Laptop IDE cables size?

[joker_927]

Is the cable the plugs into a laptop Hard Drive the same size as the standard IDE cable in desktop hd's?

[Siliconjunkie]

no, it is a smaller connector. I can't recall what it looks like, but its different than desktops.

[joker_927]

Now that I think about it, there is no power connector on the notebook HD's is there? So the ribbon cable must have the power in it.

I'm guessing.

I think the notebook HD is bad and I was seeing if I could hook up a desktop Hd or SOEMTHING. I would hate to buy a new laptop HD then realize that is not the problem.

Regular IDE has 39-pins, laptop IDE has 43-pins. They make adapters so you can use either one in either case.

You are correct joker_927. The adapters have Molex connectors on them because laptop IDE's don't.

[Peter M]

2.5" IDE drives use a 44-pin connector (one removed for keying). The extra four pins are power and ground (5V only); also, the pin pitch is 2 mm not .1 inch.

[rheteric]

I don't know if these are backwards compatible, but I used an adapter to hook up a laptop HD to my desktop. A couple people on eBay sell these adapters. Do a search for "laptop ide adapter." You can also get the adapter at CompUSA, without the brackets tho.

[Peter M]

True, but the poster wants to do it the other way round - 3.5" HDD on a notebook. I see two problems: (1) Notebooks typically don't even have an IDE cable inside, the drive connects directly to the mainboard. (2) Where do you take the power from, particularly the 12V rail that 3.5" HDDs need but 2.5" ones don't?