Can I install a laptop 2.5" SATA drive on a desktop without any adapters?

Can I install a laptop 2.5" SATA drive on a desktop without any adapters? My girlfriend's computer has had the disk so I'm going to reinstall the operating system. However, before I do this I need to get all the data onto another machine. As the laptop won't stay on long enough to do this across the network I'm going to take out the laptop's hard and transplant it.
Asked by: Guest \| Views: 256

Total answers/comments: 2

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Guest [Entry]

The cabling is the same between SATA drives from 2.5" and 3.5", so you should be fine using the same SATA cables. You may need an enclosure adapter to ensure that the drive stays put when you put it in a 3.5" bay, however.

Guest [Entry]

"Yes, so long as the drive fits securely in the available space, a 2.5"" SATA drive should work in place of a 3.5"" drive, or visa versa, without special adaptors.

In fact, after only a tiny amount of tinkering, I currently have a 2.5"" drive in a NAS device intended for 3.5"" drives and a 3.5"" drive in an external USB enclosure designed for 2.5"" drives!"