• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Use with Ext HDD enclosure?

O

ODog2323

Android Enthusiast
Using the USB port on the keyboard dock, does anyone know I'd be able to plug in a full size HDD enclosure (with its own power supply) stuffed with a drive pulled from a PC, for extra storage?

My PC just crapped out, and rather than putting time and possibly money to fix something that gets a fraction of the use it did 2 years ago, I'm thinking of trying a move to "post PC" living. Still have some practically questions though.
 
If it's your hdd that crapped out, you will still be sol.

Fixing it may be relatively cheap depending on what part failed.
 
I think it would work yes. Assuming it's not the HDD that's at fault of course, like Nastro said.
 
Nastro said:
If it's your hdd that crapped out, you will still be sol.

Fixing it may be relatively cheap depending on what part failed.
Click to expand...

Its my c drive that failed. The d drive is the one I'd pull. That's where all my media and such is.
 
Turns out there was nothing wrong wth the drive...just a fluke/virus that caused most of my data to go hidden. All taken care of now.

So the question still stands. I've seen plenty of videos of folks using their external USB HDDs, but not one with an enclosure housing a formerly internal 3.5" drive. Thoughts?
 
If you have an internal drive and a USB adaptor it should work. I don't have a tablet yet (I have a Nook Color and hoping to have the Prime soon) so I'm not for sure but I would think it would since it is just data that you are talking about. The tablet should see the drive as another source of data like a micro SD. I hope it works because I have an portable 1TB HDD with all my pictures/video and music on it. I can transfer from my portable HDD to the Nook though my Win7 box.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm not aware of any functional difference between a purpose built external hard drive and an internal one placed in an enclosure.
 
Xyro said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm not aware of any functional difference between a purpose built external hard drive and an internal one placed in an enclosure.
Click to expand...

That's exactly my question. If i had to guess, I'd say that the tab couldn't tell the difference between a purpose built external drive and an enclosure, but since I'm not really too familiar with either type of drive, I'm looking for some insight.
 
I have a USB enclosure for laptop HDD's and Windows see's it as another drive whenever it's plugged in. Not sure how Android would deal with a HDD with Wndows file structure. I will find out if my Prime ever ships.
 
theandies said:
I have a USB enclosure for laptop HDD's and Windows see's it as another drive whenever it's plugged in. Not sure how Android would deal with a HDD with Wndows file structure. I will find out if my Prime ever ships.
Click to expand...

Yeah, windows treats them no differently, that's for sure.

That's a good point about the file system though. If this was your PC's hard drive then right now it will be NTFS, which I don't believe android supports. Changing that would require you to format the drive.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom