Wiping Old Hard Drive (System Drive), Already Removed from the PC

[Charly Brown]

Hello,

I just replaced my HHD with an SSD, cloning the HHD into the SSD and then swapping them. I now want to wipe the old HHD in order to recycle it or resell it, but my system doesn't recognize it, it says there is no device on the respective port, or the "device is not ready". I'm connecting it to the computer via a SATA 3 to USB cable, the same one I used for the cloning onto the SSD. Is there a way for my system to recognize the old hard drive? I'm thinking that the problem is that the drive is specifically formatted to be used as the main drive (It includes Windows 7 OS for example) connected to the MB and not as an external drive

At this point I'm thinking about re-installing the HDD, wipe it and then re-install the SSD, but I want to avoid the hassle. Besides not sure if there are any risks on doing that?

Thanks!
Carlos

 

[USAFRet]

Connecting via a USB-SATA external cable, it should work. There is nothing special about it being the old C drive.
Which specific USB-SATA adapter are you using? You have the power connected as well, not just the data cable, right?

Power up the PC, and then connect that drive. I do this all the time.

 

[Charly Brown]

Connecting via a USB-SATA external cable, it should work. There is nothing special about it being the old C drive.
Which specific USB-SATA adapter are you using? You have the power connected as well, not just the data cable, right?

Power up the PC, and then connect that drive. I do this all the time.

The SATA 3 to USB Cable has both, the connector to the SATA port and the power as one single, big connector. Could it be that the USB power is not enough to power-up the hard drive? Below are the links for the model of the SATA to USB Cable, and the hard drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=StarTech.com+USB+3.0+to+2.5%22+SATA+III+Hard+Drive+Adapter+Cable&N=-1&isNodeId=1

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=WD1002FAEX&N=-1&isNodeId=1

Maybe I'm missing another power cable? I have connected it to both, USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, to no avail

 

[USAFRet]

Is this a 2.5" laptop size drive, or a 3.5" desktop drive?
A 3.5" will NOT work, a 2.5" might work. USB does not give enough power to drive a 3.5" drive.

EDIT: Right...a 3.5" drive. That adapter you have will not work.

 

[USAFRet]

You need something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Adapter-Converter-Optical-External/dp/B001OORMVQ

 

[bananacue]

just like USAFRet recommendations. it works all the time. I owned one too

 

[Charly Brown]

I see. Thank you! I just went through the instructions that came with the cable and it says in a very small print that it won't work on 3.5" drives. Now I need to make the decision if I invest the 10 bucks for the cable/adapter in Amazon and then try to recoup it by selling the hard drive, or just destroy the hard drive, which will be a sad waste of resources. Besides, some reviewers said the adapter fried their hard drives so might as well get an easy why to destroy it

Thank you very much, you have been very helpful

 

[USAFRet]

I have a similar cable to the one I listed, and have used it for years. Getting data off dozens of drives.