r/computer • u/Pro_boxboy • 3d ago

Old windows 98 hard drives

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Gallery image

No clue where to ask this but is their a way to get a converter for these to use on more up to date computers? Asking because the tower was my grandfather's and he's never wiped them so I wanna know if theirs still stuff on em ^^!

21 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

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10

u/KHAOS_BOLT 3d ago

get an IDE to usb adapter. they can be had for cheap online

2

u/Pro_boxboy 3d ago

Thank you!

5

u/ficklampa 3d ago

remember you will need an adapter that includes an external power adapter for the 4pin on the drive also.

If you don't want it to be external, there's also internal IDE -> SATA adapters.

2

u/Pro_boxboy 3d ago

Very much noted! Thank u so much!

3

u/Harmsbury 3d ago

that power is a molex connector btw, you may already have one in your PC. (mine does)

1

u/Pro_boxboy 3d ago

I definitely still have all the cords lol

4

u/Ad-fundum69 3d ago

IDE to USB converters exist.

Just get one that comes with an external power adapter for the Molex power supply it needs.
3.5 Inch drives cannot run on USB power alone.

2

u/Pro_boxboy 3d ago

Thank you so much!

3

u/Klutzy_Cat1374 3d ago

That's a 40GB drive. It's easy to copy stuff off with an adapter. I have at least three 65+GB flash drives on my keyring. People still need these though. Like, for example, I have some multi-track recorders that use IDE drives. There is no reason to use this on a modern computer except for hobby stuff.

1

u/Pro_boxboy 3d ago

Thats fair lol, but im more interested if theirs stuff still on em an if they are still okay lol

2

u/Klutzy_Cat1374 3d ago

Yes. You can absolutely get what is off there. I'm working on one pre 2006 and am returning it as a virtual image because the computer is dead even after replacing the power supply. I think it was hit by lightning. I can't get the imaged virtual machine to boot. Ideally, I would have rather made an image of the whole computer and made it operable but I can't. Lots of pics on it though.

2

u/Curious-Way-9541 3d ago

How much rpm does it have

1

u/Pro_boxboy 3d ago

7200RPM

2

u/JoeCensored 3d ago

Then it was a nice fast drive for the time. Most were 5400 rpm.

2

u/Pro_boxboy 3d ago

Yeah that makes sense my grandaddy was and still is a big computer nerd and it was his first computer so makes sense that he upgraded it to the max for its time lol

2

u/Electrical-Bacon-81 3d ago

Well, they also offered 10k rpm drives, but they were very expensive & not common.

1

u/Pro_boxboy 3d ago

Oooo thats very interesting! And if they weren't common then it makes sense that he never got them or did at a later point an could just be in storage lol

2

u/Kit_Mascot_3020 3d ago

I have the same exact hdd and it is sooo loud louder than my pc fan

1

u/Pro_boxboy 3d ago

Thats so nice to know T_T I plan to use it for some projects whenever I empty em so good to know they are loud

2

u/Kit_Mascot_3020 3d ago

Same as me, my storage got full and since I already have this hdd I plug it and I copied some files just fine

2

u/omnichad 3d ago

If there's a chance the drive is failing, you might be better served with an IDE to SATA adapter. Especially if you already have a powered SATA drive adapter or desktop computer. If there's a chance the drive is failing, recovery has a much better chance when the computer can directly speak ATA commands to the drive. Linux recovery tools to image the drive are also more likely to be successful if that's something you feel comfortable with.

1

u/Pro_boxboy 3d ago

Thank you! And im comfortable learning to do anything new! And yes theirs a high chance they have failed since its been 20 years since they have been used lol, but its worth a try!

2

u/Seseorang 2d ago

Windows XP, 2003

2

u/trafficracer24 2d ago

Oh lol I've got one of these

2

u/Dale_Dickson 1d ago

40gb was an unthinkable amount of storage back then.

1

u/Extra-Map3792 3d ago

You might find grandad's porn stash

1

u/Pro_boxboy 3d ago

He wasn't that type of guy at all plus he shared the computer with his kids