A very useful gadget...

[leoblob]

I just bought one of these (and I received it and it works): http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=EG-U2N&cpc=SCH It lets you hook up a 3.5" IDE drive to a USB port without having to mount the drive in one of those enclosures.

The thing I didn't realize (even though it's in the description) is that it also has an adapter that lets you use a 2.5" IDE drive. This means you can read from or write to a notebook drive using any computer that has a working USB port. No more need to install the notebook drive into a desktop computer (with a 2.5" to 3.5" adapter). And no need for any enclosure. I thought this might be quite useful.

This adapter doesn't work with SATA drives.

[Turbo Audi]

Newegg has these with SATA capability. Cheap too.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6812197004

[qviri]

Bwah, my local store has the non-SATA kind for $25...

[Cloud!]

I've got a similar one at home, with the SATA capability, and it is a great tool to have. I've used it with both 2.5" and 3.5" harddrives, but also with a 5.25" DVD-burner, and it just works.

[dsigma6]

I bought a SATA-IDE connector to help a friend out with his new HD that didn't fit on his motherboard.

It didn't work.