3.5" USB 2.0 Enclosure

[tikal]

This should be simple. I just cant find it through google or through the forums.

Lets say you have a desktop computer with one harddrive and one cdrom, and there are no more expansion slots available. And I need to bring over a harddrive from another computer which contains massive amounts of data. So with a 3.5" USB 2.0 Enclosure I just pop in the hd and hook it up through a usb port?

how does the inside of the enclosure look like? Considering it requires an ide cable and power for a harddrive.

And another question how will the computer detect the harddrive? as a USB item/device? or as a hd?

And the last question is what's a good brand for both pc and mac?

Thanks in advance.

[kskarthi]

So with a 3.5" USB 2.0 Enclosure I just pop in the hd and hook it up through a usb port?

how does the inside of the enclosure look like? Considering it requires an ide cable and power for a harddrive.

And another question how will the computer detect the harddrive? as a USB item/device? or as a hd?

And the last question is what's a good brand for both pc and mac?

Thanks in advance.

I am using a HDD in a enclosure (with firewire & USB 2.0). I am using the firewire. You can just connect to the usb port and start using the HD. If you are using the USB port, then you need a driver too. Usually the enclosures comes with a CD with the required driver.

The enclosure is just an empty box with the IDE to USB converter , possibly with the power and maybe a cooling fan. The one I have had all of these plus the IDE cable, audio cable & some screws.

How computer will detect the hard drive? - I am not sure with the usb port since I use firewire, it detects as firewire device / WD 120gb harddisk.

My enclosure is not branded - I bought from newegg.com - me320u2F (it can be used with PC & mac - used it for more than 3 months with hard disk. I liked it and so I went bought one more and using with a LG Combo CD writer. No Issues.