What You Need to Build a DIY External Hard Drive Case
If you build your own external hard drive, there are a ton of benefits. You can choose the size of the hard drive and the type of connections you want on your case. You can also choose an external case that lets you use all of these popular methods of connecting an external enclosure to a computer:
A hard drive: This can be a drive you purchased for this project or it can be an unused hard drive from another computer.An external case: External cases are available from retail and online sources. These cases include a power supply, an interface adapter, and a method of mounting a standard form factor hard drive (either 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch).A screwdriver: Usually, a small Phillips #1 or #2 will do, although the size you need is dependent on the design of the external case.About 10 minutes of free time: Yes, we really mean 10 minutes. This is a simple project. If you can wield a screwdriver, you can build an external hard drive.
Select an External Hard Drive Case
In the modern-day, selecting a hard drive case is easy. Aside from the physical size of the drive and what kinds of connections you want on the case, there isn’t much to differentiate one case from another other than build quality, reliability, and ease of assembly which are often reflected by a product’s reviews.
Select a case size: Standard internal hard drives use a 3.5-inch form factor. Laptops generally use a 2.5-inch hard drive. SSDs (solid-state drives) commonly use the 2.5-inch format. The case you choose should be designed for the physical size of the hard drive you plan to use. Choose the external interface: The internal interface SATA has become the norm for hard drives, but external interface connections can vary. Common choices are USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and Thunderbolt. Many external cases provide more than one connector, and most come with USB 3.0.
Select a Hard Drive
You either use a drive you currently own but don’t use all that much, or you can purchase a fresh drive, saving money on a pre-built by assembling it yourself.
Note the drive interface: Your existing hard drive’s interface must match the internal drive interface used by the enclosure you selected. Hard drives today almost universally use the SATA interface, so as long as your drive isn’t ancient, and probably not worth using, this should match.Check the drive capacity: If you don’t buy a new drive, confirm your selected drive’s capacity. Many drives include this on the label, but if yours doesn’t, search online for whatever is written on the device, like a model number, to find the manufacturer’s listing. Small capacity hard drives may not be worth installing a case on.Consider how you will use the drive: If you plan on moving the drive around a lot, from house to house or room to room, consider using a solid-state drive over a normal hard-disk drive. Hard-disk drives have moving internal components that can and will be damaged if jostled too much while spinning, but solid-state drives don’t have this issue.
Disassemble the Hard Drive Case
Each manufacturer has its own way of opening an external case to add a hard drive. Read the instructions that came with your enclosure to learn how the case works. These instructions cover the traditional way to open a hard drive case:
Attach the Case to the Hard Drive
Hard drives traditionally may be mounted by four screws attached to the bottom of the drive or by four screws attached to the side of the drive. Another popular method is to combine the side mounting points with a special screw that has a rubber-like sleeve. The assembly method you use depends on the drive.
Put Your DIY Hard Drive Back Together
You’ve mounted the hard drive to the case and made the connections. Now it’s time to button the case back up, which is a matter of reversing the disassembly process you performed earlier.
Connect Your DIY External Hard Drive
Once your drive has been fully assembled, connect your new external hard drive to your computer.
Advice on Using Your External Hard Drive
Before unplugging the enclosure from your computer or turning off the enclosure’s power, unmount or eject the drive first to make sure you safely disconnect the drive. If you used a hard-disk drive as opposed to a solid-state drive, if you suddenly disconnect the drive after using it and walk away with it, the moving components inside can be damaged. This is part of why it’s important to finish using the drive then safely disconnect it and power it down.
