Desktop Computer Review: Notebook Hard Drive to Desktop Adapter Kit (2.5" to 3.5") Review

The interface card supplied with this kit is incorrectly constructed and possibly dangerous to your 2.5-inch drive.

1. The 44-position female connector isn't polarized.While reversal of the connector on the drive shouldn't cause damage to the interface electronics, the kit vendor should have included a diagram illustrating the drive connector so that Pin 1 can be identified and matched up with the "PIN1" silkscreen legend on the adapter PCB.Also, hole #20 on the adapter's 2.5-inch drive receptacle should have been plugged, to match up with the missing pin at position #20 on the drive:In the absence of an included diagram or clear pin markings on the drive, that would be sufficient for the user to get the two connectors properly mated.Due to this design defect, one should not attempt to blind-mate the connector to the drive; only do it with the drive in clear sight and Pin #1 orientations positively identified.

2. The 40-position male header isn't polarized.Pin #20 should be missing, because most parallel ATA/IDE connectors have position #20 on the cable connector plugged.Thus, as-shipped, it is IMPOSSIBLE to plug a stock ATA interface cable onto the adapter.In order to use the adapter, one must first clip Pin #20 with a pair of miniature, flush-cutting diagonal pliers, but unless the user is an electronics engineer or technician, he/she is unlikely to possess such a tool.If you perform this surgery yourself, be sure you've properly identified Pin #20 before proceeding, or you'll end up with a missing Pin #19 and a useless adapter.Unfortunately, to make it work, you'll probably be rendering the product "non-returnable".(I ended up using a soldering iron and solder sucker to remove the excess solder from the solder pad, then pulled the pin through the header insulator with needle-nose pliers.The nylon insulator softened slightly due to the heat, making this easy to do.)

What do you expect, though?It's $6.99 and Made in China.The funny thing is, it bears a "QC Passed" sticker, but evidently no one bothered to perform a Quality Control check at the engineering design level, also known as an "Engineering Design Review".On the pro side, the adapter is 100% passive, just some copper traces feeding through from one connector to the other, and the PC board is decent FR-4 material coated with green solder mask, instead of the usual XXXP phenolic-paper cr*p with bare copper traces that we see from Asia.It carries the RoHS label, meaning the solder joints contain no lead and (Ahem!) will probably crystallize and fall apart about the time the warranty on the hard drive attached to it expires.

I didn't much care for the rails included in the kit, and don't plan to use them.The kit included eight (8) M2 washer-head, Phillips-drive mounting screws, and I can reuse those.2.5-inch drives are small and fragile; they shouldn't be mounted with rails in a 3.5-inch drive slot in one's computer.I plan to mount my drive on a 2.5-inch to 3.5-inch drive adapter tray, purchased separately, which will give the drive the support it needs.In fact, the vendor should consider deleting the rails from the kit, knocking 40% off the price and recommending a choice of separate tray mounts for 3.5-inch and 5.25-inch drive slots.

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Product Description:
This adapter allows you to convert a notebook hard drive for use into a desktop system. All required parts aresupplied by us in this nice little and complete kit.General Features:- Convert a notebook hard drive to fit 3.5-inch drive bay- Perfect for extra storage- Easy assembly--> Package Includes:- Two (2) metal rails- PCB adapter (Small IDE 44 to Large IDE 40)- Power cable- (8) screws metal rails PCB adapter (Small IDE 44 to Large IDE 40) Power cable (8) screws