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Transfer Data From PATA Hard Drive

Hello,

I have a laptop PATA hard drive that has died on me and I can no longer access it from my machine (even through Recovery Console or Safe Mode). I would like to try and grab whatever data I can off of the drive. I purchased a USB to IDE adapter in hopes that I would be able to see the drive from another PC.

The problem is that the Samsung hard drive model HS08XJC does not have a standard IDE interface. It came from a Dell laptop and it has a narrow connection that plugs directly into the motherboard.

Does anyone know what kind of connection this is and/or if I can connect to it in order to pull off data (assuming the drive is not completely fried)? Thanks.

mmcodefive

It has like a slot connection if I remember right. If you take it out of the dell carrier you will see it is a normal 2.5 inch IDE drive. You will need an adapter to connect it to a normal 3.5 inch ide.

Here is an example
http://www.bluenook.com/product_detail.asp?pid=763

dfxdeimos

According to the specs that I could pull up it should be a standard PATA interface ( http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/storage/P159843/specs.htm#General ).
Is there any way you could take a picture of the interface and post it here to look at?

Lee W, MVP

The drive IS a standard drive with a standard connector - look carefully, if it's like the drives I have, then the connector pulls off the pins. Would be great if you could post a picture, but I've never seen a laptop drive that didn't have an adapter and wasn't standard and I've looked at a good number of drives over the years.

dfxdeimos

Durr, MMCODEFIVE is absolutely correct. It is the 44 pin "mini" PATA that is used on laptops.

mmcodefive

Dell puts on this big plug (looks like the nintendo cartrage slot) on some of their drives. You can pop it off to get to the normal ide connection.

craigbtg

ASKER

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for your help. Attached are two pictures of the drive and the connector it is using. It does not look like the cable comes off of the drive. If I could manage to pop it off the pins would not fit my adapter.

I purchased the following adapter if it helps:
http://www.pcconnection.com/IPA/Shop/Product/Detail.htm?sku=7602750

Would a 1.8" hard drive enclosure work such as the following?
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Hard_Drives_External/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=19&sku=A1497047

img032.jpg
img033.jpg

dfxdeimos

Hmm, there has to be a way to get that cable off the drive. Everything I read indicates that it is a standard drive, but that cable is most definately NOT standard. Give getting the cable off another go.

craigbtg

ASKER

OK, so I did get the cable off of the drive. It looks like the connector that MMCodefive suggested would fit into the drive. If I were to plug that in should I then be able to use the 3.5" adapter that I already purchased in order to read the drive as a USB drive?

Just to make sure, this is a 2.5" drive correct? Not a 1.8"?

dfxdeimos

It looks like the adaptor that you got has the smaller 2.5" PATA connector on it (along with the 3.5) so it should plug in the back.
Yes it is 2.5" (2.5 for laptops, 3.5 for desktops... generally).

mmcodefive

I looked at that adapter. It should work though it is more complicated then just the simple one I suggested. If you run into issues the simple one I pasted before is 5 bucks and works every time on any pata motherboard with the usual power connectors and native windows drivers.

craigbtg

ASKER

It doesn't look like the adaptor fits. Here is an up-close picture that shows the connector on the drive now that the cable is unplugged. It looks like it has 40 pins.
IMG-0516.JPG

dfxdeimos

The adaptor may not fit (because of the recess), but does it seem to be the right type? It lists 40 pin PATA as one of the interfaces that it has (on the link you sent).

craigbtg

ASKER

It doesn't seem to fit regardless. Is the slot on the hard drive a ZIF connector by any chance?

I found this link and it looks like the part numbered AAT18ZIF25 may fit:
http://www.addonics.com/products/IO/aaedt18IDE25.asp

dfxdeimos

You do seem to be correct, it does look like a ZIF connector. Is this ( http://www.addonics.com/products/IO/images/zif_drive.jpg ) an accurate image of the connector type that you are seeing?

craigbtg

ASKER

Yes, that seems to be it. So it looks like I can use the AAT18ZIF25 connector along with the 2.5" adapter to try and move the data. Does that seem correct?

craigbtg

ASKER

Can anyone please tell me if I should be able to transfer data using the following two adapters?

This one to convert ZIF to 2.5" IDE (model AAT18ZIF25 in the following link):
http://www.addonics.com/products/IO/aaedt18IDE25.asp

This one to convert 2.5" IDE to USB:
http://www.pcconnection.com/IPA/Shop/Product/Detail.htm?sku=7602750

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

dfxdeimos

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craigbtg

ASKER

Great, thank you for all your help!

mmcodefive

dfxdeimos: It says it is only for 1.8 drives.

craigbtg: what dfxdeimos It will probably work just not fit. If not the two adapters will.

craigbtg

ASKER

The hard drive enclosure suggested by dfxdeimos worked out great. Thanks dfxdeimos!

Dell must have started shipping laptops that use 1.8" drives with ZIF connectors. I only wish I had known that from the outset. Thanks again for everyone's help.