Hardware Old PC Hard Disk to USB to use with WiiU

[ThunderbInazuma]

Hi Guys. First, sorry for my bad english. If it is a little misunderstanding, just ask anything. So, I have a "mini-PC" from when I was 8 years old ( This year I'm gonna be 18). Those from Portugal, may remember the "Magalhães" or the "e-Escolinha" project. The one I have is the first version.

Basically, it has these specs:

CPU - Intel® Celeron M 900MHz Processor
Chipset - Intel® 915GMS
Screen - TFT 8.9" WSVGA (1024x600)
RAM - 1GB DDR2 667
Hard Disk- 40GB ( At Windows Devices Manager, the HD says: "SAMSUNG HS040HB ATA Device"; It was supposed to be 30GB, but mine has 40GB lol)
Graphics Card - Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 915
OS - Windows XP Professional / Linux (Actually, I have there W10 Home installed... a little Slowpoke, but, who cares)
Network - 10/100M Ethernet802.11b/g WLAN
Keyboard - Water Resistant Keyboard
Batery - Iões de Lítio (Li-Ion) with 4 ells
Audio - Codec AC97
Dimensions - 245 × 196 × 44 mm
Weight - <1.45 Kg
Interface - 2 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 SD slot

Actually, I use it as something to test new things, just like trying to make an webserver or installing various Linux distros just to see if they are interesting.

But, going to the center of the question, today I've found this tuturial to use and old hard disk as a USB device (http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/s...rd-drive-as-external-hard-drive-usbc-3605133/). After that, an idea came to me: "What if I used this Hard Disk as an USB Drive for the WiiU and boot this PC, when I want, via another USB". Since I have an 16GB USB stick that could be used to boot it, I wouldn't mind to do that. However, I've came with some questions:

1. Using the USB to boot the PC would make it more slower than it is?
2. I don't know it it is an hard disk problem or a problem at the PC itself, but, sometimes, the Hard Disk makes some noise just like a Tic-Tac. Actually, I have a workaround to prevent this ( folding a paper onto the size of the disk, put the paper above the disk and closing the lid of where the Disk stands. If it is a HD problem well, you can ignore the next question xD
3. Some people that use an USB drive on the WiiU, need to use an Y-cable. With this Hard Disk as USB, would I need that?
4. Or, in your opinion, this PC is a Relic and it should stay as it is, since it is 10 Years old and it still works, in opossition of my friends Magalhães, that stopped work after 2-3 years.

Thanks in advance and, again, sorry for my bad english.

 

[souler92]

40gb isnt really THAT big.

i think the speed and harddisk has isnt really great?

i think you are better of buying an (atleast) 500 gb usb harddisk

 

[The Real Jdbye]

What noise does a Tic-Tac make?
Anyway, you could do that, but I don't really see the point, because it's so small. You can fit 2-4 games on it, maybe more if they're small ones. A 128GB or so flash drive or a 1TB external hdd is so cheap, there's not really much point in reusing such a small drive.

1. Depends on the USB stick, some are faster than a HDD, some are much slower. On average I think they're slower, but they have faster random access times.
2. I don't really understand the comparison, lol. But it sounds like it could be a failing HDD.
3. Is it a 3.5" HDD? If it is, you'll need an externally powered enclosure, not a Y-cable. If it's 2.5" you can use either an externally powered enclosure, powered USB hub or an Y-cable.
4. I would suggest not to mess with it, there's nothing in there that's worth reusing anyway.

 

[ThunderbInazuma]

40gb isnt really THAT big.

i think the speed and harddisk has isnt really great?

i think you are better of buying an (atleast) 500 gb usb harddisk

Well, it isn't really that big, but I'm preventing from buy another disk because I still have hope that someone can make the WiiU able to read the vWii file system and the WiiU file system at the same time ( I have one 500GB External HD to use with vWii so, it only a matter of time). So, if I would do this, it would be only temporary

Yes, the speed isn't really fast, however, I don't know if it is due to the disk or due to the processor and RAM ( or other things).

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

What noise does a Tic-Tac make?
Anyway, you could do that, but I don't really see the point, because it's so small. You can fit 2-4 games on it, maybe more if they're small ones. A 128GB or so flash drive or a 1TB external hdd is so cheap, there's not really much point in reusing such a small drive.

1. Depends on the USB stick, some are faster than a HDD, some are much slower. On average I think they're slower, but they have faster random access times.
2. I don't really understand the comparison, lol. But it sounds like it could be a failing HDD.
3. Is it a 3.5" HDD? If it is, you'll need an externally powered enclosure, not a Y-cable. If it's 2.5" you can use either an externally powered enclosure, powered USB hub or an Y-cable.
4. I would suggest not to mess with it, there's nothing in there that's worth reusing anyway.

A noise kind like this:
Since it could be only temporary, it doesn't matter to me if it could only load 2-4 games.
1. Ok, so, it is just a matter of "testing"
2. Well, that is bad for me xD
3. I don't really know about that, but on wikipedia it says this "40 GB PATA 1.8" "
4. Ok, maybe I will do that and stay away from messing it up

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Well, it isn't really that big, but I'm preventing from buy another disk because I still have hope that someone can make the WiiU able to read the vWii file system and the WiiU file system at the same time ( I have one 500GB External HD to use with vWii so, it only a matter of time). So, if I would do this, it would be only temporary

Yes, the speed isn't really fast, however, I don't know if it is due to the disk or due to the processor and RAM ( or other things).

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------


A noise kind like this:
Since it could be only temporary, it doesn't matter to me if it could only load 2-4 games.
1. Ok, so, it is just a matter of "testing"
2. Well, that is bad for me xD
3. I don't really know about that, but on wikipedia it says this "40 GB PATA 1.8" "
4. Ok, maybe I will do that and stay away from messing it up

Oh, it's a 1.8" drive. That's interesting. I guess you can find an enclosure that will fit that drive, but there won't be a huge selection. Because it's such a small drive, it should take even less power than a 2.5" drive (they were used in iPods after all), so it might actually work without an Y-cable. Still, it's a good idea to have one, as if the drive is not getting enough power it might even be damaged.

 

[ThunderbInazuma]

Oh, it's a 1.8" drive. That's interesting. I guess you can find an enclosure that will fit that drive, but there won't be a huge selection. Because it's such a small drive, it should take even less power than a 2.5" drive (they were used in iPods after all), so it might actually work without an Y-cable. Still, it's a good idea to have one, as if the drive is not getting enough power it might even be damaged.

So, basically, I my HD is also rare xD for 50€ it seems that I have here a good relic xD

 

[Captain_N]

i have a 1.8 inch drive in a box from an ipod 30gb. they work great and low powered so the dont need a y splitter. the drive you have is zip so i know the exact box you need.
Here
http://www.officespecialties.com/st...ard_drive_enclosure_for_lif_zif_4005_prd1.htm

Have this exact box and its great. Its rugged to. Aluminum enclosure. I got my 30gb drive in there and its wii u formatted. i like it since its low powered. Workes great running games off of it. i got mine on newegg.com
If you dont want the drive id gladly take it and pay for the shipping. Those mini drives are getting harder to get. If anyone wants to give you an older ipod take it. the hard drive inside will be like the one you have.
You can also convert the zif connector to compact flash and place a compact flash card in the enclosure.

 

[ThunderbInazuma]

i have a 1.8 inch drive in a box from an ipod 30gb. they work great and low powered so the dont need a y splitter. the drive you have is zip so i know the exact box you need.
Here
http://www.officespecialties.com/st...ard_drive_enclosure_for_lif_zif_4005_prd1.htm

Have this exact box and its great. Its rugged to. Aluminum enclosure. I got my 30gb drive in there and its wii u formatted. i like it since its low powered. Workes great running games off of it. i got mine on newegg.com
If you dont want the drive id gladly take it and pay for the shipping. Those mini drives are getting harder to get. If anyone wants to give you an older ipod take it. the hard drive inside will be like the one you have.
You can also convert the zif connector to compact flash and place a compact flash card in the enclosure.

Well, after this post I started to realized that I've a relic in my house so, I'm not planning to sell it from that motive and also because I have fond memories of that PC since it was my first PC. Sorry