USB cable for hard drive. Connecting a hard drive via a USB adapter
I encountered a problem that the new USB 3.0 hard drive is not detected on old computers with USB 2.0 or on new ones with USB 3.0, but when using extension cables, due to lack of power. This USB 3.0 Y cable solved the problem.
The cable came in a sealed transparent bag without indicating the brand.
In the store the cable is called like this:
USB 3.0 A Type Male to Micro USB 3.0 + USB 2.0 Male Cable (0.5M)The cable is a micro-USB 3.0 cable type B on one side, a USB 3.0 type A on the other and a parallel piece of USB 2.0 A cable for additional power. All connectors are male type with gold contacts inside.
On the main cable there are inscriptions:
USB 3.0 Cable E119932-T AWM 20276 80°C 30V VW-1 COPARTNER
On the cable extra. power supply:
2*AWG VW-1 80°C 300V STONE
Instead of * there should be an interesting number, which is hidden by the outer “braid” near the connector and you won’t be able to see it without cutting the braid. Although in this case it is not necessary to know it, because This cable is capable of powering any device.
The USB 3.0 cable carries data and power, while the optional USB 2.0 cable carries only power. If there is enough power from one port, then this additional cable does not need to be connected.
All connectors are marked with a logo corresponding to the USB version, also the USB 3.0 A connector inside is blue, and USB 2.0 is black. Very comfortably. The quality of the connectors and the plastic braiding is excellent.
Main USB 3.0 cable length (with connectors): 52 cm.
Length of additional power cable: 31 cm.
The main cable is very thick - 6 mm thick, the additional one - 3 mm. The thickness of the cable is no less than that of the original cable from the Transcend hard drive.
The cable was tested in several places where the included hard drive cable did not allow the drive to operate from a single port. The hard drive was connected to a laptop with USB 2.0 and to a computer with USB 3.0, but through extension cables 1.8 m long. In all cases, the drive started up and worked stably.
The cable is of high quality, you can take it with confidence. Who needs a longer cable, then there is USB 3.0 Y-Cable at the same price.
Delivery in the store is paid, depends on weight, but there are always discounts of up to 90% on it; at the time of purchase, delivery cost $0.34 (with track number). The cable itself dropped in price by $2 during delivery; I bought it for another $5. But at the same time
Perhaps you have an unwanted hard drive, removed from an old computer or laptop, that's sitting around collecting dust. If so, it will cost very little to turn it into a removable, portable USB 2.0 or 3.0 drive. Find out how.
An old drive from a laptop or desktop computer is not very suitable for connecting to new equipment - of course, it does not reach the speed and capacity of the new drives that are connected to the computer. However, you can insert the old disk into a special case (adapter) and turn it into a portable USB drive.
A special adapter is not just a piece of plastic - it includes a set of corresponding inputs and is an adapter for USB. Thanks to it, the hard drive, which is designed to be connected to the motherboard via the appropriate connectors (IDE or SATA), can be connected to a USB port, that is, make it portable. 
The prices for adapters are quite reasonable, on average about 1000 rubles. Also, the cost depends on the USB interface - an adapter with USB 2.0 will be cheaper for USB 3.0 (the difference is in data transfer speed).
Types of hard drives by interface
The adapter itself is not universal and you need to select the appropriate model for a specific drive. You should pay attention to the size of the drive (2.5″ or 3.5″), as well as the cable and power cable (ATA/IDE lub SATA).
Wheels 2.5″ much thinner and are mainly equipped with laptops. They can be connected via an ATA/IDE cable or a SATA cable. 
Wheels 3.5″ slightly thicker and are usually installed in a desktop computer. Also divided into ATA/IDE and SATA. 
Sometimes certain combinations may occur - a new connector can be connected via controller to the "old" motherboard (SATA/IDE). Determining the hard drive is a key point, because you need to select the appropriate pocket (adapter) for the given size and interface of the drive.
How to choose the right adapter
When choosing an adapter, you should study the properties and find the right model that matches the method of connecting the hard drive and its connector. Below is an example of randomly selected USB adapters for various types of hard drives.
- 2.5″ SATA: NATEC Rhino 3.0;
- 2.5″ IDE: Logilink 2.5;
- 3.5″ SATA: ITEC MySafe Advance 3.5;
- 3.5″ IDE/ATA: PRO-TECH 3.5;
- 3.5″ IDE / SATA: Tracer 731.
Installing a hard drive into the adapter
Installing a hard drive into the adapter is not difficult. Depending on the model, it may vary slightly and usually takes no more than a minute. Place the drive into the adapter housing, and then connect the wires to the appropriate connectors. 
Connection features
Depending on the adapter model, interface and type of hard drive, there may be one or two USB cables on the outside. A USB cable is used to connect to a computer port, and a second one may be required for additional power.
When connected via a USB cable, the hard drive should be immediately detected by the system and available for data transfer.
A hard drive is a simple and small “box” in appearance that stores huge amounts of information in the computer of any modern user.
This is exactly what it seems like from the outside: a fairly uncomplicated little thing. Rarely does anyone, when recording, deleting, copying and other actions with files of varying importance, think about the principle of interaction between the hard drive and the computer. And to be even more precise - directly with the motherboard itself.
How these components are connected into a single uninterrupted operation, how the hard drive itself is designed, what connection connectors it has and what each of them is intended for - this is key information about the data storage device that is familiar to everyone.
HDD interface
This is the term that can correctly be used to describe interaction with the motherboard. The word itself has a much broader meaning. For example, the program interface. In this case, we mean the part that provides a way for a person to interact with the software (convenient “friendly” design).
However, there is discord. In the case of the HDD and motherboard, it does not present a pleasant graphic design for the user, but a set of special lines and data transfer protocols. These components are connected to each other using a cable - a cable with inputs at both ends. They are designed to connect to ports on the hard drive and motherboard.
In other words, the entire interface on these devices is two cables. One is connected to the power connector of the hard drive at one end and to the computer’s power supply itself at the other. And the second of the cables connects the HDD to the motherboard.
How a hard drive was connected in the old days - the IDE connector and other relics of the past
The very beginning, after which more advanced HDD interfaces appear. Ancient by today's standards, it appeared on the market around the 80s of the last century. IDE literally means “embedded controller”.
Being a parallel data interface, it is also commonly called ATA - However, as soon as the new SATA technology appeared over time and gained enormous popularity in the market, the standard ATA was renamed PATA (Parallel ATA) to avoid confusion.
Extremely slow and completely raw in its technical capabilities, this interface during the years of its popularity could transfer from 100 to 133 megabytes per second. And then only in theory, because in real practice these indicators were even more modest. Of course, newer interfaces and hard drive connectors will show a noticeable lag between the IDE and modern developments.
Do you think we shouldn’t downplay the attractive sides? Older generations probably remember that the technical capabilities of PATA made it possible to service two HDDs at once using only one cable connected to the motherboard. But the line capacity in this case was similarly distributed in half. And this is not to mention the width of the wire, which somehow, due to its dimensions, impedes the flow of fresh air from the fans in the system unit.
By now, the IDE is naturally outdated, both physically and morally. And if until recently this connector was found on motherboards in the low and middle price segments, now the manufacturers themselves do not see any prospects in it.
Everyone's favorite SATA
For a long time, IDE became the most popular interface for working with information storage devices. But data transmission and processing technologies did not stagnate for long, soon offering a conceptually new solution. Now it can be found in almost any owner of a personal computer. And its name is SATA (Serial ATA).
Distinctive features of this interface are parallel low power consumption (compared to IDE), less heating of components. Throughout the history of its popularity, SATA has undergone development in three stages of revisions:
- SATA I - 150 Mb/s.
- SATA II - 300 MB/s.
- SATA III - 600 MB/s.
A couple of updates were also developed for the third revision:
- 3.1 - more advanced throughput, but still limited to a limit of 600 MB/s.
- 3.2 with the SATA Express specification - a successfully implemented merger of SATA and PCI-Express devices, which made it possible to increase the read/write speed of the interface to 1969 MB/s. Roughly speaking, the technology is an “adapter” that converts the normal SATA mode to a higher speed one, which is what the PCI connector lines have.
The real indicators, of course, clearly differed from the officially announced ones. First of all, this is due to the excess bandwidth of the interface - for many modern drives the same 600 MB/s is unnecessary, since they were not originally designed to operate at such read/write speeds. Only over time, when the market gradually becomes filled with high-speed drives with operating speeds that are incredible for today, will the technical potential of SATA be fully utilized.
Finally, many physical aspects have been improved. SATA is designed to use longer cables (1 meter versus 46 centimeters that were used to connect hard drives with an IDE connector) with a much more compact size and pleasant appearance. Support for “hot-swap” HDDs is provided - you can connect/disconnect them without turning off the computer’s power (however, you still need to first activate the AHCI mode in the BIOS).
The convenience of connecting the cable to the connectors has also increased. Moreover, all versions of the interface are backward compatible with each other (a SATA III hard drive connects without problems to II on the motherboard, SATA I to SATA II, etc.). The only caveat is that the maximum speed of working with data will be limited by the “oldest” link.
Owners of old devices will also not be left out - existing PATA to SATA adapters will often save you from the more expensive purchase of a modern HDD or a new motherboard.
External SATA
But a standard hard drive is not always suitable for the user’s tasks. There is a need to store large volumes of data that require use in different places and, accordingly, transportation. For such cases, when you have to work with one drive not only at home, external hard drives have been developed. Due to the specifics of their device, they require a completely different connection interface.
This is another type of SATA, created for external hard drive connectors, with the external prefix. Physically, this interface is not compatible with standard SATA ports, but it has similar throughput.
There is support for hot-swap HDD, and the length of the cable itself has been increased to two meters.
In its original form, eSATA only allows for the exchange of information, without supplying the necessary electricity to the corresponding connector of the external hard drive. This drawback, which eliminates the need to use two cables at once for connection, was corrected with the advent of the Power eSATA modification, combining eSATA technologies (responsible for data transfer) with USB (responsible for power).
Universal Serial Bus
In fact, having become the most common serial interface standard for connecting digital equipment, Universal Serial Bus is known to everyone these days.
Having endured a long history of constant major changes, USB stands for high data transfer speeds, power for an unprecedented variety of peripheral devices, and ease and convenience for everyday use.
Developed by companies such as Intel, Microsoft, Phillips and US Robotics, the interface became the embodiment of several technical aspirations:
- Expanding the functionality of computers. Standard peripherals before the advent of USB were quite limited in variety and each type required a separate port (PS/2, port for connecting a joystick, SCSI, etc.). With the advent of USB, it was thought that it would become a single universal replacement, significantly simplifying the interaction of devices with a computer. Moreover, this development, new for its time, was also supposed to stimulate the emergence of non-traditional peripheral devices.
- Provide connection of mobile phones to computers. The widespread trend in those years for the transition of mobile networks to digital voice transmission revealed that none of the interfaces developed then could provide data and voice transmission from the phone.
- Inventing a convenient "plug and play" principle, suitable for "hot plugging".
As is the case with the vast majority of digital equipment, the USB connector for a hard drive has become a completely familiar phenomenon for a long time. However, in different years of its development, this interface has always demonstrated new peaks in speed indicators for reading/writing information.
USB version | Description | Bandwidth |
The first release version of the interface after several preliminary versions. Released January 15, 1996. |
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Improvement of version 1.0, correcting many of its problems and errors. Released in September 1998, it first gained mass popularity. | ||
Released in April 2000, the second version of the interface has a new, faster High-Speed operating mode. |
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The latest generation of USB, which has received not only updated bandwidth indicators, but also comes in blue/red colors. Date of appearance: 2008. | Up to 600 MB per second |
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Further development of the third revision, published on July 31, 2013. It is divided into two modifications, which can provide any hard drive with a USB connector with a maximum speed of up to 10 Gbit per second. |
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In addition to this specification, different versions of USB are implemented for different types of devices. Among the varieties of cables and connectors of this interface are:
| USB 2.0 | Standard | ||
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USB 3.0 could already offer another new type - C. Cables of this type are symmetrical and are inserted into the corresponding device from either side.
On the other hand, the third revision no longer provides for Mini and Micro “subtypes” of cables for type A.
Alternative FireWire
For all their popularity, eSATA and USB are not all options for how to connect an external hard drive connector to a computer.
FireWire is a slightly less known high-speed interface among the masses. Provides serial connection of external devices, the supported number of which also includes HDD.
Its property of isochronous data transmission has mainly found its application in multimedia technology (video cameras, DVD players, digital audio equipment). Hard drives are connected to them much less often, giving preference to SATA or a more advanced USB interface.
This technology acquired its modern technical characteristics gradually. Thus, the original version of FireWire 400 (1394a) was faster than its then main competitor USB 1.0 - 400 megabits per second versus 12. The maximum permissible cable length was 4.5 meters.
The arrival of USB 2.0 left its rival behind, allowing data exchange at a speed of 480 megabits per second. However, with the release of the new FireWire 800 (1394b) standard, which allowed transmission of 800 megabits per second with a maximum cable length of 100 meters, USB 2.0 was less in demand on the market. This prompted the development of the third version of the serial universal bus, which expanded the data exchange ceiling to 5 Gbit/s.
In addition, a distinctive feature of FireWire is its decentralization. Transferring information via a USB interface requires a PC. FireWire allows you to exchange data between devices without necessarily involving a computer in the process.
Thunderbolt
Intel, together with Apple, showed its vision of which hard drive connector should become an unconditional standard in the future by introducing the Thunderbolt interface to the world (or, according to its old code name, Light Peak).
Built on PCI-E and DisplayPort architectures, this design allows you to transfer data, video, audio and power through a single port with truly impressive speeds of up to 10 Gb/s. In real tests, this figure was a little more modest and reached a maximum of 8 Gb/s. Nevertheless, even so, Thunderbolt has overtaken its closest analogs FireWire 800 and USB 3.0, not to mention eSATA.
But this promising idea of a single port and connector has not yet received such widespread adoption. Although some manufacturers today successfully integrate connectors for external hard drives, the Thunderbolt interface. On the other hand, the price for the technical capabilities of the technology is also relatively high, which is why this development is found mainly among expensive devices.
Compatibility with USB and FireWire can be achieved using appropriate adapters. This approach will not make them faster in terms of data transfer, since the throughput of both interfaces will still remain the same. There is only one advantage here - Thunderbolt will not be the limiting link with such a connection, allowing you to use all the technical capabilities of USB and FireWire.
SCSI and SAS - something that not everyone has heard of
Another parallel interface for connecting peripheral devices, which at one point shifted the focus of its development from desktop computers to a wider range of equipment.
"Small Computer System Interface" was developed a little earlier than SATA II. By the time the latter was released, both interfaces were almost identical in their properties to each other, capable of providing the hard drive connector with stable operation from computers. However, SCSI used a common bus, which is why only one of the connected devices could work with the controller.
Further refinement of the technology, which acquired the new name SAS (Serial Attached SCSI), was already devoid of its previous drawback. SAS provides connection of devices with a set of managed SCSI commands via a physical interface, which is similar to SATA. However, broader capabilities allow you to connect not only hard drive connectors, but also many other peripherals (printers, scanners, etc.).
Supports hot-swappable devices, bus expanders with the ability to simultaneously connect multiple SAS devices to one port, and is also backward compatible with SATA.
Prospects for NAS
An interesting way to work with large volumes of data, rapidly gaining popularity among modern users.
Or, abbreviated as NAS, they are a separate computer with some disk array, which is connected to a network (often to a local one) and provides storage and transmission of data among other connected computers.
Acting as a network storage device, this mini-server is connected to other devices via an ordinary Ethernet cable. Further access to its settings is provided through any browser connected to the NAS network address. The available data on it can be used both via an Ethernet cable and via Wi-Fi.
This technology allows us to provide a fairly reliable level of information storage and provide convenient, easy access to it for trusted persons.
Features of connecting hard drives to laptops
The principle of operation of an HDD with a desktop computer is extremely simple and understandable to everyone - in most cases, you need to connect the power connectors of the hard drive with the power supply using the appropriate cable and connect the device to the motherboard in the same way. When using external drives, you can generally get by with just one cable (Power eSATA, Thunderbolt).
But how to properly use laptop hard drive connectors? After all, a different design requires taking into account slightly different nuances.
Firstly, to connect information storage devices directly “inside” the device itself, it should be taken into account that the HDD form factor must be designated as 2.5”
Secondly, in a laptop the hard drive is connected directly to the motherboard. Without any additional cables. Simply unscrew the HDD cover on the bottom of the previously switched off laptop. It has a rectangular appearance and is usually secured with a pair of bolts. It is in that container that the storage device should be placed.
All laptop hard drive connectors are absolutely identical to their larger “brothers” intended for PCs.
Another connection option is to use an adapter. For example, a SATA III drive can be connected to USB ports installed on a laptop using a SATA-USB adapter (there are a huge variety of similar devices on the market for a variety of interfaces).
You just need to connect the HDD to the adapter. It, in turn, is connected to a 220V outlet to supply power. And use a USB cable to connect this entire structure to the laptop, after which the hard drive will be displayed as another partition during operation.