If you have a new computer, you can do two things with your old computer’s hard drive: erase the hard drive and dispose of it, or, use it as a second hard drive with an enclosure. I’ll show you how easy it is to set-up and use an enclosure and recommend a great enclosure.

Using an enclosure is an inexpensive way to add storage area to your computer and use your old hardware. You do not have to open your new computer, just plug it into a USB port. No messing around with the BIOS, the drive is found by the operating system automatically.

With an enclosure, you don’t have to worry about the data on your old hard drive if you are throwing the computer away, selling it, or giving it to someone. You also increase your storage capacity for the fraction of the cost of a new external drive.

Recommendation

I found an enclosure from StarTech.com that is easy-to-use and reasonably priced. For this demonstration, I use the 3.5” USB 2.0 SATA Aluminum HD Enclosure model SAT3510U2V.

StarTech InfoSafe 3.5 USB 2.0 SATA Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure

Set-Up and Use the SAT3510U2V Enclosure

See my review of the StarTech InfoSafe 3.5 USB 2.0 SATA Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure here.

You will need a SATA drive. Pull the hard drive out of your old computer and check the connections. They should look like the ones in the image below. If you do not have a SATA drive, then you have an IDE drive. Enclosures for IDE drives are available and all the procedures are the same.

Items that come with the 3.5” USB 2.0 SATA Aluminum HD Enclosure are:

• Aluminum HD Enclosure
• Manual
• Screws
• Stand
• USB cable (A to B connectors)
• Power Adapter

Remove the rear panel and connect the SATA hard drive.

Secure the hard drive to the rear panel with the 2 screws supplied.

Insert the rear panel into the enclosure.

Secure the rear panel with the supplied screws. Two screws on the rear panel and two screws on the enclosure. See the images for locations.

Connect the power adapter and the USB cable. Once the USB cable is connected to your computer, turn the enclosure on. See image for location.

Your computer should find the new hard drive automatically.

You now have a second or back up hard drive for a fraction of the cost of a new external hard drive and you recycled your old hard drive. Its a win-win.

I have used several different hard drive enclosures as a computer technician and the enclosure from StarTech is by far the best I have used.

StarTech InfoSafe 3.5 USB 2.0 SATA Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure

It is easy to use, just slide the drive into the rear panel and secure with a couple of screws. Its that easy, no internal wires to lose.

Just plug it in and start using right away. There is no need to open your computer with this enclosure.

Features

• LED indicators for Power status and Hard Drive activity
• Power On/Off switch
• Supports 3.5″ SATA II (SATA 300) and I (SATA 150) hard drives

Applications

• Easy add-on storage - perfect for home or office environment
• Terrific for backing-up your existing hard drive for extra data security, or archiving valuable data from desktop and laptop computers
• Share important files and applications between computers

Advantages:

• No internal cables to connect to the hard drive.
• Rugged aluminum case.
• On/Off switch.
• LED activity indicator.
• Inexpensive.
• Easy to use.

StarTech InfoSafe 3.5 USB 2.0 SATA Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure

See my step-by-step instructions on how easy it is to use the 3.5 USB 2.0 SATA Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure Convert Your Old Hard Drive to a Back Up Drive.