Reddit reviews Sabrent [Upgraded Version Support UASP] Ultra Slim USB 3.0 to 2.5-Inch SATA External Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure [Black] (EC-UK30)

Remove the hard drive and buy a hard drive enclosure. Your hard drive will function as an external hard drive.

Plenty of external drives use a USB A-A cable. I have this particular one (with 1 TB drive installed).

You want to use it like an external hard drive? Get something like this.

> how I can completely wipe it

Simply formatting the drive should be enough for your needs. Are you on Windows?

you need something like this: sata to usb 3.0 cable or if you intend to use the harddrive as an external something like this*

I have 2 Shields and on both I use Kingston 120gb SSD's in Sabrent USB 3.0 ultra slim aluminum enclosures. $30 total on Amazon and they come with everything you need including a short USB cable. Note that once you install the SSD in the enclosure you will need to connect it to a PC and format it prior to connecting to the Shield. They are very small.

SSD - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6JQS8C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Enclosure - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LS31KQG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Unless its the hard drive that died, why not remove the hard drive and put the old hard drive in a USB enclosure and make it a portable hard drive?

[Upgraded Version Support UASP] Sabrent Ultra Slim USB 3.0 to 2.5-Inch SATA External Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure [Black] (EC-UK30) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LS31KQG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_gxXiybSHQ6P12

Yep. Usually sa laptops di naman bolted in yung hard drive so you can just safely take them out. Then buy a hard drive enclosure so you can plug it in as an external drive.

Not really. It's for SATA I or SATA II. 3Gbps max. You can get a SATA III Sabrent enclosure for like $9.99. I've got about six of that one and they're fantastic.

Or an ORICO enclosure for $7.99.

It's dead simple.. As your machine is already 'toast' and you've nothing to lose and possibly the hard drive to gain, what's the fear?

Look, here's the ifixit link, all you need is a small philips head screwdriver and a torx T6 and some nerve. (The worst that can happen at this point, is you can fix it. OMG!) ;)

While you've got the old drive out, replace it with a new one, (can get them at Best Buy for under 60 bucks for a hard disk drive and under 100 bucks for an SSD) and if you hadn't made a bootable USB installer - you'll want to get a 16 GB flash stick and ask at any Apple repair shop if they can make one for you.

Thing is, your hard drive may not be dead, but can still spin up - albeit so slow that the system cannot load. You may still be able to put it in an external drive enclosure and get any files you have off.

But you won't know for sure until you try.

No worries! Yup, that would totally work as well. I found this one for a little less, but it required a screw driver (2 screws) to add/remove the ssd. I end up going with what has the best reviews, what meets my needs (is it tool-less or does it require a screw driver/how often will I really be removing it?), and how much do I want to spend on it.

Any of the three enclosures look like they will perform perfectly, it's just a difference of $5 between the three and whether you want to mess with a screw driver.

http://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Sabrent-2-5-Inch-Enclosure-EC-UK30/dp/B00LS31KQG/ref=pd_cp_147_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1FW09YADE2JN60M3KPS1

For single use, yes.

If you want tto use it as an external, backup, get this.

I thought that was implied. Sorry. I ended up getting this case : Incase Pathway Folio and this USB 3.0 enclosure : Sabrent Ultra Slim USB 3.0 to 2.5-Inch SATA External Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure. I'm going to store the drive in the lid pocket and run th USB cable out of the pocket to a USB port on the Air. This won't let the zipper close all the way, but it will be good enough for practical purposes. Thanks for the input though.

I just bought this one for my PS3. Mostly fits your requirements:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C9TEBJQ

I'm going to put the 250 GB drive from the PS3 in this case and use it with my Wii U:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LS31KQG

Which reminds me: I forgot to order a Y cable. Can anyone recommend one?

Sure, enjoy:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6JQS8C/

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LS31KQG/

you need a USB 3.0, I recommend this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00LS31KQG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm using a ssd for Halo 5, MCC and GtaV

For those wanting something like this without spending $199

"SSD is going run $199 for 512GB"

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OJ3UJ2S/ - case I use and have 0 issues with for a year now - $12.99

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LS31KQG/ - An "upgraded" version of the case that is aluminum and $3 less

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IAGSD68/ - current lowest price on a decent 500+GB SSD from Amazon $118.71. It's a Crucial MX300. You can shop around here, Samsung 850 evo's are a little more expensive but very reliable.

It's literally plug and play with that case. Comes with the cables and no need to do anything fancy. Just insert drive into case, no screws to use and plug it into the Xbox One with the cord that comes with the case.

Sata to USB connector is fine as long as it has two USB connectors, or is USB 3 (blue connector), otherwise it probably won't have enough power. You could get a little hard drive enclosure though and just use it as an external HDD:

http://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Sabrent-2-5-Inch-Enclosure-EC-UK30/dp/B00LS31KQG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1459231476&sr=8-2&keywords=2.5+enclosure

Alright! So There's good news and bad news. The good news is you can absolutely upgrade your computer in a variety of ways. You can even give yourself a dedicated graphics card! The bad news though, is that doing so probably won't be cheap. It might be better to buy a new laptop, or start putting together a desktop rig for yourself. I'll let you be the judge though! Here we go!

RAM: Upgrade from 4GB to 8GB

This would definitely speed up your computer. *GB is the minimum I recommend to anyone, regardless of what they are using the computer for. 4GB of RAM is the minimum necessary for a modern operating system to function, so doubling to 8GB will give you some very noticeable improvement.
I generally stick with Crucial.com RAM for upgrades. They're affordable, have good customer service, and have never steered me wrong before. You have two choices for an 8GB upgrade from them. A standard 8GB module and a Ballistix 8GB module. The latter is supposed to be higher quality, but I'm not really familiar with the differences, nor do I think it's worth the extra money. I'd go with the standard.

Hard Drive: Upgrade to Solid State or Fusion Drive

Upgrading the hard drive won't improve gaming performance, but it will make everything you do on your system faster overall. Not 100% sure, but I think your computer has a 500GB drive in there right now. decent space, but bare bones performance. Upgrading to a Fusion Drive or SSD will give you a huge performance jump. SSDs are the fastest drives out there, but assuming you don't want to decrease your disk space, your going to have to pay the premium. SSHDs aka Fusion Drives offer the best of both worlds; they add flash storage to a standard drive, and optimize performance by putting the system files and most frequently used files and programs on the flash section. Huge performance boost for a MUCH lower price than an SSD. I love these things, and definitely recommend one if budget is an issue. To upgrade your drive, you'll need to either have a backup you can restore to the new drive, or clone your existing hard drive to the new drive beforehand. My recommended method of doing this is by buying a hard drive enclosure. It's super affordable, and will let you repurpose your old hard drive as an external drive or backup drive when you're done.

CPU, Motherboard, and GPU:

Ok, here's where everything gets complex. The RAM and Hard Drive are easy upgrades, but while they will definitely speed things up, they won't help with gaming performance as much as this will. Your processor is trying to handle running the computer and running the games at the same time, and since it's not a great processor, it can't do that very well. Upgrading the processor allows your computer to do a lot more at once, and adding a GPU essentially gives games their own dedicated processor to work with. You'll see huge gaming performance boosts by going this route. Here's the trouble though: Your CPU is integrated in the motherboard. The only way to upgrade it is by swapping in a new motherboard with a better integrated processor. The silver lining here is that your computer model line had several motherboard options, both with more powerful CPUs as well as dedicated integrated GPUs. This means that by buying a new motherboard, you could upgrade your CPU, add a GPU, or both!
Here's the problem though. These motherboards are hard to find, expensive, or both. Parts-People.com has the listings and Dell Part numbers for several upgrades to your system, both with and without NVidia GPUs.

No GPU:
i5-4210U 1.7GHz - 6YPRH |
i5-5200U 2.2GHz - THVGR |
i7-4510U 2.0GHz - 7G1CD

With GPU:
i5-4210U 1.7GHz - 1P4HG |
i5-5200U 2.2GHz - T7TC4 |
i7-4510U 2.0GHz - CHXGJ

As you can see...pricey AND sold out. But at least this gives you a references. You may also notice that the ones with NVidia GPUs actually say they are only compatible with models that already had a discrete GPU...that's not actually true. I double checked with one of their technicians; all you'd need would be a replacement fan/heatsink. The one in your system only covers the CPU. The new one would cover both the CPU and the GPU. Fortunately, this part is inexpensive, both on the Parts-People site and on eBay.
Speaking of eBay, I think it's the best option for finding one of these motherboards. I did find the best version of the bunch for sale, but they're still quite pricey. There is another option though. By watching eBay for used Dell Inspiron models that have the motherboard you need, you might be able to find and win an auction for a whole computer at a far lower price point than the motherboard alone. As it turns outYou'd need to look for keywords like processor speed, and hope that if you tactfully asked if it said "nvidia" somewhere, the seller would understand what to look for. It gets risky, but you might even find auctions for damaged versions being sold for parts. Idiot cracked his screen? Motherboard's probably ok! Idiot spilled beer all over the computer...avoid that one. You wouldn't be restricted to Inspiron 15 (3542) either. As it turns out, these boards were used in Inspiron 14 (3442) and Inspiron 17 (5748) models as well. Definitely helpful if you go that route. Hell, with nothing wrong with it and at the right price point, you might find a whole new computer this way!

Speaking of a new computer...we come to my final point. Cost and worth. If you were to buy the RAM, Fusion Drive, external enclosure, i7 + GPU Motherboard, and Fan/Heatsink right now, you'd be looking at something like $350. Not terrible in the grand scheme of things, especially considering the fact that you could buy them at separate times, upgrading in stages as budget allows. However, the Wirecutter's pick for a budget laptop is $550 on Amazon, and would match or exceed the performance of everything above with no hassle or downtime. Just something to consider!

Phew! That was a lot. Hopefully it's helpful information, and gives you an idea of your options. Let me know if you have any questions!

No, it's like a normal USB drive but it will be empty, you could just buy any normal hark disk you use and put inside it and connect to the PS4 using USB like a normal drive

[Upgraded Version Support UASP] Sabrent Ultra Slim USB 3.0 to 2.5-Inch SATA External Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure [Black] (EC-UK30) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LS31KQG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_iHmRybKQSSWHX

The good thing about this is that you could tailor it to your needs, if you want faster load times, use faster drives in it, if you wanna save money, use cheaper drives. I use this with my Xbox, and probably will do the same for my PS4

You could also buy a 3.5 inch drive enclosure and add 6-8TB drives to it! Never ever delete games again! The PS4 internal drive is limited to 2.5inch, but these are not, like this one.

Nekteck 3.5/2.5-inch USB Type C 3.0 External HDD Hard Drive Disk Enclosure Case with USB C Interface for 3.5" 2.5Ó SATA SSD, HDD [Support UASP and 8TB Drives] Tool-Free Design - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MUMTCLI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xLmRybVPYH8AX

Yes, you can access the data (as long as the hard drive isn't what failed).

You can either plug in the drive like you will be for your other two drives (plug this drive in after installing Windows though so it doesn't get added to the boot manager).

You can also buy an external enclosure and use it like an external drive.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LS31KQG/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_zXB8wbGHY7AM8

SSD in a USB 3.0 enclosure and share with your friends or move between systems. Just make sure you power off and not suspend.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07997QV4Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_QDsKBbFAA1VKB

https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Sabrent-2-5-Inch-Enclosure-EC-UK30/dp/B00LS31KQG/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1536267383&sr=8-8&keywords=external+usb3+enclosure

(links are for for example, I have CoolMax enclosures and who knows what SSDs.)

That's perfect. Then this is what I recommend:

1. Max out your RAM. Crucial has an 8 GB RAM set here: http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/macbook-pro-2*5ghz-intel-core-i5-%2813-inch-ddr3%29-mid-2012/CT3301475
   
   
2. Get an SSD to replace your conventional hard drive. You'd mentioned you were looking at 512 GB on a new MacBook Pro, so here's a Samsung SSD at the same capacity: https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-850-PRO-2-5-Inch-MZ-7KE512BW/dp/B00LF10KTO
   
   
3. Install macOS cleanly onto the SSD. El Capitan and above should accept third-party SSDs without too much trouble, though you may have to run some commands in Terminal to turn on SSD Trim (necessary for good and long operation of your SSD). I recommend not just transferring all data back, but just your documents--reinstall applications manually.
   
   
4. (Optional): Get an external drive enclosure for your existing internal laptop hard drive. This will allow you to easily transfer back data: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00LS31KQG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474460464&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=2.5+inch+hard+drive+enclosure&dpPl=1&dpID=41JtsWFGS6L&ref=plSrch
   
   Overall this would be about $260 plus shipping, which is a significant savings over the $2000+ you'd pay for a new machine. I think the main things you're encountering with machine sluggishness are 1) a slow laptop hard drive and 2) low RAM capacity, which means your machine relies on swapping between RAM and the disk, which you notice as slowness. The above should help alleviate the issue and put your machine into warp drive.

A hard drive enclosure like this one should do the trick... the computer will treat it like a storage device and you will be able to see everything on it, including program files. I used one when my laptop was failing due to similar power issues.

All you need would be a external hard drive encloser. Can pick them up cheaply and yes it would become plug and play.

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-2-5-Inch-External-Enclosure-EC-UK30/dp/B00LS31KQG/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1524740417&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=external+hard+drive+enclosure&psc=1

Yes absolutely.

However you may be better off getting a 2.5" size drive. The 3.5" drives take more power to run, and the external enclosure will require an external power source. A 2.5" drive can be run off the power from the USB alone. So if you want something portable, get a 2.5" drive for sure, or if it's just going to sit on a desk or in a closet you can get a drive like the one you linked and get an enclosure for it.

3.5" HDD enclosure

2.5" HDD enclosure

They are linked in the original message, here they are again
Enclosure
SSD

Given that the only internal bay is taken up by my ssd, I don't have a choice, it's never been a problem. I use a Pro, so the drive is tucked away in the back usng that usb port. I don't see the exact model I ordered any more, but this is a very similar case: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LS31KQG

I would recommend buying a ssd to usb 3 enclosure and a ssd separately, as it's much cheaper. I bought this enclosure and this ssd.

edit: computer changed ssd to sad :/

Not at all. This is the guide to use.

If your MBP is currently able to boot, I'd recommend downloading Carbon Copy Cloner, getting an external enclosure or USB to SATA cable, reformatting drive to MacOS Extended (Journaled) with GUID partition map, cloning your current drive to the new one while it's still outside the machine, then once the clone is done, test boot off the new drive by booting up with Option held down and select the USB connected drive. If all goes well, use the instructions in the guide to swap in the new drive and voila! You have yourself a new SSD.

Afterwards, you'll be able to use the old HDD in the external enclosure as an external harddrive for whatever you'd like (assuming the drive itself works fine after reformatting).

Some guy on this sub gave me these links and I am rendering faster than my Xbox X friends now, it's amazing.

Get this and this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LS31KQG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07864WMK8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My suggestion is: Purchase one of these you'll use it a lot (i promise). Remove the old harddrive and make it into an external.

Since you don't already have a backup of your files (tisk tisk), I would create a dropbox, mega, google, and just bring the old laptop to the library and upload away. Bring the new laptop in, backup your files on that one first.

I can't stress enough how many times having that dongle saved my ass, highly suggest you get one. Or something like this.

US I assume? If not, then it should be available online elsewhere too (such as ebay).

https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Sabrent-2-5-Inch-Enclosure-EC-UK30/dp/B00LS31KQG/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1479677001&sr=1-5&keywords=USB+3+enclosure

This one is $10 and I have no complaints. Works as advertised.

There's also a 4 screw version (the previous one I linked is tool-less and just snaps in). https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-2-5-Inch-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UM30/dp/B00MQ97QGE/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1479677001&sr=1-3&keywords=USB+3+enclosure

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-2-5-Inch-External-Enclosure-EC-UK30/dp/B00LS31KQG/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1504201964&sr=1-4&keywords=external+usb+hard+drive+case

Why external over SATA if I may ask? You could just buy a USB 2.0/3.0 External Enclosure and stick the SSD inside.

Something like these:

USB 2.0:

Sabrent Ultra Slim USB 2.0 to 2.5-Inch SATA External Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure [Black] (EC-UK25) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E362W9O/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_PB-LwbEFZY8ZR

USB 3.0:

[Upgraded Version Support UASP] Sabrent Ultra Slim USB 3.0 to 2.5-Inch SATA External Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure [Black] (EC-UK30) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LS31KQG/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_5D-LwbKCHR4NZ

Not terribly expensive... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LS31KQG/l

If you want to use one these types of external enclosures:
https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Sabrent-2-5-Inch-Enclosure-EC-UK30/dp/B00LS31KQG/
or an Xbox One fitted solution: https://www.amazon.com/Collective-Minds-Drive-Enclosure-Front-Ports/dp/B00T76ZGDO/

Then this drive is basically your only option at the 4TB size: https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Barracuda-2-5-Inch-Internal-ST4000LM024/dp/B01LZMUNGR/
No one else seems to be making 2.5" 4TB hard drives, not HGST, Toshiba, Western Digital and etc.

So any 4TB drive at the 2.5 inch size is going to be probably going to Seagate.

I did find a WD My Passport Ultra in the 4TB size on Newegg: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1K65850201 (no idea if that's any good for you, you're going to have to check with the WD rep)

External enclosure = a shell that holds the hard drive, these do not come with a drive.
External hard drive = a shell + a hard drive.


---

If you can do 3.5 inch drives at 4 TB you will have far more choices as to what brand and model of drive you have to work with.
You can use either a drive of your choice and an external enclosure or an external hard drive. But of course there may be demerits that I mentioned in my previous comment if you intend to take the drive with you on the go.

Or if 1TB or 2TB is enough for you, you can find many more drives from different manufacturers at the 2.5" size.

Note: I only checked Amazon and Newegg big box stores and less known sites may have older drives in the 4TB size

Generally with SSDs bigger = faster, but not to a very noticeable amount. Also here’s the newest version of that enclosure: https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Sabrent-2-5-Inch-Enclosure-EC-UK30/dp/B00LS31KQG

I own multiple Sabrent drive readers and they’re great.

Everywhere. Any enclosure for 2.5" SATA drives works. This one is really good: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LS31KQG/

I've installed both an 840 and 850 EVOs in my MBP, a 2009, with no issues.

You shouldn't need any other power cabels, it's built into the SATA ribbon cable.

The install is very easy. Just take the bottom case off the laptop, remote 2 screws over the black bit holding the gard drive in place and then remove the drive. Next, you'll need a Torx 6 to remove 4 pegs from the drive, which you put in the threaded holes on the SSD. Reverse the steps above and you'll be good to go.

Check out iFixit for the best walk throughs around.
13" 2011 MBP
15" 2011 MBP

Only other thing you'll need is a way to connect your old drive to the laptop to clone it to the SSD. I normally recommend an enclosure like this so you can later wipe the drive and use it as a Time Machine backup drive.

For the closing software, I've used Carbon Copy Cloner, the free trial will allow you to do everything you need.

Hope this helps

Here's an enclosure. Use this if you want to keep using it as an external drive (easily portable).

Here's a hub. It can hold regular desktop drives and laptop drives. Use this if you just want to extract data. Not easily portable like the other one is the main difference.

Put the SSD in an enclosure and you can boot to it in the boot option when you need it.

I say the SSD externally because it will be more reliable than the platter HDD on the outside carrying it around.

https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Sabrent-2-5-Inch-Enclosure-EC-UK30/dp/B00LS31KQG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1485664330&sr=8-3&keywords=2.5+inch+enclosure