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I have a desktop 3.5" HDD and a desktop DVD drive. I also have the SMPS/power supply, all the power cables and the internal SATA cables with me. All these parts are taken out of my old desktop (I threw away the RAM, Processor and Motherboard). I had upgraded the HDD and DVD drive, so I didn't throw them away.

Now, I intend to use the HDD and DVD drive externally with my new laptop either via eSATA port or USB 3.0 port.

I tried to search on the internet to find a SATA to eSATA/USB 3.0 converter WITHOUT power (as I have the power supply and wires already with me, as mentioned above I have the SMPS and all the required power cables). All the internet search results for the converter have power supply also included, which I don't need.

Question: Can anyone point me with a good SATA to eSATA/USB cable/converter WITHOUT power? Or any other solution.

I am in India.

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    Ok, but the HDD and the DVD need power to work. USB can give at most 5V and 2A. That is 10W. While it is enough for both of them to work, it is mostly not enough if they need some more power for some extraordinary thing (like the initial spin-up of the HDD on power up). The result: your devices will mostly work, but sometimes you experience instabilities, mostly random resets, poweroffs. This appears multiplied if you want to work with TWO devices from the same USB power (note: most laptops give the power to all of their USB slots from the same source!).
    – peterh
    May 15, 2020 at 8:13
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    But the users not knowing this, will say: "this usb/sata converter is s..t". So, yes there are such thnigs on the market, also I have one, but yes they are really s*t (if I use them without external power).
    – peterh
    May 15, 2020 at 8:14
  • As I mentioned in my question, I already have the power supply unit present with me. It is the same SMPS/power supply unit that I removed from my desktop before scrapping the desktop. The SMPS has all the power cables required. I also have 2 internal SATA cables. I only need some converter so that I can connect the HDD or DVD drive to my laptop now externally (it can be via USB 3.0 or eSATA). So asked, if there is any converter present? Don't worry about the power supply, that I already have externally present.
    – vijayinani
    May 15, 2020 at 8:23

1 Answer 1

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A desktop-style ATX-type SMPS/PSU/power supply (whatever you want to call it) will not deliver power if it does not sense a motherboard, unless you acquire a diagnostic test adapter or equivalent circuit to imitate the circuitry of a motherboard. Pre-ATX power supplies would, but those are a long, long time gone.

Unless your laptop has a dedicated eSATA port, let's confine our search to USB, the popular and practical interface solution. If it does, please provide the make and model part number (from the serial number sticker) of the laptop for compatibility verification.

Therefore, you need to power the drives from the laptop over USB, and mount each in an enclosure. Fortunately, those are readily available, inexpensive, and easy to use. They also avoid the need to add a diagnostic tester to the power supply, relieving you of that cost and inconvenience.

Here's a USB 1/2/3 to 3.5"/2.5" SATA HDD adapter (Indian vendor), and a USB 1/2/3 to 3.5" SATA adapter suitable for optical drives (Indian vendor).

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  • I was able to complete the circuit of the ATX PSU by connecting the green line with any black line. So it is up and running now. I do not need a motherboard now.
    – vijayinani
    May 16, 2020 at 6:44
  • My laptop has an eSATA port.
    – vijayinani
    May 16, 2020 at 6:45
  • The solutions you have suggested are again with power supply included and quite costly.
    – vijayinani
    May 16, 2020 at 6:46
  • I also have a 2.5" laptop HDD Case and hence the SATA to USB 3.0 converter too with it. My plan is to connect my 3.5" desktop HDD to this converter via SATA port and then the converter will convert it to USB 3.0, that can be connected to the laptop's USB 3.0 port. For power, I will use the same ATX which is running now. I will have to buy eassymall.com/product/… to connect my 3.5" desktop HDD to the converter (as current SATA cable has both ends female). This will solve all.
    – vijayinani
    May 16, 2020 at 6:55
  • Your answer at hardwarerecs.stackexchange.com/questions/12913/… is quite close to what I am also trying to do. I do not have to buy the converter as I will use the converter that I have with my 2.5" HDD Case. And yes, I will purchase the 7-pin SATA Male to Female extension cable from here eassymall.com/product/… to connect my 3.5" desktop HDD to the converter (the current cable I have is both side female which will not help).
    – vijayinani
    May 16, 2020 at 7:39

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