Help with external hard drive connection.

I have taken the hard drive from an old TV topbox, I intend to use it as an external back up for my PC.
Assuming I can re format it I am having some difficulty in getting the correct cable from hard drive to USB. The cables that came with a conversion kit are ok for the mains connection and the cable for the `USB` part is ok at the hard drive end but doesnt fit at the USB end. (see attached.
Assuming I am connecting this properly what replacement cable do I need for the hard drive to USB.

 

Hi,

Have been there and done that, but as it has a +12v line you will either need an external psu or a caddy with a voltage converter.

If its powered from your PC , Desk or Lap top ? its going to put a big drain on your USB port /battery.

In all honesty I would say is much better to buy the real thing such as the one below that will run at twice the speed and just the short usb cable.

A Maxtor 1TB drive is not much dearer at £42, either far better value than buying a caddy and so much smaller you can store or hide them anywhere; would always suggest you keep it hidden in another room so if you were burgled and the pc taken they will not have all your photos and data.

 

Thanks both for the replies.
I already have 1 back up which I keep separate, I only back up maybe 3/4 times a year mostly family/holiday pictures and a couple of spreadsheets. I bought a kit off ebay for £4 which done the job.
This one though has slightly different pin arrangements and the only part thats defeating me is the lead from hard drive to USB. This `new` one is much bigger at 500GB so thought to use it, it wouldn't be permanently connected.
Don`t really want to spend more than a few £s as it will basically be a back-up for the back-up.

 

Hi,

As far as I can see only two of those three connectors are active, sata power and sata data, so you will need to use an active sata data to usb converter cable or if you buy a caddy that normally has such circuitry built in.

See section 3.3 of
https://www.seagate.com/staticfiles/support/docs/manual/ce/Pipeline HD Series/100529372j.pdf

Just a mention, you save your pics etc, but do you ever take a system image backup of drive C so if your Windows gets screwed in any way, you have something to restore back to rather than reload Windows / everything from scratch.

This free program will do the job for you, used it many times myself, works a treat.
Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free

 

Just a mention, you save your pics etc, but do you ever take a system image backup of drive C so if your Windows gets screwed in any way, you have something to restore back to rather than reload Windows / everything from scratch.

This free program will do the job for you, used it many times myself, works a treat.
Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free[/QUOTE]

Thats something I have been meaning to do for a while now, I have saved the link and must get this done soon. Thanks.

 

I have finally managed to get it connected and now up and running so that's me got a 500gb external back-up. Its a bit spaghetti junction...but works.
I can now have a look at the system image back up.

 

ok a couple of question re Macrium.

Do I do both:
A. Clone this disc and B. Image this disc?

Once I have done this can I copy/paste those files to my external hard drive and would I then reverse copy/paste them back to my PC if I ever required.

Image: Imgur

 

Hi,

Good timing, just come online, if you can give me a minute or to will try and find a tutorial, because the Macriums main screen is not the clearest of things, though once you know its quiet simple to do a backup.

Also you need a small USB Key to create a boot device for when you need to Restore an Image.

How have you got your Sata data to connect to your USB port ?

 

I have a few USB memory sticks.
Yes the sata hard drive is connected to the USB port. Not knowing but I already had the necessary cables it was just a case of understanding how it all went together, its a bit Heath Robinson but works.
I will build a case for it so its will just be a case of plug in when it is required.

 

Hi Again,

Found the link to this tutorial which should tell you all you need to know but by all means come back or even join that forum for extra help.
The Web User Forum is run by the uk magazine of the same name also with its sister Computer Active, both on supermarket shelves, only £2.20

Creating Image Backups Using Macrium Reflect Free - October 2017 - Web User Forums


You can create your backup image directly to your external drive or any internal drive you want.
However the free version only allows you to create a single file containing the whole partition image, thats its prime function.
So many other free programs to allow you to backup / restore individual files and folders

Would also advise when you setup up your backup, you use the Advanced options and Enable the Verify option to be 100% sure its been written out ok.
You have to set it on every time, just a limitation of the free version.

hth

 

Thanks ricky, I have had a quick read and I should be ok.
I will have a go tomorrow.

 

I have followed the instructions and verified it so hopefully that will be good, I have also done the boot disc and tested it.
That will me be ok now as I probably wont do an update until later in the year, will probably only do a couple per per year. Any in betweens I just do a copy on a memory stick.

Thanks again for all the help.

 

Glad you have got it all working ok, though I tend to do a new image every 2 months or just before W10 SCU or ACU ( if you use w10 ?) so if anything goes wrong during or after the update you can quickly restore back.