How to connect a laptop hard drive to the desktop computer

Laptop is a portable computer where many users prefer to store their important information. Due to it’s relatively small size and portability any laptop may become broken (for example, fall and crash). In this case there is a very big chance that the hard drive of this laptop will remain intact, so it will be possible to read all data from it, and if necessary it can be successfully used in the future. There are several ways to connect laptop hard drive to the desktop computer – by installing it in a system unit case or through the USB connector. We are going to describe for you both options.

Table of contents:
1. How to install the laptop hard drive into the desktop system unit
2. How to connect a laptop hard drive to the desktop computer through usb
3. Using adapter
4. Using removable case
5. Using docking station

How to install the laptop hard drive into the desktop system unit

Laptop hard drive is almost the same as the desktop computer hard drive. The only major difference is the size. For the desktop system units there are used 3.5-inch drives, while for laptops manufacturers use 2.5-inch drives to save the space. And of course since the laptop drive is much smaller than the desktop drive, it can not be properly fixed and locked inside the desktop system unit case.

To install a laptop hard drive into the desktop system unit you will need to purchase a special mounting bracket for 2.5-inch drives. This bracket needs to be installed instead of 3.5-inch hard drive and secured. After this you need to attach your 2.5-inch drive to the bracket.

When the hard drive from your laptop is “planted” into the system unit, you must connect it. Drive connecting is quite a simple procedure:

1. You need to connect motherboard SATA cable to the hard drive;
2. Now connect the additional power.

Wen you are done with this two steps, it is time to turn on your computer. After operating system is booted, your hard drive will be displayed in the drive list. If it did not not happen, you may need to check in BIOS if the disk is loaded.

How to connect a laptop hard drive to the desktop computer through usb

It is possible to connect laptop hard drive to the desktop computer via a USB connector, in which case you will not need to disassemble the system unit. There are several ways to do it, but in this article we will tell you the main three.

Using adapter

In any computer store you can easily find special adapters that allow you to connect a 2.5-inch hard drive to the USB connector. These adapters always have SATA and power connectors.

Using removable case

This way is similar to the previous one but in this case you use not an adapter but a full case to connect your laptop drive to the desktop computer. Inside such a case you will find SATA and power connectors. Hard drive must be placed into this case and after this you will only need to use the USB cable to connect it to the computer.

Using a removable case allows not only to connect the hard drive to the computer, but also to protect it from damage if it accidentally falls down.

Using docking station

The most interesting and expensive option, suitable for users who often have to connect hard drives to a computer. You can even find docking stations, which will allow you to connect several 2.5 or 3.5-inch drives in the same time. Some docking stations make it possible to simultaneously connect several hard drives of different sizes.

So here are the most simple ways to connect a laptop hard drive to a desktop computer. If you have to deal with this very often, it’s better to get a special docking station. In a situation where the laptop drive needs to be permanently installed in the system unit, it’s easier to disassemble the case and connect the drive inside so that it will not occupy one of the USB connectors.