Updated July 21, 2017 Choose what size hard drive you have want. Laptop hard drives are 2.5" and desktop hard drives are 3.5". Enclosures are available for both sizes, but portable drives are normally laptop size. Determine whether you have an IDE (also called ATA), or SATA hard drive. An IDE hard drive connects to the computer with a 2-inch wide ribbon cable, while a SATA hard drive connects with a 1/2-inch wide cable. Check the drive or computer manual to determine the type of interface and purchase a matching enclosure. Decide how you want to connect the hard drive to your computer. The most commonly used ports are USB and IEEE 1394 (FireWire), though eSATA and Ethernet are also available. Some enclosures provide more than one method. Decide if you want fans. Most enclosures have them to keep the hard drive nice and refrigerated. The downside is the fans produce some extra noise, so if you want silence, get an enclosure without a fan. Choose a material. While there are a few enclosures made of plastic, most are made of aluminum or metal. This conducts heat away from the hard drive to keep the hard drive cool, metal enclosures also provide increased durability. Warnings Writer Bio
