Have laptop and desktop Seagate HD

[TallTravel]

Yes, I sold my desktop before purchasing my laptop, and took the Seagate 80 GB HD out of the desktop before selling the desktop. I thought I was going to purchase another desktop, but decided to get the laptop instead.

Most of my important files were transferred via a flash drive, so I got 95% of my files onto the laptop via USB flash memory card. However, I am now sitting here with a new laptop and a Seagate HD, no desktop, and the internal cables/power supply for the Seagate.

Any reasonable hope of getting all these medium priority files over to the laptop without purchasing a desktop, installing the Seagate, and moving the files over slowly?

[EzyStvy]

Get an external enclouser for 25 bucks.

[TallTravel]

Originally Posted by EzyStvy Get an external enclouser for 25 bucks.

Got the message, thanks. I assume the enclosure has a power supply, a housing, and connection for the power and data cables, then connects to the laptop via USB, eh?

Is that what I am looking for? Would COMPUSA carry something like that? BestBuy?

[freakitchen]

Here on the forums, our Admin glc often recommends this piece of kit

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=2020&cat=HDD

No need for an enclosure, very simply an IDE/SATA to USB cable and a power supply. If all you want to do is get the data from the hard drive, then this would be a cheap way to accomplish it.

That said, you might find that Seagate useful as a backup drive. In that case, go for the enclosure option. Apricorn housings come recommended.

FK

[TallTravel]

Originally Posted by Freakitchen Here on the forums, our Admin glc often recommends this piece of kit http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=2020&cat=HDD No need for an enclosure, very simply an IDE/SATA to USB cable and a power supply. If all you want to do is get the data from the hard drive, then this would be a cheap way to accomplish it. That said, you might find that Seagate useful as a backup drive. In that case, go for the enclosure option. Apricorn housings come recommended. FK

I just called the local computer store and they have the $20.00 enclosure in stock. It comes with a data cable and power supply cable to the drive, so with your assistance I am set.

Thanks!

[freakitchen]

For the record, I've had an experience with a low priced (and hence low quality) housing, and it wasn't a good one.

Made by 'safecom', a bargain basement brand, it had a very flimsy metal construction, cheap circuitry inside, and the built in fan was VERY loud. Worse, connecting the drive to any PC created what I believe to be an IRQ conflict, causing the systems on my network to lose internet connectivity.

I'd look at spending a bit more for a known-quality enclosure, like an Apricorn or Adaptec.

FK

[TallTravel]

Originally Posted by Freakitchen For the record, I've had an experience with a low priced (and hence low quality) housing, and it wasn't a good one. Made by 'safecom', a bargain basement brand, it had a very flimsy metal construction, cheap circuitry inside, and the built in fan was VERY loud. Worse, connecting the drive to any PC created what I believe to be an IRQ conflict, causing the systems on my network to lose internet connectivity. I'd look at spending a bit more for a known-quality enclosure, like an Apricorn or Adaptec. FK

Well, I just spent a measely $20.00 on an Adaptec housing kit, hooked it up, and it would not recognize the drive...it has already been formatted while in the desktop, as you might expect, and the laptop did not even recognize it. USB cable, when connected, beeped to let me know the cable was recognized by the system.

Why would it not be seen by the system? It came with an install CD, which did not boot and start immediately upon insertion. Tried to start a SET UP file with a DOS looking icon, which told me " FILE ERROR " upon a double click....

Rebooted the system a time or two, turned the power off the enclosure a couple of times, and still went unrecognized by the system.

Using Windows functions I cannot see any new virtual drives...

Suggestions? Adaptec, in the manual, handed off all technical support to Microsoft, not even a phone number....

Ideas?
This

[freakitchen]

By 'not recognise', do you mean that the drive doesn't show up in 'My Computer'?

Can you see the drive in Windows Disk Management? (diskmgmt.msc at the run prompt).

FK

[kev7555]

My external enclosure is a BYTECC 320U2. It's made of cheap plastic but has a fan that is silent (as far as I can tell) and has been exchanging information from customer drives for years. It was the cheapest one I could find.

-Kev

[TallTravel]

Originally Posted by Freakitchen By 'not recognise', do you mean that the drive doesn't show up in 'My Computer'? Can you see the drive in Windows Disk Management? (diskmgmt.msc at the run prompt). FK

Yes, that is precisely what I am saying. My Computer does not show it as a drive letter, or know of its existence.

After hooking it up physically the computer beeps just like any USB new hardware found beep (XP Media Center is OS), then it identifies it as a USB/IDE device in the lower right corner pop up window. Soon after that another window in the same spot comes up and says " problem, might not operate properly " or something to that effect.

For an XP hardware device this sucker is very, very, simple, but it is not being recognized, and I cannot understand why not. The manual offers the usual Windows 98 guidance, but nothing else.

On the data cable issue, there is only one data cable inside the enclosure, a long, narrow with some 40 pins. On the inside back of the Seagate itself there is a second set of data cable pins, some 8-10 of them, but the enclosure has no cable to conenct to it. Other than the power cable, which is obviously connected, I know of no cable related issues with the hookup. The manual does say that if the USB cable does not work, try another. I tried it in multiple USB ports, but it still does not see the HD. It is a Seagate Barracuda 7200 RPM, 120 GB drive.

I can hear the Seagate HD turning at times, and its power button is on. I cannot imagine it needs to be set up as a slave, because it was set up that way on the desktop and no switches have changed.

Using diskmgmt.msc, I see two separate drive letters for the integral laptop HD, 95 GB each, C and D, and two small partitions (200 MB, 484 MB), but nothing else.

Ideas?

[freakitchen]

How is the drive jumpered at the moment? Compare the jumper pins on the rear of the drive to the diagram you'll most likely find printed on the drive's top label. It should be set to master when in the enclosure, and it may have come out of the original machine jumpered to 'cable select'.

FK

[TallTravel]

Originally Posted by Freakitchen How is the drive jumpered at the moment? Compare the jumper pins on the rear of the drive to the diagram you'll most likely find printed on the drive's top label. It should be set to master when in the enclosure, and it may have come out of the original machine jumpered to 'cable select'. FK

Well, I guess you probably got it then! The Seagate has no jumpers on it right now, which the white sticker Installation Summary on the Seagate says is jumpered for SLAVE. Don't know how it was jumpered when it came from the factory, as I immediately set it up as a slave for back up for the main drive.

So, based on the jumper guide, it is set up as SLAVE, and if you are saying it has to be master, then I need to put a jumper on the far left set of pins. Of course, not being a techie I have no jumpers, but I can get one....

So it must be a master, eh?

[freakitchen]

I think (and hope!) we've found the problem there. The fact that XP recognises a connection has been made implies that the housing isn't dead, and having the drive set to slave could certainly cause it not to be recognised.

Get yourself that jumper, and let us know the outcome of this one.

FK

[TallTravel]

Originally Posted by Freakitchen I think (and hope!) we've found the problem there. The fact that XP recognises a connection has been made implies that the housing isn't dead, and having the drive set to slave could certainly cause it not to be recognised. Get yourself that jumper, and let us know the outcome of this one. FK

DEAD ON!!!!!!!!

Thank you! I had to visit my neighbor to get an extra jumper, but once I did, I installed it to make sure the encosed HD is labeled a master, and I am now busy copying hundreds of files from the new G: drive to the laptop's internal HD's.

You've earned a beer! Thanks!

[freakitchen]

You're welcome.

Thanks for posting back with the result.....and I'll hold you to that beer

FK

[TallTravel]

Originally Posted by Freakitchen You're welcome. Thanks for posting back with the result.....and I'll hold you to that beer FK

Well, although I currently live in the states, I spent some 1.5 years traveling the British Isles...and I have not spent much time in York...so you might see me there before you expect. I had a couple of friends from Newcastle Upon Tyne, and visited them there, but my most memorable " brew tour " was along the Thames West of London one Sunday afternoon with the same two friends.

So if I can specifiy the place in England, let's have a beer! I am planning an extended trip away from the states this winter and spring, so once it warms up there you'll likely see me show up. As a matter of fact, one of the things keeping me here right now are some Northern English antique furniture pieces, 16 of them in fact, which I want to sell before doing any real traveling....so if you know of any antique importers, maybe I could sell all these huge pieces BACK to the English so I can travel there....

Know any full time antique furniture people? LOL!