Thinkpads Forum

Recently I bought a Samsung HM160HC 2.5 ATA laptop drive to put into my T40. Now my T40 has fallen victim to its graphic chip and I would like to use the drive externally with my new T510. I need to know what kind of enclosure to purchase that will allow me to use the drive via USB2 to store backups.

2.5" enclosures are available at minimal-to-modest cost at any computer outlet or on eBay, etc. Most are quite flimsy and (IMHO) not suitable for carrying around. They're just little shells of metal with end caps held on via tiny screws, and with flimsy USB connectors tack-soldered onto a circuit board. Breakage is a foregone conclusion. But that will be fine if it's just going to be sitting on your desk to back up the Thinkpad.

If you need something a bit more robust to take with you on the road, say the word and some recommendations can be made.

The important thing is that you need a PATA connection, whereas most recent units are SATA. But they're still readily available with the older PATA interface.

Art

I have one of these, kind of un-impressive
http://cgi.ebay.com/SATA-IBM-2-5-Hard-D ... 2558c4264f
I also have a few of these, in both 3.5 and 2.5. These are very rugged, but nothing fancy
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid ... DE&cat=HDD

Ron

Rocketfish make quite a sturdy 2.5" enclosure in both PATA and SATA. However there are some "knock offs" out there, so try to get one in retail packaging. I have two SATA units that I use for a raid setup on my TPs and I am very pleased with them.

This is somewhat off-topic but ...
A friend of mine is using Clonezilla to clone the SATA HDD in his laptop to a PATA HDD connected via USB2.0. He can complete the back-up. However, he cannot transfer the clonned image from the PATA USB2.0 HDD to the on-board SATA HDD. He's using one of those cables that allow you to connect PATA AND SATA 2.5" AND 3.5" HDDs. Could it be that there is NOT a PATA controler on his laptop? Would an external enclosure have a PATA controler to facilitate his needs? He hasn't tried this on his ThinkPad. He's doing it on his Dell 620.
Thanks

You need to boot from an OS with Clonezilla (or similar) installed.
If that is the same HD he wants to put his clone on, that would never work,

D/L the free Trial of Acronis TrueImage, and create the bootCD.
Use that, and a HD in an external USB case to transfer HD-contents.

jronald wrote:I have one of these, kind of un-impressive
http://cgi.ebay.com/SATA-IBM-2-5-Hard-D ... 2558c4264f

Is this genuine IBM enclosure? It does not seem so (and it accepts SATA HDDS); but the same ebay seller has another IDE enclosure listed:

http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-2-5-Hard-Disk-D ... 3239wt_905

I'm using it and I can say that it is %100 IBM made; comes with original IBM packaging, Rapid Restore software and carrying case. It is easy to change the HDD inside the enclosure: only remove 2 screws beneath and you can access the internal parts. Mine came with 40 GB IDE HDD and I replaced it with a 120 GB one.

Regards

The part number on that IDE enclosure refers to the enclosure with 40GB hard drive installed. According to another older thread here, IBM never officially sold the empty enclosure by itself (the curious may feel free to search ). It probably works fine, however.

Got both styles from the same seller. As I said, Im kind of unimpressed. Nothing wrong with them mind you, but I have paid far, far less and been just as happy.

Ron