Connecting a PC hard drive to laptop?

Yuriy · 06-20-2004, 08:02 PM

Ok, here is the deal. I just ran out of space on my laptop's HD (7 GB).
I have two PC hard drives, each with a 40 GB capacity and I am starting to think about hooking up one of those to my laptop. Unfortunately there is a problem. There are lots of adapters for connecting laptop HDs to PCs, but not the other way around. And I can't find a PCMCIA enclosure either. I know about USB ones, but my in-car laptop does not have any USB ports. So I was wondering whether any of you know a way to do this? Any ideas whether I can make my own adapter?

I tried using MP3 CDs but they blow - takes hours just to read MP3 tags on that old thing of mine and I don't want to burn a lot of Music CDs - that just eliminates the whole point of having a computer in my car. Any cheap solution would be very appreciated!

kandyman676 · 06-20-2004, 08:14 PM

you could just get a PCMIAA card that has two USB ports in it. USB ports carry 5V DC

then you will also run into the problem of powering the external harddrives; desktop harddrives require clean, steady 12V DC to be powered by. laptop harrdrives only need 5V DC...which USB can power.

you also realize there are other harddrive enclosers that are parallel port, but still require the 12V DC to power them. they may not really be around anymore, but I have one in the closet for old laptops and desktops that did not have USB ports.

robiewp · 06-20-2004, 08:18 PM

you could make your own adapter. Looking at the construction of my regular -> laptop converter, there isn't anything going on except at the power connector. I'd start by getting one of the regular --> laptop coverters, and then make or buy a male laptop ide to male laptop ide coupling...

Alternatively, you could get a pcmcia USB card and a usb enclosure (same goes for firewire), or try to track down one of those backpack or kangaroo PCMCIA based enclosures.

Yuriy · 06-20-2004, 08:22 PM

Hmm.. Well, power is not a problem..
Maybe I should look into one of those USB PCMCIA things then.

I looked all over the internet for PCMCIA PC HDD enclusores, but only found ones that are for laptop HDDs..

Yuriy · 06-20-2004, 08:28 PM

I gave it some thought, and I guess for now I will just delete the music that I don't listen to anymore and copy the new stuff to my current HD.
Man, who would have guessed that I would run out of space..

robiewp · 06-20-2004, 08:30 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Yuriy

I gave it some thought, and I guess for now I will just delete the music that I don't listen to anymore and copy the new stuff to my current HD.
Man, who would have guessed that I would run out of space..

I would have. I have 60gbs of music, all directly ripped.

Yuriy · 06-20-2004, 08:32 PM

WOW!

kandyman676 · 06-20-2004, 08:38 PM

i am almost having the same problem yuriy...this laptop has a 10GB HDD, and its full...5GB is WinXP, Mappoint, some other programs for GPS and wardriving, then the rest is MP3s. i also have a 60GB mp3 collection on my desktop, but could only fit about 200 songs on the 5GB of space i had at 192 bit rate. :-(

once i get the 20GB i bought off someone on here, going to switch it with the 60GB one in my AMD 64 3000+ laptop, and use the 60GB one in a portable 2.5 HDD enclosure.

i am driving a honda civic...so my alternator is already maxed out and doesn't need another 12V DC draw on it:-P

Yuriy · 06-20-2004, 08:46 PM

Heh.. This seriously sucks.
Deleting music feels just like stabbing your heart with a knife

At least I got 1.23 GB freed up. That should be enough for the 4 new CDs that I just got yesterday + some for future uploads. But that's it. Horrible situation. Time for a big upgrade..
I'm thinking about just buying a new bigger laptop HD. Something with at least 20 GB on it. I don't have XP or GPS maps on my system so that should be plenty. The only thing that bothers me is the price - $65. That's 1/3 of my entire system's cost.

Batmanatthenewb · 06-20-2004, 09:05 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Yuriy

Heh.. This seriously sucks.
Deleting music feels just like stabbing your heart with a knife

At least I got 1.23 GB freed up. That should be enough for the 4 new CDs that I just got yesterday + some for future uploads. But that's it. Horrible situation. Time for a big upgrade..
I'm thinking about just buying a new bigger laptop HD. Something with at least 20 GB on it. I don't have XP or GPS maps on my system so that should be plenty. The only thing that bothers me is the price - $65. That's 1/3 of my entire system's cost.

Yuriy,

I have 40 gig of music / movies on my system. If you are going to keep lots of mp3's you need to go bigger or you will have a problem again in the near future.

Batman

Yuriy · 06-20-2004, 09:50 PM

I don't store movies though

I usually don't watch one movie twice.

Yuriy · 06-21-2004, 05:40 AM

Okay, I think I found something.
I just remembered that a while back I bought an external 3.5 IDE drive enclosure.
Back then I thought it would work via USB, which it did not (they sent me a wrong one).
Well, today I was looking at it and decided to do some research. It turns out that they company that makes these enclosures also make a PCMCIA version.
http://www.vipower.com/products.htm
So, I sent them an email asking which one exactly should I purchase. Those things are rather cheap - $40 at most (with all the shipping costs). This would be a perfect solution. It would also let me connect other things to it, like desktop CD-RWs and flash card readers. I don't need any of that, but that still is a nice thing to have. And I will be able to connect that to my next carputer system which I'm more than 100% sure I will build when I get a new car (long term planning

)
If I get that thing to work, I'll post here what to buy, how to power it, etc, etc.
I think this will help a lot of people in the future.

Yuriy · 06-21-2004, 05:48 AM

That's the one:
http://www.vipower.com/product/Smart...v/vp_9054v.htm

$60.. ouch! And I also have to pay for shipping and then for their PCMCIA cable!
Well, at least this is the cheapest yet..

Yuriy · 06-21-2004, 06:10 AM

Have to add one more thing:

FORGET EBAY! FROOGLE ROCKS!!!

Yuriy · 06-21-2004, 01:56 PM

Okay, for anyone that is interested!
I just got one of these:
http://store.sunshinestor.com/3idetopcen.html
Don't be fooled - they are external! Only $20 those things are on clearance so act quick! Will work with a 3.5" HD. The power is external (they give you an adapter). A bit bulky, but for this price I don't mind having another 5 lb box under my seat. At least that will solve my storage problem once and for all. Say hello to my new 40 GB drive! Muhahahaha!!

Oh damn, that's twice as much as in my new Dell Inspiron 1100, 2.4 GHZ