Modding desktop hard disk into laptop?

Discussion in 'Modding' started by Impossible, 15 Feb 2005.

  1. Impossible

    Impossible What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    23 Jun 2002
    Posts:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    I know you can get 2.5" hard disk adaptors to 3.5" adaptors, but i would like to attach a desktop hard disk to a laptop ide controller.


    I have a laptop with a damaged screen and was going to make a custom desktop case for it and use a monitor, as i am making a bigger case i would like to use a faster 3.5" hard disk in it too.

    any ideas?

    Imp
     
  2. BjD

    BjD What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    10 Apr 2003
    Posts:
    935
    Likes Received:
    0
    Definately possible. I've made up a cable that will work 'both ways' as it were, just a regular 40pin cable spliced to a laptop cable. You could probably use one of those commercial laptop>desktop adaptors the other way round. Just watch out for the pin orientation :)
     
  3. Impossible

    Impossible What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    23 Jun 2002
    Posts:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    Great responce!


    any idea what the other 4 pins are for on the laptop side of the adaptor?

    I guess its for the power to the 2.5" hd.

    Imp
     
  4. BjD

    BjD What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    10 Apr 2003
    Posts:
    935
    Likes Received:
    0
    Exactly, dont need to worry about them.
     
  5. Firehed

    Firehed Why not? I own a domain to match.

    Joined:
    15 Feb 2004
    Posts:
    12,574
    Likes Received:
    16
    yep, 5v power. Well I think 5v... I know it's not both though. In any case don't worry.
     
  6. Impossible

    Impossible What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    23 Jun 2002
    Posts:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    Did you have a problem with the gender of the disks?

    the controller on the laptop is female, where as the converters i have seen are female 2.5" and male 3.5"?

    Imp
     
  7. BjD

    BjD What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    10 Apr 2003
    Posts:
    935
    Likes Received:
    0
    Ahhh yes, forgot about how laptops are laid out. I was using the cable to hook a regular drive to an Amiga1200, laptop interface but male connector, so a laptop cable plugged straight in.
    Not sure how you'd plug into a female, don't know if you can get male laptop connectors.
     
  8. kracso

    kracso What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    23 Feb 2003
    Posts:
    37
    Likes Received:
    0
    The 4 extra pins are:
    Pin__Name___Description
    41__+5VL____+5 VDC (Logic)
    42__+5VM____+5 VDC (Motor)
    43__GND_____Ground
    44__/TYPE___Type (0=ATA)
     
  9. Impossible

    Impossible What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    23 Jun 2002
    Posts:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thanks for that update.

    I hope to purchase the pasrt this weekend and test on sunday, will post my results here.

    Imp
     
  10. infernis

    infernis What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    5 Jan 2003
    Posts:
    188
    Likes Received:
    0
    You'll need to power the hard drive from separate 5 and 12 volt sources. The extra pins on the 44-pin connector aren't enough.
     
  11. Shadowspawn

    Shadowspawn Another hated American.

    Joined:
    1 Jul 2002
    Posts:
    1,865
    Likes Received:
    0
  12. Springs

    Springs Boing boing

    Joined:
    29 Aug 2004
    Posts:
    2,068
    Likes Received:
    2
    thats a good idea... thats what i was gonna suggest... but im not sure if you can boot up with them... so if he does want to boot up with the hard drive its pretty usless IMO
     
  13. Impossible

    Impossible What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    23 Jun 2002
    Posts:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    Well sugested, and i did think of this solution....but usb is soooo sloooow and with this being the primary disk it would be tedious.


    Imp
     
  14. Springs

    Springs Boing boing

    Joined:
    29 Aug 2004
    Posts:
    2,068
    Likes Received:
    2
    i doubt you can even boot off it...
     
  15. smoguzbenjamin

    smoguzbenjamin "That guy"

    Joined:
    6 Sep 2004
    Posts:
    1,097
    Likes Received:
    1
    Most modern BIOSes can boot from USB mass storage devices.
     
  16. Impossible

    Impossible What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    23 Jun 2002
    Posts:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    Urgh, i have just realised somthing......


    How would i power a standard desktop hard disk, when all i was hoping to use for power was the native laptop psu.


    I am going to struggle for a 12v rail to power the hard disk.

    :waah:

    <edit> suppose i may have to hack a external 3.5" device to usb adaptor to aquire power for the device, such as this

    Imp
     
    Last edited: 21 Feb 2005
  17. Impossible

    Impossible What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    23 Jun 2002
    Posts:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    right, i have tempory releaved the problem of 12v rail and am using a standard atx psu to provide power to the 3.3" hd.


    When i start up the laptop mobo with the 3.5" connected up to the ide cable and powered on, the hd does not spin and the bios does not detect the hd.

    When i power on the hard disk and then connect the ide cable the hd spins up but on powering the laptop it still does not see the hard disk.

    I think there may be a small pin out difference in the two types of drive relating to "spin up" which i am looking into.


    Imp
     
  18. Rekarp

    Rekarp What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    7 Mar 2004
    Posts:
    623
    Likes Received:
    0
    the harddrive should spin-up if you just plug it in. It doesnt need the ide cable to spin. You just mightbe ether shorting it or you have a faulty harddrive
     
  19. ehrnam45

    ehrnam45 What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    5 Jul 2004
    Posts:
    480
    Likes Received:
    0
    i saw your post in the laptopHTPC thread. If you don't like the performance of standard laptop drives, hitachi makes 7200rpm 8MB cache ata100 laptop drives. granted, they're fairly expensive, but it's desktop performance in a laptop format. they have 40, 60 and 80GB drives available. they're pretty popular right now, and supplies are limited so they may be hard to find in stock.
     
  20. Impossible

    Impossible What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    23 Jun 2002
    Posts:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    they do look tasty,

    thanks for the info

    Imp
     

Share This Page