On 09/03/2013 00:02, Paul wrote:
123Jim wrote:
...............

Further to all of this I don't have possession of the drive so I
cannot take a second closer look at it.

On reading this page:
http://www.drivesolutions.com/info/aboutlaptop.shtml
I realise it might have an adaptor already attached which could be
easily removed.

However it did look like it might have one of these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toshiba-Hard...-/130596347842
(also linked earlier - PCB Controller Card Board)

This would be a bigger problem as it would not have an adapter and I'd
need to be looking for a working Toshiba laptop of a similar age to
access the contents of the disk.

Not looking good.

Maybe you need a 40 pin IDE plus power (0.1" center to center)
to 44 pin 2.5" IDE interface (2mm center to center pins) adapter.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812203012

The 2.5" version of IDE, added the pins necessary to carry +5V and
GND, to run the drive. That meant no additional drive width needed
to house a power connector.

The center to center spacing of the pins, is different on either side
of the adapter. The 0.1" is roughly 2.5mm, while the other side is 2mm,
so the 2.5" drive side has the closer-spaced pins.

*******

It's true, that some laptop drives, when you pull them out of the
laptop, they have an adapter placed over the pins.

The adapter may allow some freedom of movement, for situations
where the laptop casing gets twisted by external forces. The adapter
prevents the connector from getting snapped off. Otherwise, there
wouldn't be much point in using an adapter.


Thanks all, the HDD did indeed have and adapter on top of a standard 2.5
IDE interface.