as you may have read in a previous thread of mine i had broke my computer, although i am aware that the hard drive still works, its a 40gb hard drive but is there a way i can make that an external hard drive that i can use with my laptop?

yup you need a 3.5in external enclosure
pick one:P
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2000090092%201053807123&bop=And&Order=RATING

edit: btw is it sata or ide prob ide

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2000090092+1053807123+1054107130&name=IDE&Order=RATING

but how would that change the connection type to like a usb imput?

but how would that change the connection type to like a usb imput?
you slide the hd into the connector and screw both the main parts together then it has either esata/firewire/usb2.0

I was wondering about this myself for when I get a laptop so cheers (Y)

for tman i would recommend
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=50001453%2040000092%201053807123%201054107130&bop=And&SpeTabStoreType=0&Order=RATING

pick your color

would these require an external power source?

yes they would. an internal harddrive is obviosly much bigger and it requires more power.

the case will probably come with a usb to connect the hard drive and a a/c adapter that you plug into the wall socket.

(my sister bought one on accident so i messed with it)


by the way, you can hear/feel the disk spin, so its kinda loud depending on the hard drive.
and there is a possibility of it getting hot.

okay well i guess thats good for just scavenging for spare parts from my old computer

yea i took my old computer that got a virus, and i completely wiped it and took it apart, made some upgrades put it back in the same computer case/tower, and BAM! a fast,semicustom, computer. and it works pretty well, just do your research on parts.

can i suggest ripping it apart and playing with the magnets? :)

can i suggest ripping it apart and playing with the magnets? :)
while a good idea, I wouldn't do that unless the harddrive didn't work or was pretty old