Member Avatar for nankmac

I'm not a tech wizard like most of you on DaniWeb, so bear with me. I added a second hard drive to my Dell Windows XP computer. Is it possible to take that hard drive out of the computer and convert it to an external drive that would have a USB connection to work with any of my other computers (2 Toshiba laptops, Windows XP; another Dell, and a Macbook Pro)? Thanks for any suggestions!

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Converting an internal drive into an external one is a routine and practical option. Building on 's pointer, the following focuses on the less-obvious tradeoffs and checks that make the conversion smooth—especially given the mix of Windows XP machines and a MacBook Pro mentioned by .

Power and hardware: 2.5" laptop drives (and most SSDs) run from the USB port alone; 3.5" desktop drives need an external AC adapter. For occasional access, a simple USB adapter or a top-loading dock is faster to use; for permanent portable storage, a closed case gives better protection and vibration dampening. Keep the drive screws and note connector orientation when removing the drive.

File systems and cross-platform use: NTFS is native to Windows (macOS can read NTFS but usually cannot write without extra software). HFS+ or APFS are Mac-native and not natively writable by Windows. For read/write sharing between modern macOS and Windows, exFAT is usually the best choice—older OS versions may require updates or drivers. FAT32 works widely but has a 4 GB file-size limit. Always back up before reformatting.

Capacity and partitioning: Drives larger than 2 TB typically require a GUID/EFI partition table to access the full capacity; older OSes (and some BIOS-based systems) may not handle that without updates. If the drive holds an installed OS, expect boot problems if it’s moved externally—cloning and driver adjustments are needed for a bootable external system.

Basic safety and workflow: power down and unplug the PC before removing the drive, ground yourself, label the drive, then connect externally and initialize/format on the target machine (Disk Management on Windows, Disk Utility on macOS). Use the host OSs safe-eject before unplugging. Back up important data before any change.

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Member Avatar for disophisis

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=92&name=External-Enclosures

That should bring you to external enclosures on newegg.com. use the navigation on the left to find the proper form factor and connection type (sata/ide) and whichever interface you would like (USB 2.0, Firewire, eSATA)

They shouldn't be too expensive, and the reviews on that site are very helpful.

if you need any info on setting it up, the enclosure will probably come with instructions/a cd, and you can always use google to get the basics.

Member Avatar for nankmac

I'll take a look at newegg.com. Thanks!

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