What is the connector on an old fashion IDE laptop called?

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I have an ide hard drive for a laptop that is very old: Toshiba Disk Drive MK4026GAX

I'd like to know what connector it has on it. I'm guessing it's IDE, but it's definitely not a standard ide connector as the ribbon cables don't fit it.

leeand00

Posted 2013-06-06T02:51:52.753

Reputation: 14 882

Answers

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Its a 44 pin IDE connector, as opposed to the 40 pin desktop connector - the extra pins correspond to the power supply to the drive. This is standard for every laptop drive up until sata came about, and quite a few self powered hard drives.

Google should help you find an adaptor - though I'd just rather find a 2.5 inch USB drive enclosure since PATA IDE is PRETTY obsolete and USB isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Journeyman Geek

Posted 2013-06-06T02:51:52.753

Reputation: 119 122

I wouldn't bother with a drive enclosure. A new flash drive of the same size would be about the same price and probably faster and more power efficient. – Blackbeagle – 2013-06-06T06:07:01.343

I'd assume you'd want to get the information out - which is the real point here.The drive itself is, I agree, not too useful as is. Seems simpler to me to get a USB enclosure, and plug it into a USB port, rather than getting a converter cable, popping the side on a system (which needs you to shut down the box), installing it and then booting up the system and praying the drive still works. – Journeyman Geek – 2013-06-06T06:13:20.240

Actually, my old hard drive died when it overheated, I ordered a new one, and I want to run it outside an old laptop. It's not like it was a good computer that I used for stuff, but I still want to use it for running Linux. – leeand00 – 2013-06-06T13:56:28.500

I just got the connector in the mail, it looks like an ide cable, and there aren't enough pins for the drive on it (although it does plug in okay)...there are four pins on the end that are not connected when I plug it in...I'm concerned that these are the power pins...is that what they are? – leeand00 – 2013-06-09T22:22:28.977

1the ones that are alone on the right on your picture? no, They are for jumpers. – Journeyman Geek – 2013-06-09T22:33:05.040

Ah so like master slave type stuff? – leeand00 – 2013-06-10T02:15:38.540

I thinnk with laptops it may be a reduced power mode or something. I've never actually used those – Journeyman Geek – 2013-06-10T03:01:30.940