Alternative for harddisk?

  • Thread starter Thread starter John Bokma
  • Start date Start date
J

John Bokma

Hi,

My laptop harddisk died (2G in an Acer Extensa 367T), and a replacement
seems to be quite expensive.

Someone hinted that there is a way to connect a CF card using a CF<->IDE
converter.

I wonder if there is a similar converter that makes it possible to
connect an USB 2.0 key drive to an 2.5" IDE connection inside my laptop.

I think USB 2 is more useful to me, since I can connect the "harddisk"
to my other computer and transfer files easily.

I have no idea how workable this idea is, basically I need a "harddisk"
of about 1G, as cheap as possible. The advantage of the USB (or if not
possible CF) set up, is that if the laptop really dies I have at least a
part left that I can use for other things (especially the USB drive).

Also, the CF/USB set up makes it possible to have swapable HDs, although
a bit small, but sufficient to run Windows or Linux (the machine is a
200MMX with 32MB, so I am mainly going to use it for browsing, and small
office stuff).

The laptop has also a bi-directional parallel port (can connect a floppy
drive to it). I have no idea if I can boot from a HD connected to it.

The laptop has an USB 1 connection, but I am sure it doesn't support
booting from in in the BIOS. And I doubt it if I can upgrade the BIOS to
do so.

Any ideas, suggestions etc. are welcome.

TIA,
John
 
John said:
My laptop harddisk died (2G in an Acer Extensa 367T), and a
replacement seems to be quite expensive.
Click to expand...
Someone hinted that there is a way to connect a CF card using a
CF<->IDE converter.
Click to expand...

Yes, they are available and quite cheap.
All flash cards have a limited write cycles, so don't put a swap file
on it.
I wonder if there is a similar converter that makes it possible to
connect an USB 2.0 key drive to an 2.5" IDE connection inside my
laptop.
No.

I think USB 2 is more useful to me, since I can connect the "harddisk"
to my other computer and transfer files easily.
Click to expand...

Use a usb CF card reader in your other pc.
 
Yes, they are available and quite cheap.
All flash cards have a limited write cycles, so don't put a swap file
on it.
Click to expand...

That was what I thought, until I saw ones sold with "life time
warranty". Hmmm... probably with somewhere a note that it doesn't
include the write cycle limit.

Also, I understand that there are actual harddisks in a CF card. (I
recall a story of someone hacking open a recent MP3 player in order to
put the 5G harddisk-as-CF inside his digital camera.
Use a usb CF card reader in your other pc.
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
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