Thinkpads Forum

How: Connect 3.5" SATA HDD to 2.5" bay? Some Adapter?

Typically people want to connect/ install their 2.5" HDDs into 3.5" Adapters.

Now the "pin connectors are the same size"

I'd like to connect a 3.5" HDD to 2.5" into my Thinkpad - Either SATA or Ultrabay Dock Connector.

I dont want it physically installed inside (physically impossible). I'd just like to connect it direct for certain diagnostics I'd like to do.

I know USB enclosure / Dock (USB to SATA bridge) is an option. But, I am wondering if there's some way to go DIRECT.

Thoughts? I can imagine if there is some kind of ribbon + card connector that could extend out the Pins from the 3.5" HDD to be insertable/ connectable to the 2.5" Sata Ports.

I can POWER it from OUTSIDE using the power adapter from a USB to SATA/IDE Cable/Adaptor I have.

I would assume you could find what you need by searching for "sata extension cable" with Google. However, a problem might be on how you plug in the connector inside the hard drive bay of the laptop. You'd either need some thin fingers, good eyesight, long needle-nosed pliers or any combination of the three .

rkawakami wrote:I would assume you could find what you need by searching for "sata extension cable" with Google. However, a problem might be on how you plug in the connector inside the hard drive bay of the laptop. You'd either need some thin fingers, good eyesight, long needle-nosed pliers or any combination of the three .

Hmm.. Ah! I have these cables. Did not realize.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

I have this kit - http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Adapter-Con ... B001OORMVQ

I guess the smaller group of pins is the DATA part of the disk. Here I can attach the RED SATA cable that would go inside the machine for DATA connection. Right?

And the larger group of pins would connect to a Power Source.

If this is correct, then I am guessing it would be easier to do inside the Ultrabay Dock with the HDD Caddy (have one) (replacing the Optical Drive).

Thoughts?

Add: I am guessing it has to be a Male to Female extension cable?
Add: I realized it needs both DATA & POWER extension MALE-FEMALE to bring BOTH the connections out from the Laptop to the Desktop HDD and to the Power Source.

Thanks. Sorry for troubling you guys. Now, any suggestions on good source to buy this online is welcome. I am googling anyways.

The limited power from the laptop will not be enough to run a big 3.5" HD.
You're likely to at least overheat, if not burn, some mobo wiring (it will likely crash'n'burn ).
You'd need to feed the HD from a separate power supply.

Actually, I don't think laptop motherboards provide 12V on their SATA power connectors at all, since no 2.5 inch laptop hard drive ever use it. (There is a 10000rpm 2.5 inch hard drive that uses 12V, but that's not exactly a laptop drive... )
You will almost certainly need an external power supply.

Hmm.. Oh! yes. I think I did not make the clear. The HDD will be powered from the external KIT that I linked.

I am guessing it would be easier on the HDD Caddy inside the Ultrabay Dock/ Optical Drive.

What kind of loss of speed does the SATA/PATA bridge incur on the Ultrabay Caddy?