Need transfer method for old hard drives

[kayak99]

I have a bunch of old hard drives, PATA/ATA/SATA, etc (Win98 and up) and want to be able to connect, see what's on the drives, transfer files from some and a couple more recent ones for backup storage. Not really wanting an enclosure. I like these types of connections listed on Amazon but they have lots of comments about bad power units:

http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Adapter-Converter-Optical-External/dp/B001OORMVQ/ref=sr_1_12?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1330442332&sr=1-12

The same gear appears to be sold under a couple brands.

Any decent but not too expensive recommendations? Thanks

[TheBigDave]

I have a Thermaltake Hard Drive Docking Station. Works well and extremely simple. Just hot swap drives in and out. I'm not sure it'll work on all the drives you have, so check the specs.

http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Sata-HDD-Docking-Station/dp/B0012Z3MKW/

Amazon has similar devices from other companies. Here's one from Diablotek for $20:

http://www.amazon.com/Diablotek-EN3525D-Drive-Docking-Station/dp/B00346I5LI/

[zuffy]

I have one. Works great to get the data off the old drives.

[kayak99]

Are those docking stations universal, fitting all drives from PATA to EIDE or would adapters be needed? I tried one, a Black Widow docking station if I recall, and not all drives would fit and there were no instructions so back it went.

[X]

The Thermaltake is only SATA.

There are barebone USB devices that connect to IDE and SATA drives.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812503002
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=usb+ide%2Fsata+adapter

[kayak99]

Newegg is blocked from where I'm at right now so I'll look at those later! :)

Any opinions on one of these cables instead of a docking station? The reviews aren't bad.

http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-30504-Serial-Adapter/dp/B000UO6C5S/ref=pd_sim_e_2

[X]

That's the kind of device I linked to.

[kayak99]

That's the kind of device I linked to.

Okay thanks. I can't check your links until this evening.

Have you tried that device and if so do you like it? I'll not want connected to these drives on a regular basis and figured that might take up less storage space.

[X]

I haven't used any of those brands. I have one that only handles IDE.

I mostly use enclosures where I just stick a drive in temporarily since I have so many of them around. Generally the same concept, the enclosures are USB, Firewire, and eSATA.