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Need help finding a good(cheap) SATA/IDE to usb cable — Parallax Forums

Need help finding a good(cheap) SATA/IDE to usb cable

RavenkallenRavenkallen Posts: 1,057
edited 2010-08-25 08:34 in General Discussion
Hey, although my expertise( And probably most everybody on this board) lies in micro controller programming i occasionally try to venture into PC repair/ Upgrading. Here is the story... My sister's computer recently died leaving all of her data stuck on the hard drive. One day it was working and then it just wouldn't boot anymore. I have used the BIOS setup utility to check some of the various parts and the RAM checked out and so did the hard drive. My sister just needs to get some data off of the drive and i heard that a SATA/ IDE to USB adapter would do the trick. Would this work?

Comments

  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2010-08-22 11:43
    Sure, you can do this. You'll want something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153066.
  • ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
    edited 2010-08-22 11:59
    I would go with what Kevin showed as using one of those adapter cables doesn't include the connector to the power on the drive.
  • RavenkallenRavenkallen Posts: 1,057
    edited 2010-08-22 12:01
    Oh, thanks...I would just wondering if it would work. I saw one on amazon that was 12 bucks. I wonder if it would work the same

    http://www.amazon.com/Serial-ATA-Adapter-Converter-Backup/dp/B001Q4Z5KY
  • ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
    edited 2010-08-22 12:04
    That could work but doesn't supply power for the drive. The one Kevin showed does.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2010-08-22 12:11
    Forget the adapter cable. Download Knoppix and burn it to a CDROM, then boot her computer from that. From there you can copy her files to a USB memory stick.

    -Phil
  • RavenkallenRavenkallen Posts: 1,057
    edited 2010-08-22 12:38
    I will try the Knoppix thing and see if it works. Any problems i might run into?
  • ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
    edited 2010-08-22 12:43
    Hope the reason her computer doesn't boot isn't because the hard drive is toast!
  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2010-08-22 13:05
    If you have a desktop with the same HD drives you can drop it in as a secondary drive.
  • RavenkallenRavenkallen Posts: 1,057
    edited 2010-08-22 13:10
    Uh, ITS IN GERMAN?????? WTH
  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2010-08-22 13:25
    I prefer Darn Small Linux or Puppy Linux over Knoppix as they both boot faster, but can be used for the same purpose. Puppy Linux is probably the better of the two as DSL has gone idle in the past year or so.
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2010-08-22 14:03
    Same here DSL or Puppy is my fix er distro of choise . I use DSL more . Mind I use a OLD version just to fix stuff so it being old is no biggy . I use the TORAM option to dump the OS in to ram . then Woah its fast ! . if done right you can then use the CD/DVD drive with out tyeing it up running the OS .
    Mind Fluxbox is not Win7 or (Beryl :) ) eyecandy and its not IMHO layed out super simple to a Linux novice .

    On My mac systems I just use the Firewire disk mode :):) its amazing .
  • Capt. QuirkCapt. Quirk Posts: 872
    edited 2010-08-22 22:32
    You just selected the wrong language before the download :)

    "To use BitTorrent, Download it, and visit the Knoppix BitTorrent Tracker, and click the "DL" link next to the image you want to download ( -EN or -DE ). Save that file, then run btdownloadgui KNOPPIX-"
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2010-08-23 05:07
    I am currently using "Clonezilla" for complete cloning of hard disks. It is free and very good (like good old Ghost 6). If you can get the hard disk into any good computer, an image file can be made of it and transfered 'en masse' to a new machine. But you need to have a working computer to get your image.

    Puppy Linux, Knoppix, and many other small Linux_s still are very useful for determining it the machines hardware is intact. If a virus in Windows downed the machine, these will load independently of the hard disk
    (intially only load in RAM).

    But if the hardware has died, you may need a Sata to IDE adapter rather than a Sata to USB. I have for the Sata to USB, with a separate power supply.....and Clonezilla.
    For a temporary power supply, you could use an internal computer's power supply to the hard drive if you want to save money and don't need a case for the old drive.
  • RavenkallenRavenkallen Posts: 1,057
    edited 2010-08-23 09:00
    OKAY, i found the English version and downloaded it. My sister manged to find her most important files and she e-mailed them to her self. For some reason the system would not recognize USB devices, so we just used the E-mail method....Thank you very much, Phil. My sister kept being like, " Oh, thank you Harrison, you saved my life" and i was like "Nah, some cool guy on the Parallax forums told me what to do"..... Thanks to everybody else to...

    Now about Linux.. I don't really like it so far. A lot of the concepts are very abstract and not very user friendly. Like it is so hard trying to figure out how to install programs. There is no "Install Button" or anything, instead you have to literally prompt the machine to run, by typing in the file manually. While i like a challenge(And open source software), i can see why Windows and Mac OS's have the upper hand. Or maybe it is just the version of Linux that i am using....
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2010-08-23 09:38
    try fedora . I thnk 13 just came out

    Linux is like a car . you can lift it lower it install NOS and paint it too.

    and like cars some want a VW bug . light fast ( DSL knoppix puppy)
    fedora and ubunto are like the honda civic of distros . there easy to use and are popular .
    so on and so forth ..

    I have used so far a dozen or more Distros .
    I just got in to CENTOS cause its more redhat like and uinlike fedora its not released every 6 months it seams .
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2010-08-23 10:40
    Linux has several advantages.

    1. It has vast free software utilities that were written long ago for Unix.
    2. It can be made very small by getting rid of the Graphic User Interface.
    3. It can run independently of the OS installed on a hard disk via a "LiveCD"
    4. Programing quick and dirty solutions for yourself don't require C, C++, or whatever - you can use BASH, or Python, or a lot of very handy languages.
    5. When you really think Windows is corrupted, that "LiveCD" can verify that you do indeed have a software problem because the Linux will run correctly - and can even take a look at the integrity of the hard disk FOR FREE.

    But, it does come with a learning curve. Do some reading.

    Not all the new books are good. I picked up a copy of a fundamental UNIX text in order to really understand what it was all about.

    Life with computers is so much easier when you can sort out the blame between hardware and software. I suppose any 2nd OS would do the job, but Linux is the free one. Even a 'LiveCD" of Ubuntu Linux will tell you if your machine is dead. You don't have to use a small Linux.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,260
    edited 2010-08-23 11:38
    When my SATA Seagate died (wouldn't boot), I got a new Hitachi HD and installed & formatted that as the primary drive. I hooked the old drive up as a secondary drive, and then I could explore that drive and copy files to the new drive. You could try this, since you're in the market for a new drive anyway.

    This obviously only requires standard serial cables & power connectors, no USB converter needed.
  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2010-08-23 11:57
    fedora and ubunto are like the honda civic of distros . there easy to use and are popular .
    When did Ford and Chevy lose their positions as the popular and easy to work on vehicles? (showing my age?)
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2010-08-23 15:08
    HAH LOLs . True .

    I guess I see a Ton of them here In Iowa . that and Pontiac.
  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2010-08-23 21:04
    Try Ubuntu or Linux Mint if you want a different perspective. Also try running them in VirtualBox, as opposed to a live CD, so you can try out as many distros as you want without wasting CDs.
  • RavenkallenRavenkallen Posts: 1,057
    edited 2010-08-24 20:52
    Thanks for the suggestions. I hope those versions of Linux have a easier time installing flash player 10, unlike the knopix thing.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2010-08-24 21:04
    Why do you need Flash Player 10, if all you're doing is rescuing files from a hard disk?

    -Phil
  • RavenkallenRavenkallen Posts: 1,057
    edited 2010-08-24 21:13
    @Phil....Well, yeah you don't need flash player to rescue files. The program WORKED for the intended original purpose(And i thank you, once again for you help)...I just wanted to mess around with Linux on a computer that was "Dead" and see if i could breathe some new life into it....A computer isn't cool until you can watch Youtube videos on it, haha
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2010-08-24 23:03
    Its cool to see how fast a P4 2.4Ghz with 1Gig of ram can be slim-er OS like Linux. Ah yes Mint I have heard Lots of good things about it .
    DSL on a P4 is like a Hemi on a lawn tractor .. :lol::lol: It aint pretty but it sure hauls fast .

    there are a few hangups with WiFi cards and some brands of printers .

    but I would say most of HW compatibility issues can be solved with some pre buying research ..
    Every OS has is uses .

    Linux is not a good choice to edit a Hollywood movie on nor a new album . AV intergration is not its bag . But Liunx is CHEAP and its Very stable for what it is . it good for a second computer . if you want to spend the time almost anything is possible with linux .
    and its rewarding to own .

    OSX has its downs too. it runs legally on only very pricey ( IMHO good) hardware so its not for everyone .
    Mind apple has a Very nice set of laptops . 10H batts backlit KBs and BT in every model .
    things I expect in the computer world come stock on a mac . and the Mac mini is one VERY nice dorm SOHO computer . and it run WIN native nothing to lose ..
    and yes apples HW stats are by number less then a PC( windows) of the same price BUT
    cause of the Less fat OS they can Still Be fast In real life ( as long as it runs as fast to ME while I use it I dont care if it ran on a 386DX) .

    Windows is a OK all around OS but its IMHO overweight , it eats ram/CPUcycles for dinner and needs constant attention to keep running ..

    Ironicly the reason I went to Linux a second time was to watch YT vids as my OS9 Mac could not . and I was not about to dump $7K
    In editing SW for OS9 to use OS X ( and no FCP I had was NOT classic compatable ) .. I still Love how simple and light OS9 was .

    I went from OS9 PPC to OSX x86 in less then 7 months . Gahhh SW was expensive but it had to be done . the one thing I did not re buy was adobe stuff . VIVA GIMP . !

    Kevin is right Virtual Box is amazing . lots of the network students here use it.

    Me ,I have not had a need..


    My main computer is my Mac Mini .. If this thing dies I will be in deep poo so I don't touch the INT HD on it ..I run EXT.. At one time I Firewire booted XP on a Old 80G HD . I did this as it kept the HW separate to the point that if XP decided to cause issues I can Pull its plug .If I ever want to be back to normal Mac with my life on it I can just unplug the Ext HD and reboot .
  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2010-08-25 06:14
    Ravenkalllen... definitely give Linux Mint a try. It's a re-spin of Ubuntu, but the project is a bit more commercial friendly/non-OSS friendly than some other projects. It supports the latest Flash right out of the box, no installing necessary.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2010-08-25 08:34
    As you can see, there are a lot of individual preferences in Linux Distributions.

    I generally go with the crowd and like Ubuntu, but Linux Mint has rocketed from about #100 to #3 in popularity over the past year or so.

    There is a web site that evaluates all this, called Distrowatch.com

    I am also a big fan of Puppy Linux. But that world changes rapidly too.

    I dislike Fedora, only because they want you to buy video driver software from M$ (because they are American based) rather than use clones. But it is a good product.
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