VidusDvD

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Going through my pile of old computer parts that I've scrapped from alleys I have come across several HDDs. They are older technology and would it be worth it to convert them to external HDDs? I know that aren't large but I'm wondering if havnig a couple of extra for individual specific purposes would be good. E.g. computer repair & OS tools; music & videos, video games, personal files. Here are the various drives:

WD IDE 160GB 7200
Samsung IDE 120GB 5400
WD SATA 80GB 7200
WD SATA 120GB 7200
SG SATA 250GB 7200

Should I even bother converting them to XHDD? Which ones?
What would be a "good" enclosure to use?
What would be a cheap enclosure to use? What are the disadvantages of a cheap one?

Thanks.
 
The biggest issue with older drives is reliability. You can use then for getting files from place to place, but with a power supply and everything they are not always that portable.

If you want to do it, I would use the biggest ones you have and use the old ones for experiments(want to try Linux? Install it on one of these :)).

If you have any laptop drives in the bunch, they may make a good portable die to size and that fact that they can be powered off of a usb port or 2.

As for enclosures. If you do not want to deal with them, you can get a USB2 or 3 to SATA/IDE adapter, that will let you use the drives bare.

like this.(does not have to be THIS one, just what Google gives me)
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=48_19_797&item_id=038844

I have sued Vantec and Bytecc enclosures without issues in the past as well.

Remember for IDE drives, you have to set them to master with external enclosures and bare drive USB -> SATA/IDE converters. and you can not use SATA and IDE at the same time of those adapters.
 

VidusDvD

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How safe is it to use an HDD without an exclosure? The circuit boards are exposed and everything.