USB HDD enclosure or what?

[TucknDar]

Hi. Time to call on the wisdom of DC again... I've got an old hard drive laying around and have never got around to doing anything with it, but figure it's about time. There's most likely nothing of interest on it, except to please my curiousity, if the HDD even works. I only recently picked it out of the computer it came with. But what I'd like some help figuring out, is how to access it? Preferably something cheap, something like a simple USB HDD enclosure that I can put the old HDD in and plug into my laptop. Would love some suggestions for an enclosure or what I'd need to have a chance of seeing what this ancient piece of computing contains (it was made in 2000 if I remember correctly, and I probably used it until about 2005).

Thanks, people!

[mouser]

referably something cheap, something like a simple USB HDD enclosure that I can put the old HDD in and plug into my laptop.

Nowadays it's even easier than a usb hdd enclosure.  You can get a simple usb hd DOCK -- which lets you just plop the drive in vertically and access it as an normal hd.
I have a couple of these and they work great.

https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-BlacX-N0028USU-Docking-Station/dp/B0012Z3MKW/



Some of them support laptop-sized 2.5 drives as well, if you think you might want to attach those one day.

Prices are in the $18-30 range.

[tomos]

^ have one of these, from Sharkroon.
Got it about 5 y.o. Still working fine. Works with 2.5 drives, even with IDE drives (probably wont get that any more though, but you probably wont need it either).

[TucknDar]

Excellent, thanks! Exactly what I need.

[mouser]

They are wonderful devices for doing backups.  You just put in your backup drive, save your backups onto it (full drive images and documents), and then remove the drive and hide it someplace safe and fire resistant.

[TucknDar]

I took another look at the drive, and it's IDE, so looks like I need a dock with that capability. Sharkoon does seem like the way to go. Now I just hope the drive isn't completely dead... Come to think of it, I've got an old WD MyBook that doesn't start, so I might be able to get the drive out from that as well.

Thanks for the suggestions, I knew I could count on the good old DonationCoder forum!

edit: I ordered the Sharkoon DriveLink Combo USB 3.0 - https://www.sharkoon.com/product/1686/13760 Not as elegant as the dock solutions, but this was cheaper and it's something that'll probably stay in a drawer and be called upon only when needed.

[TucknDar]

Worked like a charm! And to my surprise the drive still works. I backed it up and can take a nostalgic look at my 2004 computer. Apparently I had gathered quite the collection of digital mess already...

Thanks again!

Now it's time to dig up a few other lost drives...

[mouser]

Good to hear it