[SOLVED] How can I create a write-protected disk caddy"

[DFB]

I would like to modify my 2.5" to 3.5" disk caddy to prevent writing to the HDD / SSD installed in the caddy. It seems to me that I should be able to clip one or more of the signal / power pins in the SATA connector adapter. I'd like to have such a caddy to use when I am copying / cloning from the installed drive to a second drive.

 

[Ralston18]

Objective being to prevent accidentally writing to the source ("installed") drive?

Or something you will do to the clone to prevent it later being over-written?

I.e.: Making the clone into a one-time permanent "write protect"?

What cloning software are you using?

For example:

https://www.easeus.com/partition-master/remove-write-protection-ssd.html

You should not need to clip any pins or wires. Most likely will, one way or another, end badly.

 

[USAFRet]

Read or write is not relegated to individual pins.
http://www.interfacebus.com/SATA_Pinout.html
Functionality requires both Transmit and Receive


There are professional forensic connector kits that will prevent "write" to a drive under investigation.
https://digitalintelligence.com/store/products/w2760#description


Unless you purposely make the wrong choices/checkboxes, cloning software does not write anything to the source drive.

 

[fzabkar]

You should look for a "hardware USB write blocker". Please let us know if you find someone that's inexpensive.

Software solutions include ...

https://sourceforge.net/projects/usbwriteblockerforwindows8/

https://windowsable.com/how-to-enable-or-disable-usb-write-protection-in-windows-10/