Hardware Will this hard drive fit into my PC?

[R4Liam]

I took my 500gb HDD out of my laptop because my laptop won't charge and the screen hinge is broken. How do I install it to my new gaming PC?

Images for reference:

I am such a noob at this stuff. I will dread installing a new graphics card when my one is outdated (not for a long time XD)

 

[FAST6191]

Yeah it will fit -- laptop sata is the same as desktop sata, you can buy an adapter if you want to fit it in a 3.5inch drive bay, or you can just sit it so it does not short out on anything. Hopefully it is just for bulk storage as 5400rpm drives tend not to be the fastest.

What is the laptop by the way?

 

[Sicklyboy]

connect the cables and toss gently place it in there.

It's literally the same as a desktop sized hard drive, just physically smaller. Other than that they connect and function the same. You won't have a hard drive bay small enough to hold it so like FAST said you can either buy a spacer/adapter for it or just place it in there somewhere that the PCB on the bottom isn't gonna short out on your metal case.

If you don't have an extra, you're gonna need another SATA cable http://smile.amazon.com/CNE11445-SA...394011_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1407845862&sr=1-5

Hopefully your motherboard supports SATA (check your other hard drive's connector or see if your mobo has SATA ports), and make sure you have another SATA power lead off of your psu or buy one of these http://smile.amazon.com/Syba-SY-CAB...394011_1_9?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1407845862&sr=1-9

 

[R4Liam]

It's a Lenovo G570, gutted it doesn't work.

How would I install the hard drive? What connections do I need? What do they look like? When I open my PC it doesn't seem to have any viable connectors. I want to look at what files are on the HDD, transfer them and then format it for Linux use.

Sicklyboy Sorry didn't see your comment there. I am not sure if I do or not. It is hard to tell which is the right one because there are a lot of jumbled wires in my PC :s

I'm so annoyed because I threw away another old HDD from an old PC and the old PC itself which probably had a sata cable!

 

[FAST6191]

You need a sata cable and a sata power lead. Your PSU should have the power lead, a sata cable will cost next to nothing though. If you don't have a power lead then you might need to buy an adapter for an old molex power lead. If you have a modular supply (you plug things into the box) then you will need to find the modular plugs to go in it (or get an adapter if that is hard).

Looking at the files. That will depend what OS was on there and what you have now, I assume they are not encrypted. Newer MS operating systems will tend to see you have to take ownership of the file/folder ( http://www.faqforge.com/windows/take-ownership-of-a-file-or-folder-by-command-in-windows/ ). If you are on linux then it will probably go through OK.

As for the laptop a broken hinge and dead battery is probably not a good reason to junk a laptop. Sure it might not be a laptop but it can probably make a passable desktop replacement. I have certainly fixed up worse/use worse.

 

[Originality]

Going from the pictures, that drive is still in a drive tray from the laptop. Look for any screw mounts on the side or underneath to remove the tray, then it'll look like any regular 2.5" drive (without the metal bits sticking out).

Some cases use drive trays that include screw holes for 2.5" drives on the bottom. In most cases however, you'd need a 2.5" to 3.5"/5.25" adaptor (example or example) to fit it in securely. Either way, SATA cables (data and power, as mentioned by others) will be needed to access the drive.

 

[R4Liam]

Well I didn't want to wait for another sata cable so I unplugged the one connected to my CD/DVD drive of the PC and connected it to my laptop HDD and it is working! I can now access all my files

I hope this is okay and won't ruin my PC.. :S

Originality I was gonna do that but didn't know if it would break the HDD or not. Seeing as it is working as it is should I still remove the case?

 

[FAST6191]

If you want to chuck a small drive in the laptop then yeah you will probably still want the shell. Otherwise it is not going to do any harm.

Likewise sata is designed to be hotswapped/hot unplugged.

 

[R4Liam]

I am having trouble accessing my old files. When I click 'users' and 'liam' for all my old files It says:

"You don't currently have permission to access this folder"

Then I click continue (admin) and the green loading bar in windows explorer takes forever and never loads.

 

[sarkwalvein]

I had that problem before, but I don't remember how I solved it.
I think I was able to access the files when I mounted the drive in a Linux system.
But anyway there was a way to reset permission, I remember I solved it completely but don't remember how.
I will see if google makes me remember something and if so I will post back.

PS: I think it was something about changing the owner for all the files and folders.

EDIT: I think the solution was something like explained here https://www.tradingtechnologies.com/support/knowledge-base/3/3354/

 

[R4Liam]

I had that problem before, but I don't remember how I solved it.
I think I was able to access the files when I mounted the drive in a Linux system.
But anyway there was a way to reset permission, I remember I solved it completely but don't remember how.
I will see if google makes me remember something and if so I will post back.

PS: I think it was something about changing the owner for all the files and folders.

EDIT: I think the solution was something like explained here https://www.tradingtechnologies.com/support/knowledge-base/3/3354/

Thanks for the help but this seemed to work. Along with manually changing permissions through the properties window.

 

[Originality]

The best way to resolve permission issues from what I've heard is to create a new User with a password that matches the primary User and password the laptop had. That user should not have any problems accessing the files.

And the main reason to remove the case is simply to get it out of the way (and/or to put it back in the laptop). It won't hurt anything (so long as you're careful and don't force it off) and make it easier to use (and slightly improve ventilation, but that's a negligible point). Similarly, you can leave it on if you want, it just makes it more difficult to securely put the drive in your computer (I hate the idea of leaving a mechanical drive loose in a computer for extended periods of time).

 

[R4Liam]

I have it all setup and working. Dual-booting Windows 8 and Ubuntu. I was wondering, is there a way of installing the Mac OS (or similar) instead of Ubuntu at a *ahem* "discount" price?

(Obviously no links please )

 

[Originality]

I have it all setup and working. Dual-booting Windows 8 and Ubuntu. I was wondering, is there a way of installing the Mac OS (or similar) instead of Ubuntu at a *ahem* "discount" price?

(Obviously no links please )

In other words, installing and dual booting hackintosh?

 

[FAST6191]

Have a search for "hackintosh", there are also ways to do it with virtual machines. It tends to work better if your hardware (including with virtual machines) is otherwise similar to what they stuff in macs.

Unless IOS development is your desire, or I guess if there is notable mac exclusive software, I would probably say it is not worth the hassle. However it could probably teach you quite a bit so go it if you want to and it would make something usable at the end. However as I try to avoid IOS development if at all possible then macs for me end up somewhat along the lines of "so unlike most Linux distros I need to pay to run less software than windows, sign me up".

 

[R4Liam]

Have a search for "hackintosh", there are also ways to do it with virtual machines. It tends to work better if your hardware (including with virtual machines) is otherwise similar to what they stuff in macs.

Unless IOS development is your desire, or I guess if there is notable mac exclusive software, I would probably say it is not worth the hassle. However it could probably teach you quite a bit so go it if you want to and it would make something usable at the end. However as I try to avoid IOS development if at all possible then macs for me end up somewhat along the lines of "so unlike most Linux distros I need to pay to run less software than windows, sign me up".

Yeah, I'm with you on this one. It was more of a novelty idea. I imagine mac OS is restrictive money-wise compared to other OS systems. Besides, I have only just installed Ubuntu and I don't even know why I would need it haha.