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Author Topic: External to Internal Hard Drive  (Read 3062 times)

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Jahness

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External to Internal Hard Drive
« on: December 21, 2011, 09:37:20 AM »
Has anyone ever opened up a External Hard Drive and installed it as a Internal Drive? I ask because my computer (HP s3700f) dosen't have the space for a second hard drive and I'l like to replace the 320 Gig with a 1.5 Tb I have.

Thanks
John

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Re: External to Internal Hard Drive
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2011, 10:10:15 AM »
Yes...it will work.

But to do it properly even if there isn't enough space would be to create a Clone image of your drive...and then clone it to the new one.
Course you'll need to borrow another external since yours is going in the PC.
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Jahness

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Re: External to Internal Hard Drive
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2011, 12:51:58 PM »
I lost you. Why would I have to borrow an external? Maybe I worded my post wrong. The 320 Gig HD in my computer now would be replaced by the 1.5 TB. Physically, 2 HD's won't fit in my computer cause it's a slimline. I'm just trying to avoid buying a HD right now. I don't care about reinstalling the OS and programs.

John

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Re: External to Internal Hard Drive
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2011, 01:13:02 PM »
Your PC model is listed as having both SATA and IDE ports on its motherboard so whatever disk you find inside the external case should work. One problem may be that the external case might be sealed (glued) or use special screws. I have a Seagate which is glued. If it is glued you might have to break the case. If you then found that you can't use it in your PC you would have to buy another (empty) enclosure, but these are not very expensive. There may be photo or video guides on the web showing how to open your external drive model, but you have not said its make or model. Just one example of many: a YouTube video showing how to open a Seagate 1.5 TB Free Agent drive here (using a knife). Be aware that you will void your external drive warranty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73jHstTFGFo

A still I captured:





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Re: External to Internal Hard Drive
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2011, 01:45:05 PM »
Has anyone ever opened up a External Hard Drive and installed it as a Internal Drive? I ask because my computer (HP s3700f) dosen't have the space for a second hard drive and I'l like to replace the 320 Gig with a 1.5 Tb I have.

Thanks
John


So your computer is a slimline as you indicated.  I thought the hard drive would be smaller than  normal size hard drive.  Is your external HD the same dimensions as the HD in the slimline? Just asking?  Something to consider.
« Last Edit: December 21, 2011, 02:21:48 PM by IowaMrs »
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Re: External to Internal Hard Drive
« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2011, 01:51:18 PM »
I thought the hard drive would be smaller than  normal size hard drive.  Is your external HD the same dimensions as the HD in the slimline? Just asking?  Something to consider.

All you need to do is Google the model number.

Quote
HP Pavilion Slimline s3700f

Expansion Bays 1 (total) / 0 (free) x Front accessible - 5.25",
1 (total) / 0 (free) x Internal - 3.5", <------------------------ the single hard drive bay
1 (total) / 1 (free) x Pocket Media Drive bay


Jahness

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Re: External to Internal Hard Drive
« Reply #6 on: December 21, 2011, 02:53:50 PM »
I wasn't worried so much about the Sata/IDE connector in my computer. I was more concerned about the HD in the case being just a normal Sata Drive. If that's the case, then I can just swap it.

Opened it up and everything's normal. I guess I was concerened that the HD in a external case would be different. The case opened up so easy that now I have it as a backup if I want to go back to external.

Thanks for the replys everyone

john
« Last Edit: December 21, 2011, 03:22:46 PM by Jahness »

Salmon Trout

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Re: External to Internal Hard Drive
« Reply #7 on: December 21, 2011, 03:43:35 PM »
I guess I was concerned that the HD in a external case would be different.

They are just normal hard drives. You can buy empty enclosures and fit spare hard drives into them. Smaller external HDDs use laptop size (2.5 inch) hard drives.