Replacing Laptop IDE HDD, Can I Use USB or SD or???

Geekomatic on 27/05/2016 - 01:12

So basically, I have older laptops come through where the drive is failing. I save the data to a clients external drive & they just buy new. They leave the "remains" with me & I try to scab whatever useful bits I can (to upgrade other oldies that come past).

A current laptop is still amazingly robust. Nothing really wrong except no HDD. It's IDE, not S-ATA. I booted up a lean Linux on USB & it ran great for basics like email, internet, photos…the stuff the seniors I help do.

What I'm looking for is anyone here who have successfully adapted a laptop IDE to any other form of storage which booted properly. With the cheap mSD, SD, & USB's floating around, I'm thinking it might be a good replacement.

Since I don't have an adapter to try out, I'm polling here first.

Anyone ever tried this? Even for the sake of science?

;)

Ta.

Computing

Comments

  • scrimshaw on 27/05/2016 - 02:35

    The most popular hack nowadays is to use a CF (compact flash) card because CF cards are very widely available, they are fast (sort of), non-mechanical and are low-voltage. However, they won't stack up to a proper SSD as they are NOT using the same kind of memory tech as SSD's are and they must also support UDMA protocol else they will not boot.

    Also they don't have very great write endurance either so keep in mind that they won't last as long as a proper drive should

    You could try one of these 44 pin adapters to adapt a CF card to be used in an IDE based laptop
    http://www.dx.com/p/compactflash-cf-card-to-ide-hard-disk-ad…

    note: there is a more expensive variety made by Addonics which is reportedly more compatible and better performing, sold locally here:
    http://www.techbuy.com.au/p/128769/i_o

    but here's the low-down (recommended reading)
    http://lowendmac.com/2015/the-lowdown-on-using-compactflash-…

    Instructions can be found on Instructables or WikiHow or Youtube.

    • Geekomatic on 27/05/2016 - 03:01

      Yeah, I've read about CF cards. I just happen to have scads of SD, mSD, & USB's hanging around…and I'd like whatever the boot device is to be secured inside the drive compartment.

      I know most newish laptops (the one's I see) can easily boot to USB, but some have issues with SD booting.

      Still— I have to wonder if I would see a decent speed from an SD as a boot device (even if I could coax it to work).

      So? No one here has ever tried this?? I find that hard to believe with all of the tech-nuts at OzB!

      :)

  • altomic on 27/05/2016 - 06:50

    What about removing the optical drive and replacing that with a caddy holding a HDD? Change bios to read from that location. Caddy's are very cheap from aliexpress ~$5-7 delivered.

    Yeah?

    • scrimshaw on 27/05/2016 - 12:41

      …. the laptop has no HDD and the OP is looking for one, why would you spend moar money buying a caddy for the laptop?? The ODD bay is also using a PATA connection too.

  • getho on 27/05/2016 - 09:49

    wont something like this work? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-2-5-Inch-Laptop-44-Pin-IDE-HD…

  • donnot on 27/05/2016 - 12:53

    What about just buying another IDE drive? You can get them new for ~$13 shipped.

    You can get SD->IDE adapters but there's no guarantee that they will work, and they're not much cheaper than buying another drive.

    I've tried using CF->IDE with no issues on older laptops (used one on an old Thinkpad R32), but again, unless you have a CF card, it isn't very cost effective.

  • Geekomatic on 31/05/2016 - 00:06

    Yeah- thanks all…

    If I can't find my old 80GB IDE, I'll grab a cheapie from ebay.

    Ta

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