How do I Create an External Hard Drive From an Extra Internal Drive?

Create an external drive from an internal drive.

An external hard drive can serve many uses such as moving large files from one PC to another, backing up data, expanding storage space, and storing multimedia files to use with an HD media player. Turning an old internal hard drive into an external drive requires little investment of time and money.

Things You'll Need

• Internal hard drive
• External drive enclosure with power adapter
• Phillips screwdriver #1

Instructions

Remove the Hard Drive from the Computer

1. Disconnect the power cord from the computer from which you want to remove the hard drive. Discharge any static electricity you may have built up by touching an object such as a doorknob or the case of the system unit.

2. Unscrew the system unit cover and locate the extra hard drive that you wish to convert. Make sure you remove a secondary hard drive and not the main drive where the operating system resides.

3. Unscrew the metal hard drive bracket from the computer's chassis and unplug the drive's interface and power cables. Slide out the bracket bearing the hard drive, and then unscrew the hard drive from the bracket.

4. Place the empty bracket back in its place and replace the cover of the computer.

House the Hard Drive

1. Choose a hard drive enclosure that can properly house your drive. An enclosure holds and powers a hard disk externally and connects to the computer through a Universal Serial Bus (USB) or Firewire port. When choosing an enclosure, there are a few factors to consider: physical hard drive size, interface, connection type, and number of bays.

2. Gently open the enclosure and connect the interface and power plugs to the hard drive. Adjust the drive so its connectors are aligned with the connectors on the enclosure.

3. Mount the hard drive into the disk bracket. Make sure the hard drive is in a steady and stable position, but do not force anything while installing the drive.

4. Close the enclosure and secure the cover using the screws provided with the enclosure kit. The internal drive is now a portable external drive and ready to be connected to the computer as a plug-and-play device.

Tips & Warnings

• Prices for hard drive enclosures ranged from as little as $10 to around $100 as of 2010, depending on the design and features.

• Computer systems are assembled slightly differently from one model to another. Refer to the user manual before you install or remove any component from the unit.