If you need to connect your SATA hard drive to another computer for data recovery but don’t want to disassemble the tower due to the warranty, don’t have any available SATA ports, or simply prefer to use a laptop PC, you can easily convert this SATA drive into an external disk plugged into the computer’s USB port rather than the motherboard.
Prepare a USB to SATA/IDE adapter before beginning the method, which allows communication between these two most prevalent interfaces. You’ll also need an external power supply, such as an AC/DC adapter and a Molex to SATA Power connection, because USB ports can’t produce enough current to spin the drives. Some USB to SATA/IDE converters, on the other hand, include both an adapter and a power source, eliminating the need to find a means to power your drive.
Connect your SATA drive’s power cable to the Molex to SATA Power cable attached to the power supply.
Make sure the SATA hard drive is operational before attaching it to your computer. Turn on the computer and listen to the disk: it should start and initialize without making any strange noises, such as clicking or grinding. It’s possible that the drive’s electronics have failed if there are no sounds coming from it.
Switch the disk off and connect its SATA data cable to the USB to SATA/IDE converter if it’s in good working order. Restart the power supply and wait for the drive to boot.
Now you can connect the adapter’s USB cable (USB plug) to a USB port on your computer. The drive will appear in Disk Management as soon as the connection is established.
In This Article...
What is a SATA slot?
Serial ATA (SATA) is a computer bus interface that connects mass storage devices such as hard disk drives, optical drives, and solid-state drives to host bus adapters. Serial ATA has surpassed the previous Parallel ATA (PATA) standard as the most widely used storage interface.
The Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO) develops serial ATA industry compatibility specifications, which are then published by the INCITS Technical Committee T13, AT Attachment (INCITS T13).
What is a SATA hard drive?
SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) is the standard interface for most desktop and laptop hard drives, and it was first introduced in 2003. They’re called SATA hard drives, but they’re actually rotary hard drives with spinning platters and a moving needle that writes data to sectors on each platter in a sequential order. In comparison to their predecessor, the PATA hard drive, SATA hard drives are extraordinarily fast, with an interface rate of 6 Gb/s and a throughput of 600 MB/s.
A single drive can have a capacity of 500 GB to 16 TB and is less expensive than any of the other drive types listed here. They’re good drives if you need a lot of storage for a low price and don’t require exceptionally fast reads or writes. Because data is written to a disk physically, it can get fragmented, which means that different sectors can be distributed throughout different sections of the disk, slowing the drive down. Because each drive contains moving parts, they are susceptible to shock and unexpected movement, making them a poor choice for laptops.
Is SATA SSD or HDD?
The first hard drives are hard disk drives (HDD). A read/write arm sits on top of a spinning disc of a hard disk drive. The whole thing looks like a miniature, gleaming vinyl record player. These drives are heavy, big, and prone to failure.
One of the most inconvenient aspects of hard disk drives is that they tend to “fragment” over time. This happens when the disc becomes clogged with data that was not written to the drive in a logical order. Large files fit perfectly into the storage space when they are written to a fresh drive. However, as time passes and more files of various sizes are written to the drive, they no longer all fit together properly.
HDDs can nevertheless read files that aren’t all stored in the same location. It just takes longer since the drive must spin for a longer period of time. That is why hard disk drives must be periodically “de-fragmented” or “de-fragged.” Files must be sorted in an orderly form, much like they would be in a real filing cabinet. By contrast, solid-state drives (SSD) do not have this issue.
SSDs store memory on flash drives that can be accessed quickly. It’s almost as if the device’s random access memory (RAM) doesn’t erase itself when the device is turned off. It’s groundbreaking in that it allows hard disk storage to be lightning fast while fitting into a smaller device for the first time. That is why computers have shrunk in size and weight in recent years. The large hard drives that originally resembled cross-cut cinderblock portions are no longer required.
SATA vs HDD & HDD vs SSD
A SATA drive is the third hard disk choice. SSDs are more expensive, whereas SATA drives are less expensive and more widespread. SATA drives, on the other hand, are slower to boot up and retrieve data than SSDs. A SATA drive, which can contain terabytes of data, may be right for you if you’re seeking for a hard disk with a lot of storage space. However, keep in mind that because SATA drives contain moving elements, they are more prone to fail.
In terms of functionality, HDDs are comparable to SATA drives. When it comes to comparing SSDs and HDDs, it’s comparable to comparing SATAs and SSDs. Consider the contrasts in terms of dependability, speed, and longevity.
SSD vs HDD Reliability
SSDs outperform HDDs in terms of reliability. Because SSDs don’t have moving parts (thus the name “solid state”), there’s a lot less that can go wrong with them. While solid-state drives have a shorter lifespan than hard disk drives, they easily win the SSD vs HDD dependability contest.
SSD vs HDD Speed
SSD drives are unquestionably speedier. Without the use of a spinning disc, files can be written and read. It’s comparable to the difference between a two-wheeled scooter that you have to push versus one that has an electric motor. There isn’t much else to say regarding SSD vs HDD performance. Due to their ability to swiftly retrieve files, systems with SSD drives feel faster. HDDs just do not function in the same way.
SSD vs HDD Lifespan
You may believe that SSDs are considerably better than other types of hard drives at this point. This may be true in the near term. When it comes to SSD vs HDD longevity, however, a different picture emerges.
SSDs modify the status of electrons by driving them through a gate. This causes wear and tear on the cell, lowering its performance gradually until the drive fails. While HDDs grow clogged with data and must be defragmented, they tend to survive longer if you plan on keeping the same hardware for a long time.
Which solution is right for my needs?
Overall, HP hard drives, SSDs, and SATA drives are all high-quality components. HP is a well-known company in the computer industry, and it offers solutions for a range of industries, including government agencies.
What you want to get out of your drive will determine which option is ideal for you. HDDs are the ideal choice for big volumes of storage with a longer lifespan, whilst SSDs provide more flexibility and speed. Most users choose to have both options for their workstation, keeping long-term information on an HDD and using SSDs for items that must be moved between machines.
What does NGFF stand for?
M.2, originally known as Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF), is a specification for computer expansion cards and ports that are installed inside. M.2 replaces the mSATA standard, which employs the physical card structure and ports of a PCI Express Mini Card. The M.2 uses a more flexible physical specification that allows for different module widths and lengths. This, combined with the availability of more advanced interfacing features, makes the M.2 more suitable for solid-state storage applications in general than mSATA, especially in smaller devices like ultrabooks and tablets.
The M.2 connector supports PCI Express 4.0 (up to four lanes), Serial ATA 3.0, and USB 3.0 computer bus interfaces (a single logical port for each of the latter two).
Depending on the required level of host support and the module type, it is up to the manufacturer of the M.2 host or module to choose which interfaces are to be supported.
Different M.2 connection keying notches indicate different functions and capabilities of M.2 hosts and modules, as well as preventing M.2 modules from being placed into incompatible host connectors.
In addition to supporting traditional Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) at the logical interface level, the M.2 specification enables NVM Express (NVMe) as the logical device interface for M.2 PCI Express SSDs.
NVM Express is designed to fully utilize the capability of high-speed PCI Express storage devices to perform many I/O operations in parallel. While AHCI support ensures software-level backward compatibility with legacy SATA devices and legacy operating systems, NVM Express is designed to fully utilize the capability of high-speed PCI Express storage devices to perform many I/O operations in parallel.
SATA Data Cable
SATA data cables are thin ribbon-like cables with compact 7-pin connections on both ends. The connections are 1.5 x 0.4 cm in size and have a distinct L-shaped notch for connecting.
Some SATA data cables include connections that are 90 degrees slanted. These aren’t required, although they may make connecting to specific motherboards easier.
Can you get files off a dead computer?
So, your computer died, and the last time you backed up the data on your hard drive was… well, never. Or close to it. Don’t worry, even if your computer won’t come on, you can still get your files off your hard drive. Yes, unless your computer’s hard disk has been physically damaged by a catastrophic event, you can still access that data. All you’ll need is a USB universal drive adapter and another computer that can read your hard drive.
