How to custom build your own hard drive

What you need:

  • a philips head screwdriver
  • a FireWire hard disk enclosure
  • a IDE/EIDE/ATA compatible hard drive:
    • check your Sunday paper for deals at local computer stores (CompUSA, Frys, Best Buy, Staples, etc)
    • check online sites such as www.dealmac.com, www.ebay.com, etc.
  • a computer that is FireWire compliant or a PCI FireWire card (for desktop machines) or a FireWire Cardbus card (for laptop machines)

If you have a question regarding a certain drive, check sites such as:

  • www.xlr8yourmac.com
  • www.macfixit.com
  • the drive manufacturers website

The advantage of building the drive yourself using a FireWire enclosure is you can choose the drive model and size of your drive (as long as it's 12.5MM of less high for 2.5" enclosures and standard height for 3.5" enclosures). You also have the option to reuse an old drive should you be upgrading your internal PowerBook drive or desktop machine (sort of a two-for-one upgrade). Notebook drives are relatively expensive for their storage size, so being able to reuse a PowerBook drive is a big plus. And recently 3.5" enclosures have been on sale by various companies for extremely low prices.

2.5" Enclosure
BT 3.5" Enclosure


1,2: 1394 FIREWIRE PORT
3: DC/BUS POWER SWITCH
4: DC POWER JACK

Remove the 2 screws from the bottom of the 2.5" enclosure 1. Remove the top cover by gently pulling the center retaining clip tabs on either side of the enclosure and lifting
Gently slide back and remove the upper portion of the enclosure Take off the small polybag attached to the PCB. There are 4 small screws inside this polybag. These 4 small screws are for attaching the 3.5Ó HDD onto the enclosure.
Remove the circuit board and mount your 2.5" HDD to the IDE-44 pin connector Connect the 44 pin adapter of the hard drive to the connector cable coming from the PCB. There will be extra 4 pins outside the slot. Look at the connector on the hard drive and the ribbon cable. The ribbon cable has one RED cable, that is Pin 1. Look at the rear of the hard drive. There should be an indicator showing which is Pin 1.
Use the enclosed 4 screws to attach your HDD to the circuit board Connect the power adapter to the rear of the hard drive Take out the 4 small screws from the polybag, then fix the HDD onto the enclosure at four mounting holes with these screws.

Replace the circuit board into the lower portion of the enclosure

Replace the top portion of the enclosure
Replace the 2 screws on the bottom of the enclosure Replace the cover on the chassis