Making an external HDD from cd-rw case

[Gtr_tech]

Is it possible to use an external cd-rw case for housing an IDE hard disk? Haven't tried it yet, just a dumb idea for now. Only thing that makes me think it won't work....there may be a bit of rom code in the USB board that ID's what was originally in the case. So if thats the case, the PC would think it was a cd-rw no matter what you put in there. Anyone tried this? I looked around the net and couldn't really find an instance of someone doing this.

[Enzo]

Are you committed to using this CD case? or do you just want to fire up a HDD externally? COmputers are definitely not my thing, but I am pretty sure external hard drive connections are on the market. Maybe even at Best BUy. I been thinking of one to take the HDD from my old computer and run the contents on this one.

[Don Moose]

If you just want to pull the data, Fry's (and other places) sell USB-to-IDE/NotebookIDE/SATA adapter cables with a wall wart to power the drive for $20-25USD.

If you need the case, just try the drive swap and see - worst case, you're out 15 minutes or so ... assuming the CD-ROM is a desktop style with a real IDE connector and so is your HDD.

[Gtr_tech]

The cd-rw case is not the reason behind the whole thing, but I did just rob the drive from an external USB 2 cd-rw to use as an internal. The idea to put the hard disk in the cd-rw case as an external hit me last night, so I was just wondering how possible it would be. I know there are ext HDD cases available...but I'm a packrat and it justifies being one if you can recycle some stuff now and then. It would be just something else to play with. If I had an extra data cable for a SATA HDD I wouldn't have dreamed up the whole thing. I'm in the process of setting up a new main machine and decided to use a second HDD for storage in case the OS gets buggered so I still have easy access to files stored on there. The external kludge just seemed like a worthwhile project in the meantime.

In addition...I'm still not sold on XP and just may wipe the main drive and install Win 2K pro. Having the aux drive will mean less crap to move. Amazing how the old machine with half the processor power (less actually) still runs twice as good as the new one. And don't even get me started on Vista. Spent half a day sorting out a friends machine with that terrorist OS on it.

"Windows needs your permission to move your mouse pointer. Continue?" - Win Vista

[Gtr_tech]

Just for the record....I tried it and it does indeed work just fine.