Using a sata disk drive via usb?

SticKx911

2[H]4U
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Mar 14, 2004
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I have a tower without a 5.25 slot. That’s fine, But as a htpc, it’d be nice to scrap the bluray player backup if possible. I have a drive from the old tower. And I bought a sata to usb adapter. It converts to a usb2 for power and a second port that’s 3.0 for data and I’d suspect auxiliary power.

Problem is, windows beeps when plugging in and the drive has power, but windows never actually sees the drive.

Before I just assume it’s a bad adapter, is there something I’m missing? It was a cheap ebay cable so there’s no documentation. It’s not something I’d use often so I didn’t plan to spend too much on it.
 
Working pull. So old. Was working fine before. I suppose I could plug it in loose into an open sata channel and double check. I’ll try to do that in a bit.
 
Try the ports on the back of the mobo instead of the case ports.
Sometimes the USB cable runs are too long for reliable power & data on hard drives.

.
 
Does the drive have a power plug? Like is it supposed to have a 4 pin molex plugged in while it was in the old rack unit when it worked? I am not sure older drives can just be powered off the SATA connector and you will need to check voltages if you converted a USB to a 4 pin molex for power.
 
Does the drive have a power plug? Like is it supposed to have a 4 pin molex plugged in while it was in the old rack unit when it worked? I am not sure older drives can just be powered off the SATA connector and you will need to check voltages if you converted a USB to a 4 pin molex for power.
Nah, its a sata powered drive

And to the previous, yea, I was trying using the mobo ports. :(
 
If it's a cheapo sata usb external adapter, I'd say it's the adapter. The soldering on those $1 throwaway things from China is atrocious. :dead:

I'd try a usb drive dock or an actual external enclosure if they're by startech or another brand that has a real warranty on their stuff. Otherwise, that cheapo adapter may have fried the drive. :cry:
 
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