Have you broken your laptop and worried about the data that you have stored in your laptop hard drive? You should not be worried because if your hard drive is intact then you can recover your data and use it just by using a laptop hard drive in desktop.
If you are thinking that how can you use a laptop hard drive in your desktop then you should relax as I am going to guide you every point about it. So, without wasting any time let’s move to the main objective of the article.
2 Different Ways Of Using A Laptop Hard Drive In Desktop
There are different ways to connect a laptop hard drive to desktop. Most sought out methods to connect laptop hard drives to desktops are as under.
- Connecting hard drive to desktop system directly
- Connecting hard drive to desktop system via USB connector
These are the most sought out methods for connecting laptop hard drives to desktop systems. Let’s dive into the details of these methods.
Connecting Hard drive to desktop system directly
Laptop and desktop hard drives are almost similar. The only difference is the size of drives. Desktop systems use 3.5 inch drive while most laptops use 2.5 inch drives due to the less space. However, laptop hard drives can’t fit in a desktop unit because they are much smaller in size as compared to desktop hard drives.
If this is the case, then how can you connect laptop hard drives to desktop systems? The answer is very simple. You just need to buy the mounting case for the 2.5inch hard drive of the laptop to fit in the desktop unit.
In such cases you don’t need to buy an additional one. After successful insertion of the drive you need to connect the drive to system by following the two steps as under;
- Connect motherboard SATA cable to hard drive.
- Connect additional power to the drive.
After you are done with these steps now it’s time to start your engine. When the operating system opens, your newly connected drive will be displayed in it. If your drive doesn’t show up in the drive list then check it in BIOS.
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Connecting hard drive to desktop system via USB connector
Laptop hard drives can be connected externally to desktop systems via USB connector. For this purpose you will not need to open the system or disassemble it. You will only need some type of connectors or adapters. Some of the methods to connect hard drives via USB connector are being explained here.
Connecting via adapter: One of the best methods to connect laptop hard drive to desktop via USB connector is connecting drive via adapter. Best in a sense that you can find adapters at any computer store and they come with power connector and SATA cable.
Connecting via removable case: Laptop hard drive can also be connected to desktop via removable case. In this case you will find a complete set of SATA cable, power connectors, and casing for drive. The only thing you will do is to place the drive in the case and then connect the case to the desktop by using the USB ports.
There is an advantage of the case that it protects the drive from any kind of damage due to some accidents such as falling down etc.
Connecting via dock station: One of the most easy and expensive methods of connecting laptop hard drive to desktop is connection via dock station. Docking station has the option for connecting different types of drives. It will provide you with a wide range of options.
And it is very easy to use as well because you will need to buy one and insert the drive into the station and connect the cable to the desktop using a USB port. One of the biggest advantages of a docking station is that it will help you to use even more than one drive at a time.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Connecting Laptop Hard Drive To Desktop
Laptop and desktop are different from each other. So, if you connect the laptop hard drive to desktop it will definitely provide you with some additional facilities but it also has some limitations as well. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of connecting laptop hard drives to desktop are being explained here.
Advantages
- Additional storage facility.
- Data recovery from the damaged laptop system.
- Efficient and effective use of laptop hard drive.
- Easy to connect to the desktop system.
Disadvantages
- Problems may occur on connecting drives directly to the motherboard such as master-slave problems.
- Poor support of the system to drive.
- Difficulty in finding the connectors for making connection of drive.
FAQs
People ask different questions regarding this problem. Some of the common questions are as under;
Are laptop and desktop hard drives the same?
Laptop and desktop hard drives are almost the same. There can be few differences like differences of size, difference of shape etc. Laptop hard drives usually come with 2.5inch size while desktop hard drives come with 3.5inch size. Their shapes can vary depending upon the brand of the machine.
How do I connect a laptop hard drive to PC?
Laptop hard drives are usually different from those of desktops. However, there are still some methods that can be used to connect the laptop hard drive to PC. These methods are explained in the article. You can go through the article to get information about that.
How do I connect a laptop hard drive to desktop via USB port?
Laptop hard drive can be connected to the desktop via USB port by using adapter, removable case and docking station. Complete detail of the connection is given in the article.
Conclusion
Although laptop and desktop are two different things but they have some same features as well. And one of the common features is that both of them can store data in their hard drives. Being a portable machine laptop can be damaged but you can recover its drive by connecting using a laptop hard drive in desktop.
It will provide you an option to recover your data even if your laptop is broken. Different methods of connecting laptop hard drives to the desktop have been discussed in detail in the article.
You have the option to choose any one of them according to your own choice. I hope you will get adequate information and will be able to resolve your problem by using this information.
Cheers.
