USING EXTERNAL HARDDRIVE FOR A DESKTOP?

[UMISHO]

I have a WD 5400RPM 500GB External harddrive. I am planning to buy a 500gb ssd for my desktop. My original plan was to buy a 1TB Internal and a 240GB SSD. Can I open my external harddrive and put it inside my pc? This way I'll have a 500GB Harddrive and a 500GB SSD for my desktop.

[glitchmaster0001]

yes, under the enclose sits a WD blue 500gb laptop HDD. watch a youtube tutorial on how to do it. 

[KuJoe]

If your external drive can be opened without breaking it then most likely yes. Unless it's something special it'll just be a 500GB SATA drive so as long as you can mount a 2.5" drive in your desktop you should be good.

[UMISHO]

Ok thanks everyone!

[Captain_WD]

6 hours ago, UMISHO said:

~snip~

Hi there UMISHO

 

I wouldn't really recommend that. Here are a few reasons:
- Depending on the model, the drive inside may have a soldered USB connection and not SATA bus at all so you won't be able to use it at all.
- Some external drives (like the My Passport drives) feature hardware encryption and the data from the drive won't be available outside of the enclosure.
- Opening the enclosure voids any warranty that you may have left on the device. 
- Keeping the external drive as a backup solution and getting a newer internal drive is a better option in terms of data safety. 

 

What's the drive's model number? 

 

Captain_WD.

[UMISHO]

55 minutes ago, Captain_WD said:

Hi there UMISHO

 

I wouldn't really recommend that. Here are a few reasons:
- Depending on the model, the drive inside may have a soldered USB connection and not SATA bus at all so you won't be able to use it at all.
- Some external drives (like the My Passport drives) feature hardware encryption and the data from the drive won't be available outside of the enclosure.
- Opening the enclosure voids any warranty that you may have left on the device. 
- Keeping the external drive as a backup solution and getting a newer internal drive is a better option in terms of data safety. 

 

What's the drive's model number? 

 

Captain_WD.

My external harddrive is the old WD Elements 1042. The one that is bulky not the slim type. Surprised to see a WDC representative here in the forums btw.  

[Captain_WD]

On 17.06.2016 г. at 4:54 PM, UMISHO said:

~snip~

Yes, I've been around :) 

That particular one doesn't feature hardware encryption but it would still most probably feature a soldered USB connection on it. :) 
Check if it still has warranty before opening it.

Ask away if I can do anything else for you :)

Captain_WD.

[UMISHO]

2 hours ago, Captain_WD said:

Yes, I've been around :) 

That particular one doesn't feature hardware encryption but it would still most probably feature a soldered USB connection on it. :) 
Check if it still has warranty before opening it.

Ask away if I can do anything else for you :)

Captain_WD.

It's fine it'll be a back up drive to put some non important files. This harddrive has been my trusted storage since 2013 so I'm sure the warranty has expired.