Easy hard drive data archiving with a USB hard drive adapter

Bob Russell · 10-18-2006, 01:56 PM

I first heard about the NewerTech USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter some time ago from JkOnTheRun. If I remember correctly, it was presented as a nifty way to hook up an internal (and therefore cheap) hard drive to a computer via USB, and a great alternative to buying an external drive or an enclosure.

What struck me about it was the opportunity to use it for archiving all those backups on hard drives. It's probably not a great solution for a permanent hard drive storage that's always attached to your PC, but if you want to be able to leave it in a drawer or move it between computers, this is a pretty good gadget. And at about $25, you can probably recoup your investment with the first internal hard drive you buy instead of an external hard drive.

Mobility site currently has a great review of the NewerTech USB adapter, and they say "it does exactly what it is supposed to do: seamless connectivity to a myriad of different drives".

da_jane · 10-18-2006, 02:02 PM

I need this. Thanks for posting about it. I have about 3 laptop harddrives laying around that could be put to good use. Like storing my ebooks.

paulkbiba · 10-18-2006, 04:03 PM

I saw this here and just ordered one. I'll report back when I get it. It seems like a great idea.

paulkbiba · 02-15-2007, 12:05 PM

I forgot to update this. I have been using this unit for quite a while now with a number of different drives and PCs and it works like a charm. Simple and cheap!! Highly recommended.

yvanleterrible · 02-15-2007, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulkbiba

I forgot to update this. I have been using this unit for quite a while now with a number of different drives and PCs and it works like a charm. Simple and cheap!! Highly recommended.

Nice! do you think it'll work with the PRS? I guess it could work with an SD tip kind of wire while plugged in with ConSoft. @ NatCh What do you think?

That would be a great way to unite all my peripherals; cameras, MP3, (not sure about the iPod though) , printer and laptop.

paulkbiba · 02-15-2007, 12:37 PM

Don't know what a PRS is, so you'd have to check their site. Won't work with an iPod, that I know. It is only meant for hard disk drives.

NatCh · 02-15-2007, 01:16 PM

He means the PRS-500, paulkbiba, A.K.A the Sony Reader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Nice! do you think it'll work with the PRS? I guess it could work with an SD tip kind of wire while plugged in with ConSoft. @ NatCh What do you think?

It looks to me like it would appear as just another drive like a USB drive, so I wouldn't expect ConnSoft to have any issues with it. (scratches head)

Bob Russell · 02-15-2007, 02:20 PM

The Sony Reader is not a USB host, so you probably can't connect it to the Reader via USB.

As far as using it with Connect software, I doubt it's of any benefit, but it would look like any other hard drive to the PC, so it should be usable as such.

If you are thinking of using it with the Reader, I don't know of any USB-to-SD plugs, but why try that anyway? SD storage is pretty spacious and convenient anyway. I can't imagine any scenario that would be useful to plug a hard drive into the wall socket and a Sony Reader to expand storage.

slayda · 02-15-2007, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulkbiba

I forgot to update this. I have been using this unit for quite a while now with a number of different drives and PCs and it works like a charm. Simple and cheap!! Highly recommended.

Ditto!

NatCh · 02-15-2007, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

SD storage is pretty spacious and convenient anyway. I can't imagine any scenario that would be useful to plug a hard drive into the wall socket and a Sony Reader to expand storage.

This seems like a good solution to get some usage out of all those old, tiny 5 GB hard drives we've got lying around, but I think I'm a lot happier with my USB drive for carting files around.

I agree, Bob, that connecting the Drive directly to the Reader won't work, looking back, I realize that I wasn't clear about that. Sorry for any confusion.

Bob Russell · 02-15-2007, 02:59 PM

Having said that, I do plan to get this. With all the positive feedback and the reminder about the product, it's time to put it on my "to buy" list, as well as a couple of internal hard drives!

slayda · 02-15-2007, 04:06 PM

One added note - because the plug is larger than that of a ribbon cable, it may be impossible to plug this device into a hard drive that is installed in an old computer. I had that problem when I wanted to copy data from a drive on an old (non working) computer to put onto a new computer. The drive seemed almost impossible to remove so I tried to plug into it while it was still mounted in the old computer. What I succeeded in doing was to break or bend some of the hard drives plug pins. As a consequence, I was not able to extract anything from that drive.

However it works great for an unmounted drive.

yvanleterrible · 02-15-2007, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

The Sony Reader is not a USB host, so you probably can't connect it to the Reader via USB.

As far as using it with Connect software, I doubt it's of any benefit, but it would look like any other hard drive to the PC, so it should be usable as such.

If you are thinking of using it with the Reader, I don't know of any USB-to-SD plugs, but why try that anyway? SD storage is pretty spacious and convenient anyway. I can't imagine any scenario that would be useful to plug a hard drive into the wall socket and a Sony Reader to expand storage.

I was thinking mainly of a data slave that could store DRM'd files. Since you can use only 6 devices, This one would never be subjected to crashes of outdating.
Being tiny it would be the perfect travel companion, no need to carry a computer. I guess a UMPC would fit the bill better.

NatCh · 02-15-2007, 06:18 PM

Or a USB thumb/flash/pen drive. I have a 4 GB one that's working nicely for me.

yvanleterrible · 02-16-2007, 10:04 AM

Guess you're right on this NatCh. A flash device is much more trustworthy than a hard drive. Anyone know of a flash based data slave? I've seen one by Sandisk that's used for picture viewing on a TV. Anyone tried switching it's purpose to music or books?

10-18-2006, 01:56 PM	#1
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Easy hard drive data archiving with a USB hard drive adapter I first heard about the NewerTech USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter some time ago from JkOnTheRun. If I remember correctly, it was presented as a nifty way to hook up an internal (and therefore cheap) hard drive to a computer via USB, and a great alternative to buying an external drive or an enclosure. What struck me about it was the opportunity to use it for archiving all those backups on hard drives. It's probably not a great solution for a permanent hard drive storage that's always attached to your PC, but if you want to be able to leave it in a drawer or move it between computers, this is a pretty good gadget. And at about $25, you can probably recoup your investment with the first internal hard drive you buy instead of an external hard drive. Mobility site currently has a great review of the NewerTech USB adapter, and they say "it does exactly what it is supposed to do: seamless connectivity to a myriad of different drives".

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10-18-2006, 02:02 PM	#2
da_jane Evangelist Posts: 405 Karma: 692 Join Date: Sep 2006 Device: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 \| Kindle Paperwhite \| iPad Mini	I need this. Thanks for posting about it. I have about 3 laptop harddrives laying around that could be put to good use. Like storing my ebooks.

10-18-2006, 04:03 PM	#3
paulkbiba Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 45 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: United States Device: Nokia e61i, iPhone	I saw this here and just ordered one. I'll report back when I get it. It seems like a great idea.

02-15-2007, 12:05 PM	#4
paulkbiba Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 45 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: United States Device: Nokia e61i, iPhone	I forgot to update this. I have been using this unit for quite a while now with a number of different drives and PCs and it works like a charm. Simple and cheap!! Highly recommended.

02-15-2007, 12:37 PM	#6
paulkbiba Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 45 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: United States Device: Nokia e61i, iPhone	Don't know what a PRS is, so you'd have to check their site. Won't work with an iPod, that I know. It is only meant for hard disk drives.

02-15-2007, 02:20 PM	#8
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	The Sony Reader is not a USB host, so you probably can't connect it to the Reader via USB. As far as using it with Connect software, I doubt it's of any benefit, but it would look like any other hard drive to the PC, so it should be usable as such. If you are thinking of using it with the Reader, I don't know of any USB-to-SD plugs, but why try that anyway? SD storage is pretty spacious and convenient anyway. I can't imagine any scenario that would be useful to plug a hard drive into the wall socket and a Sony Reader to expand storage.

02-15-2007, 02:59 PM	#11
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Having said that, I do plan to get this. With all the positive feedback and the reminder about the product, it's time to put it on my "to buy" list, as well as a couple of internal hard drives!

02-15-2007, 04:06 PM	#12
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	One added note - because the plug is larger than that of a ribbon cable, it may be impossible to plug this device into a hard drive that is installed in an old computer. I had that problem when I wanted to copy data from a drive on an old (non working) computer to put onto a new computer. The drive seemed almost impossible to remove so I tried to plug into it while it was still mounted in the old computer. What I succeeded in doing was to break or bend some of the hard drives plug pins. As a consequence, I was not able to extract anything from that drive. However it works great for an unmounted drive.

02-15-2007, 06:18 PM	#14
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Or a USB thumb/flash/pen drive. I have a 4 GB one that's working nicely for me.

02-16-2007, 10:04 AM	#15
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Guess you're right on this NatCh. A flash device is much more trustworthy than a hard drive. Anyone know of a flash based data slave? I've seen one by Sandisk that's used for picture viewing on a TV. Anyone tried switching it's purpose to music or books?