Accessing a laptop drive w/o enclosure?

[munckee]

I have a laptop drive that I'm not positive is still working. Is there any way to access the info on it without buying an enclosure, just to make sure it's in working condition?

Assuming it is (or there's no other way to access it), any recommendations on a 2.5" enclosure? Does anyone make a firewire version?

 

[bmb012]

There's a USB kit that includes plugs for most hard drives out there, you just plug them into the cable and plug that into the USB. I don't remember what it's called, but it's like 20 bucks and that seems to be what you're looking for.

 

[munckee]

There's a USB kit that includes plugs for most hard drives out there, you just plug them into the cable and plug that into the USB. I don't remember what it's called, but it's like 20 bucks and that seems to be what you're looking for.

I know what you're talking about, but a USB enclosure for a 2.5" drive only costs about $10. I was just trying to find a way to determine whether the drive works at all before dropping a few bucks on something that might prove useless.

 

[Jasonbot]

I have a laptop drive that I'm not positive is still working. Is there any way to access the info on it without buying an enclosure, just to make sure it's in working condition?

Assuming it is (or there's no other way to access it), any recommendations on a 2.5" enclosure? Does anyone make a firewire version?

Try making a pinout of all the drive pins, you'll need some sort of converter to get teh pins from SATA or ATA to USB. Or, if you have a desktop PC a direct pinout to the S/ATA bus might work, if you have time. A pinout to an iPod will also work.