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    Using 2.5inch external HD as internal?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by LT21, May 18, 2008.

  1. LT21

    LT21 Notebook Consultant

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    Is this possible? I plan on getting a 2.5 inch external hard drive. Can I take it out of its case and put it in my inspiron 1520?
     
    LT21, May 18, 2008
    #1
  2. powerpack

    powerpack Notebook Prophet

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    Should work if all are standard form factor. Is it really most economical to do that way? Why are you not just buying a replacement HDD?
     
    powerpack, May 18, 2008
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  3. leaftye

    leaftye Notebook Consultant

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    It was cheaper and worked for me.
     
    leaftye, May 18, 2008
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  4. nizzy1115

    nizzy1115 Notebook Prophet

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    Only bad part of that is it will void the warranty on the drive. That stinks because most retail drives come with 3 to 5 year warranties.
     
    nizzy1115, May 18, 2008
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  5. jisaac

    jisaac Notebook Deity

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    i don't see how an external drive that has to come with the enclosure +cables etc. is going to have better performance/storage than a similarly priced hd. did you get an offer or something? If the product states 2.5" you most likely will be able to remove the internal hd
     
    jisaac, May 18, 2008
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  6. LT21

    LT21 Notebook Consultant

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    its just cheaper because you get an enclosure with it
     
    LT21, May 18, 2008
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  7. LT21

    LT21 Notebook Consultant

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    how do you know what kind of drive is in the external drive?
     
    LT21, May 18, 2008
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  8. jisaac

    jisaac Notebook Deity

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    it my state ide /sata on the packaging (or it may state what internal hd is enclosed)- if not you''d have to open it yourself and check the connections
     
    jisaac, May 18, 2008
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  9. leaftye

    leaftye Notebook Consultant

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    X-ray vision.....or open it.....or look at device manager.
     
    leaftye, May 18, 2008
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  10. Tusin

    Tusin Notebook Evangelist

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    It is sometimes cheaper period to buy a external as oppsosed to just the drive by itself. Also depending on where you live, and don't want to wait for shipping (or pay for it), places like Bestbuy and Circut City usally have a limited supply of internal HD's, but pleanty of choices for 2.5" portables.

    Like in my situation, where I live in Alaska computer stores are very limited, and our local "mom and pop" shops charge crazy high prices. But we do have a BestBuy. And they just happened to have a 320gb Simpletech 2.5" external for $140.00, use a 10 or 12% coupon and the price is nicer. And anyone that I have talked to that has opened up one of these Simpletech Drives have a WD 320gb in it. And mine did too. Also it is really really easy to open, with no damage to the drive, or case.
     
    Tusin, May 18, 2008
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  11. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    200GB or 320GB external has to be SATA since no one makes PATA HDDs in those sizes.

    It is then likely that other HDD sizes in the same product range would also be SATA for ease of production (ie same enclosure).

    John
     
    John Ratsey, May 18, 2008
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  12. DMANbluesfreak

    DMANbluesfreak Notebook Consultant

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    I got in on that deal, and its the best thing I've ever done... This thing is smokin.
     
    DMANbluesfreak, May 18, 2008
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  13. vEnOmZkI

    vEnOmZkI Notebook Guru

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    whoa whoa! wait a sec!

    the external 2.5 inch hdd's end connector which by the way has brush like golden pins on them,

    and my internal HDD of my laptop(HP DV6000t) the has an adaptor to a chip like end of the hdd not a golden brush like pin...........

    so how is that possible to interchange them, with a different end slot of the laptop hdd, dont they have totaly different end connectors???


    hmmmmm..........
     
    vEnOmZkI, Jun 4, 2008
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  14. jisaac

    jisaac Notebook Deity

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    post a picture of the external hard drive's connections.
     
    jisaac, Jun 4, 2008
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  15. Pheel

    Pheel Notebook Enthusiast

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    Im pretty sure you can remove the end connector of your internal and put that on the external. should be easily removed, if not. Don't force it and stop trying :p

    I've done it on my dell vostro 1400 internal and swap it with a simpletech external drive. So I believe its possible.
     
    Pheel, Jun 4, 2008
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  16. vEnOmZkI

    vEnOmZkI Notebook Guru

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    Hi there guys, got some pix here you might wana see.......

    take note:

    External HDD = the one witht the gold brush-like pins at the end

    Internal HDD(Laptop HP DV6000t) = the one with the chiplike end slot thinggy

    so i dont think this two can be interchangable, dont they???
     

    Attached Files:

    vEnOmZkI, Jun 5, 2008
    #16
  17. sgogeta4

    sgogeta4 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    yeah, you can't interchange them. one is IDE, the other is SATA (third and fourth picture).
     
    sgogeta4, Jun 5, 2008
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  18. unknowntt

    unknowntt Notebook Evangelist

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    Yep, your internal drive from your HP Pavilion is a SATA drive, the other is an IDE/ATA/PATA drive. Not interchangeable.
     
    unknowntt, Jun 5, 2008
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  19. vEnOmZkI

    vEnOmZkI Notebook Guru

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    whoa! thanks a lot guys..........didnt know that my external hdd is an IDE/pata/ata one........that makes a lot of sense now,and thats why they are both different.......

    now everythings all cleared up...........

    cheers
     
    vEnOmZkI, Jun 5, 2008
    #19