Convert Internal to External HDD and Boot via USB?

GrouchoMarxist

This Christmas, I am fixing up an old Dell Optiplex GX60 donated to me by a friend and giving it to my cousins who desperately need a new computer. (I say "new" because I found out that they were running Windows 95 on their machine which is, understandably, dying). I have scavenged an old Apple eMac I purchased at a surplus sale and have acquired the internal HDD, in this case a Seagate 40GB model. Since they are only needing a computer for school work, this is not a major problem. There is, however, one problem; the computer did not come with drive mounting rails that I could use to install this HDD.

Is it possible for me to take this internal drive, purchase an external enclosure and have this HDD boot through the Dell's BIOS via USB? My thanks to anyone who can help answer these quandaries!

Goineasy9

First check the bios to see if it's able to boot from a usb drive. If that option is there, then it should be doable.

mfillpot

Chances are that due to the age of the system you cannot make is boot from usb or external HDD, but you should be able to find a 5.25" -> 3.5" HDD mount that can be placed in a CD-ROM slot so you can use an internal HDD.

Here are two:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817997015
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817994088

Janed

That old a machine will not easily boot off USB. There is no need to mount the HD. Just cram it in the box where it won't bump against anything critical. If it doesn't fit, just hang the molex and ribbon cables outside. If they're too short, then get longer ones for a couple bucks...