Laptop HD install help

Hey first post, I am getting ready to deploy to Iraq and trying to get the most out of my laptop without making it a huge system with multiple wires and plugs.

I have a new Dell Studio 17 with a 320GB SATA HD, I also have an old IBM R50p that I recently had to put a new 80GB ATA HD in it before the mother board fried. It appears that the ATA does not have to correct cables to connect to the 2nd HD slot in the Dell and I cant seem to find an adapter cord for ATA-> SATA in a notebook (just desktops).

Would it be possible and what models do you recommend to make the ATA an external HD and only run off of USB power? I want as little power cords as possible and prefer one that can run off of my laptops power.

Any links to USB powered cases for laptop ATA HDs or an adapter that will fit in my Dell for ATA ->SATA would be great!

 

What are you preffering to when you say ATA? Do you mean PATA(Paralell-ATA)?

If you notebook comes with 2xHD-slots and you can't connect a similar HD to the second bay, then you need to buy the item that should be there from Dell, there should be a specific thing that connects the second HDD.

Or do you mean that you wanna connect a PATA-hdd to a SATA-outlet? You can't in a notebook.

An external enclosure is what you're looking for, for 2.5" PATA, you should be able to find any at your local/online hardware store.

 

You can make use of an Optical Bay HDD Caddy. They're available at newmodeUS, and I think K-Tron linked one before. (I don't have the link atm )

(But you'll have to get rid of the internal ODD)