How to use an old drive for external storage
Upgrading from one storage drive to another? If so, you don't have to ditch your old drive. In fact, you can actually benefit from it – here's how.
Older internal hard drives and SSDs make for great external storage, and by converting an old internal drive into an external one, you can increase your storage capacity and avoid having to buy an external hard drive.
Here are two accessories on Crucial.com that allow you to use an old internal drive for external storage.
- 2.5-inch external hard drive/SSD enclosure. This enclosure accessory can be used with hard drives or SSDs, and is designed to protect your internal drive while also allowing it to connect to your system via USB. The rugged design of the enclosure adds extra durability and is great for taking the drive with you on trips.
- Crucial SSD Install Kit. The key element in our install kit is a SATA to USB cable, which you can use to connect your old drive to your system. Simply attach the SATA portion of the cable to your old drive, and the USB end of the cable to your computer, which will allow you to use the drive as you would an external hard drive. As long as it's connected to your system via USB, you can use it for storage.
With either option, you'll be able to get more out of your old drive and increase your storage capacity, meaning more room for photos, videos, music, and other important documents that seem to grow exponentially by the year. The more storage you have, the better. But best of all, you already have it!