While it might seem like a no-brainer, many of us have found ourselves in situations when our laptop's stopped working and we were handed external hard drives to keep our files safe and didn't know the use. Why do you even need a hard drive to USB adapters, maybe your first thought?
These can be your first line of defense if your laptop's hard drive fails or the Window doesn't start. You just need to replace the old drive, but what about the old data? Virtually every computer technician keeps a hard drive to USB adapter handy to save themselves from the headache later, and you should too.
There are a couple of reasons you need to own this little gem. So let's start with the basics first!
Hard Disk Drives and How These Work
Most of the hard drives available in the market use a number of disk platters that are sealed inside a chamber, which allows for read-and-write heads automatically recording information, read information from, and tracks on each platter.
However, with external drives, these can be used to add drive space, act as a portable space to backup data, or keep a library of photos or videos that you could leave attached to your TV or any other device. The converter allows for communication between two of the most common interfaces. For instance, if you want to use a SATA hard drive through a USB connection, to browse through data or backup files, you can simply opt for SATA/PATA/IDE to USB adapter from any reliable online brand, for just that purpose.
Reasons You Might Need It
1. Let's say your computer's hard drive fails and the windows don't startup. No problem, you have a backup and all you need to do is replace the hard drive. What if the backup set is corrupted? With a SATA to USB converter cable, you will be able to recover most of your files. Plus, you will be able to remove the old drive from your laptop, install a new one, and then connect your old drive temporarily as an external drive to copy the old data into the new one. This is not the only use of an HDD to USB convertor!
2. Let's say you want to upgrade to a solid-state drive, you can use these adapters to connect the SSD to an external USB drive, and lets you copy all your old data back with only a little work. Once you clone the required contents, you are good to replace your old drive with the new solid-state drive.
3. Another most important thing you could do with an adapter is to back up your hard drive to protect your data. Our machines are prone to moisture, drops, and viruses, which can cause catastrophic damage to your computer and end up affecting your hard drive. Because of this, it is important to have a backup sorted so that your computer will be up and running in case of any drive failures.
4. If you are having a hard time saving your data and need more space, you can use this adapter as an external hard drive that can be plugged into your computer port and gives you more storage space to keep your data. However, you can only access that data when the adapter is plugged into your computer. So it can come in handy to store data that is not used frequently, like: old photos and videos, completed projects and tasks, records of reports that have already been sent
Compatibility: How to Choose an Adapter that Connects to your Hard Drive?
Typically, the hard drive to USB adapters available in the market only supports 2.5 in hard disk drives and 3.5 in solid-state drives. And when it comes to power capabilities, the drive you want to attach will determine how it will work in your setup.
It is also important to note that most adapters rely on software to convert the signals, which can directly impact the performance and compatibility. Though the controllers used in adapters are standard which means any computer or drive can physically connect to this adapter.
