🧰 What You’ll Need
- IDE/SATA to USB Adapter (powered)
Example: IDE/SATA USB Adapter With Power on Amazon
(The adapter must support 2.5"/3.5" IDE and SATA drives and includes a power supply.)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Old PC- Place the old computer on its side on a sturdy table.
- Remove the side panel to access the internal components.
- Locate the hard drive (likely a 3.5” spinning HDD).
It should look similar to this:
- Carefully disconnect the drive from any power/data cables or mounting brackets.
- You should now be able to hold the drive freely in your hands.
- Plug the appropriate connector (IDE or SATA) from the adapter into the hard drive.
- Connect the included power supply to the drive (required for spinning HDDs).
- Plug the USB end of the adapter into an available USB port on your current PC.
- After a few moments, the old hard drive should appear as a new drive letter in File Explorer (Windows).
- Open the drive and copy any important data to the current machine or a safe location.