How to Create 2,5 inch Portable Hard Drive

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There are many ways to store and backup data but nothing compares to portable hard drive which offers large storage capacity, easy access, plug-and-play (PNP) capability, and of course they are portable. Although new dimension of hard disk drive will come out in the market soon, there are currently three different sizes available for portable hard disk drive... the 3.5-inch which is used for desktop computers, the 2.5-inch which was used for laptop computers, and the 5inch for external hard drive. Of course, the 2.5-inch makes a more portable hard drive since it is very slim and can fit in your pocket. The current maximum capacity for 2.5-inch hard drive is around 500GB but there will be higher storage capacity coming out. On the other hand, the 3.5-inch and 5-inch hard drive offers up to 2TB (that's Tera) of storage capacity.

Creating a portable hard drive using 2.5-inch laptop hard drive is very simple. You only need three things: 2.5-inch laptop hard drive, the 2.5-inch enclosure kit, and a small screw driver. For the laptop hard drive, you have the freedom to choose the storage size depending upon your needs. If you have a laptop and you are looking to upgrade the hard drive soon, you can use the old laptop hard drive as your portable hard drive. Almost all the laptop hard drive are standard in size and interface. But just to be absolutely sure, check for compatibility with the enclosure kit or laptop computer before buying the 2.5-inch hard disk drive.

Next, you need to shop for 2.5-inch enclosure kit which can cost around $10. The kit includes the case itself, the IDE-to-USB interface, high-speed USB cable, and the leather case or jacket. The case is usually made of plastic or aluminum which is hard enough to protect the hard disk inside. The IDE-to-USB interface connects to the hard drive and serves as the front cover with LED indicator and USB interface. The high-speed USB cable connects the portable hard drive to your computer. It does not matter what type of computer you are using since it is plug-and-play. The moment you connect it to the computer, it is instantly accessible without the need for any software.

Now, the fun part... assembling the portable hard drive. First, unscrew the IDE-to-USB interface from the case. Get your laptop hard drive and attach the interface to the hard drive. Observe the proper orientation when attaching the interface and take extra care with the pins because they can easily bend. Insert the portable hard drive with the interface into the plastic or aluminum casing then screw it tight. That's it! You now have a 2.5-inch portable hard drive.

When you connect it to the computer, it will be identified as removable disk drive. If your hard drive is new, you may need to format it before you can start saving data. Simply right-click the drive letter of your portable hard drive and choose "Format". It may take a while depending on the capacity. If you used an old hard drive, then there is no need to format and you can access your files instantly except for system files or folders under password protected username.