged case is used. Inside such a case is the SATA connector and power supply. The hard drive must be placed in the case, after which it remains to use the USB cable to connect it to the computer.

The use of a removable case allows not only connecting the hard drive to the computer, but also protecting it from damage in the event of a fall.

Important:When buying, pay attention that the case is designed specifically for hard drives with a size of 2.5 inches, since you can also find options for connecting full-format 3.5-inch computer drives via the USB connector on the market.

Using the docking station

The most interesting and expensive option, suitable for users who often have to connect hard drives to a computer, involves the use of a special docking station. On sale you can find docking stations that allow you to connect multiple 2.5 or 3.5-inch drives at once. Some docking stations allow you to connect hard drives of different sizes at the same time.

This question might interest you for several reasons. First, you want to transfer a lot of information from your laptop to your computer. Secondly, you hardly use a laptop, or you bought a cheap laptop with a working hard drive, and you want to increase the amount of memory on your computer. In any case, you need to understand how to properly connect a hard drive from a laptop to a computer.

I note right away that if you are not eager to disassemble a computer and a laptop, then you can transfer information by simply connecting them together with a cable. For more information on how to do this, see the article: How to connect a laptop to a computer.

Now let's get back to our question.

First you need to put the laptop upside down and remove the battery. Then you need unscrew the plastic coverthat closes the hard drive.

The hard drive can be screwed to the case, unscrew them. Then slide the disc away from the contacts as shown in the illustration and remove it.

Interface connecting hard disks in laptops - SATA. The IDE interface is already considered outdated, and is quite rare, so we will not consider it further.

After removing the hard drive from the laptop, proceeding to the system unit... We remove the side cover from it: on the back you need to unscrew the screws, then slide the cover to the back of the system unit with a sliding motion.

Now we are looking for a free SATA port on the motherboard.

We connect the plug from one end of the cable to the motherboard, the other end of the cable is connected to the laptop hard drive. The cable plugs are the same on both sides, so you cannot confuse and connect incorrectly.

Then we look for a free plug on the cable coming out of the power supply and connect it to the hard drive.

We connected the hard drive from the laptop to the computer. Now we turn on the computer, the hard drive will be displayed as normal local disk, and copy all the necessary information.

If you want the laptop's hard drive to be installed in the system unit, you will need to buy a special slide to be able to fix it there. The sled is needed because the size of the laptop hard disk is 2.5 '', and standard size cells in the system unit, in which the disk is installed, is designed for computer hard disks, the size of which is 3.5 ''.

We fasten the laptop hard drive to the inner sides, then insert it into the hard drive system unit cell and fix it there.

You can also connect a hard drive from a laptop to a computer using special box.

It looks like a small container for a hard drive. Just insert a disc into it, connect it to the contacts, and close the box. It connects to a computer via a USB cable. Sometimes a power supply is included with the box. It can come in handy if the hard drive lacks power from the USB port. Such "covers" for the hard drive are very convenient. Now it can be used as a regular external hard drive.

I think, after reading the article, you will succeed connect hard drive from laptop to computer... Just choose the method that suits you best.

And also watch a video on the topic:

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Not many people know how to connect a hard drive from a computer to a laptop via USB or directly. The need to make an external drive out of HDD can arise for a number of reasons: you need to restore an old device and the information stored on it, copy a large amount of data, or use the internal drive as an external drive.

The first step is to remove the hard drive yourself from the PC case. It's easy to do this:

• unplug the cord from the outlet;
• disconnect the computer's power supply;
• remove the side case cover;
• disconnect the wires from the motherboard and from the HDD;
• unscrew the bolts that hold the drive in the socket;
• pull the disc out.

Do not remove the device yourself if you do not have the skills to assemble and disassemble a computer. It is better to entrust the solution to the problem of how to connect a hard drive from a computer to a laptop to a professional. If the disk is damaged, "cure" broken sectors and it will be difficult to recover information.

Connecting to a computer via USB

The question of how to connect an HDD to a laptop via USB is relevant for those who have switched from using a stationary PC to its portable version.

It is difficult to connect a hard drive to a laptop, it is much easier to connect a drive to a PC via a regular cable. However, having an understanding of the device of personal computers and their mobile version, it will not be difficult to figure out how to make an external hard drive. Thus, you will save on the purchase of an expensive portable analogue.

The first thing to consider is how to make the internal hard drive external and connect your laptop to it. You will need a special box and a wire to connect the two devices. Choose a box or pocket depending on the interface: IDE or SATA. The cable used for connection is of several types. The most convenient is SATA / IDE USB. With this method, one end of the wire should be inserted into the connector of the drive, and the other should be connected to the port on the laptop.

Check out DIY removable storage... To get started, turn off the laptop, plug the USB output into the connector, press the power button and go to the BIOS settings. If the laptop does not recognize the hard, check if the cable is firmly pressed to the port, then you can connect it again to the computer via USB.

It happens that instead of a HDD, a solid state drive... For this device storage also has uSB wires out, so it's easy to plug in an SSD.

How to connect a hard disk drive to a laptop via a motherboard

In addition to the above, there are several other ways to connect a hard drive to a laptop. How to connect hard drive to laptop without USB cable? Below is a detailed description.

Modern HDDs tend to get smaller every year, so they can be installed in a laptop case. This is convenient when the "native" hard drive is broken or faulty, and you have an extra one from your old PC at hand. The adapter to the board is cheaper than the USB analogue.

This method is more complicated than how to connect the HDD via USB. You need to spend more time, you will have to disassemble the case of not only the computer, but also the portable device.

It is necessary to disassemble a mobile PC in steps:

1. Disconnect from power supply.
2. Take out the battery.
3. Unscrew the bolts securing the top cover, carefully remove without damaging the fasteners.
4. Disconnect the keyboard cables from the board and remove it.
5. Unscrew the screws on the board and carefully remove it, after disconnecting the cables, hard drive and other components.

Then connect one end of the adapter to the board and the other to the device. Build your laptop by reverse algorithm and insert the disc into the desired compartment. If the dimensions of the device exceed the dimensions of the socket or additional memory is required, then by analogy with the method of connecting a hard disk via USB, you can make an external hard disk from the hard disk.

The general scheme is described above, in practice each laptop model is unique.

Is it possible, without experience in repairing equipment, to deal with the question of how to connect a hard drive to a computer on your own? The answer is no! A sudden movement, an incorrectly screwed in bolt can break one of the connecting loops. Subsequent repairs can cost you many times more.

Knowing the structural features of a stationary PC and a portable one, you can decide how to connect a hard drive from a laptop to a computer or vice versa, and how to convert an old HDD into a portable one. These skills can save you time and money. It will also be an advantage that you can create a unique style of the drive: choose or order a case with an individual pattern or an interesting shape, choose a cover, a bag of the required size.