Reddit mentions of iDsonix Tool Free USB 3.0/2.0 to SATA 2.5/3.5 Inch Hard Drive Docking Station with 3.3 Feet USB 3.0 Cable for HDD/SSD Support 8TB and UASP, Fast Heat Dissipation- Black

I think it depends what hardware you currently have and what kind of storage (hot or cold) you want.

If you have a laptop, 4TB external drive is about $100, probably the easiest. Keep it simple, plug and play when you want it.

If you have a desktop and can throw another hard drive into it, then WD 4TB Red for about $120. I think the 4TB is the sweet spot in terms of $/GB.

If you're doing more of a cold storage, ie backup every once in awhile, otherwise the drive is disconnected/in a drawer somewhere, I'd personally go for a hard drive dock. Something like this or this. And then again pick up a 4TB WD Red for $120.

Those last two solutions are over $100, but if you're transitioning to a desktop or looking to do a more substantial NAS setup in the near future, it's a fairly cheap solution that allows you hoarding capabilities now that can be expanded to a solid 4-bay NAS box without issue, later. With the external (unless shuckable) you'll have to start over again, drive-wise, to fill that 4-bay NAS box.

As others have said, the cable alone isn't enough to power and read from the device. I use an external hdd reader from Amazon that works really well. It had an a/c plug for power and ausb for data transfer.


Im on mobile but here's the link to the one I have:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FDLCTQO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_gCALzbJ7XKNWZ

After completing a similar upgrade in my late 2009 macbook a few years ago, when setting up the SSD for the first time, i used a dock similar to this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/iDsonix-SuperSpeed-Docking-Station-Design/dp/B00FDLCTQO/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1451488458&sr=1-3-spons&keywords=usb+to+sata&psc=1) ... to plug in the SSD as an external drive. i booted up into the recovery section of OS X (holding option as i heard the chime when i booted, then selecting recovery from the hard drive list) and then restored the SSD as a 1/1 copy of my HDD from within disk utility (guides on google can tell you how to do this). After that was finished i restarted my machine, holding option again, and selected the new SSD that popped up, made sure everything was brought over. When i'd verified everything had come across i disassembled my macbook, and swapped out the HDD for the SSD, put the HDD in a drawer somewhere safe, and never looked back!

AWESOME! Thanks for your detail reply....the closest I've gotten to understanding what I'll need. So if I get this http://www.amazon.com/iDsonix-U3102-Drive-Docking-Station/dp/B00FDLCTQO/ref=sr_1_26?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1449880472&sr=1-26-spons&keywords=sata+connection+cable&psc=1 will I be good to go? Plug the new 500GB M.2 SSD in and clone?

There is a good chance the data is fine and the hard drive didn’t mechanically “fail”.

You could even try best buy. Likely plugging the hard drive into another computer would let someone copy any important files to a USB drive.

If you know anyone with a computer you can buy one of these and plug it into their computer, take the hard drive out of your computer and put it in the dock and see if the files can be read:

iDsonix Tool Free USB 3.0/2.0 to SATA 2.5/3.5 Inch Hard Drive Docking Station with 3.3 Feet USB 3.0 Cable for HDD/SSD - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FDLCTQO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_fZowCbNJB4Z9P

And a thumb drive like this is probably enough for all of your files and pictures:

SanDisk Cruzer CZ36 64GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive, Frustration-Free Packaging- SDCZ36-064G-AFFP https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007JR5304/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_q0owCb37AK287

Yes, anything connected through a USB will just act like removable media/flash drive.

Either a Docking Station or SATA to USB cable should suffice. They both do the same thing, but the station has the ability to power up 3.5" drives.

All of this stuff depends and you'll have to take the HDD out to find out. It's very very very likely sata. I've never seen a non-sata storage device in a computer unless you specifically bought one to be non sata. I purchased this usb harddrive reader and have been very satisfied with it. It makes the hdd act as a usb drive. In theory you can just drag and drop all your data off of it if you use this or something like it.

You could try using a USB dock and see if the desktop drive will connect through it.

If, say, your desktop had AHCI enabled in its BIOS but your laptop doesn't, that could be a reason why the laptop doesn't know WTF to do with the desktop drive.

If so, the USB dock might bypass that problem.

Simplest thing to do is a Migration Assistant on to the new computer. That would install all your drivers and you would be up and running.

Since your old computer has a bad logic board, you will need to do a bit of surgery to make this all work. This would require a small amount of screw turning, but it will be worth it.

You will need two things: 1. A 00 Philips head screw driver. 2. A hard drive sled. For example, you could get something like this (http://www.amazon.com/iDsonix®-SuperSpeed-Docking-Station-Design/dp/B00FDLCTQO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422654295&sr=8-1&keywords=hard+drive+sled) for $22. Or you can get a hard drive enclosure and then keep that old hard drive as an external.

Here is a link to an iFixit guide on removing the hard drive from your 2011 MacBook Pro. https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Early+2011+Hard+Drive+Replacement/5119

Once you have the hard drive removed and in your sled or enclosure, you can then transfer the data from that hard drive on to the new computer. Here is a link to how to use Migration Assistant. http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT5872

Hopefully that will work out for you. That is certainly what I would do in your situation.

No, that one is data only. You need power. So you could get [this,] (https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-SATA-Drive-Adapter-Cable/dp/B00HJZJI84/ref=pd_sbs_147_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00HJZJI84&pd_rd_r=KR6444MEA160MEPWCH63&pd_rd_w=i7MKD&pd_rd_wg=9oeST&psc=1&refRID=KR6444MEA160MEPWCH63) which is powered off USB, or [this,] (https://www.amazon.com/iDsonix-U3102-Drive-Docking-Station/dp/B00FDLCTQO/ref=pd_sbs_147_25?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00FDLCTQO&pd_rd_r=R4JVCFZ5TCDHZRCJFQ94&pd_rd_w=OFjP8&pd_rd_wg=7FxgU&psc=1&refRID=R4JVCFZ5TCDHZRCJFQ94) which has wall power.

i dont normally recommend open encloses for home use but if your worried about heating just a 3.5 HDD dock like this : https://www.amazon.com/iDsonix-U3102-Drive-Docking-Station/dp/B00FDLCTQO/ref=lp_160354011_1_24?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1480566276&sr=1-24

Just make sure you place it someplace you cant accidently knock it down.

Worst case scenario, it will ask you to reactivate windows. if you switch the hard drive.
As far as setting it up externally >
I use something very similar to this >> http://smile.amazon.com/Drive-Adapter-Converter-Optical-External/dp/B002OV1VJW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1416383465&sr=8-3&keywords=USB+Adapter+for+hard+drive

Or something similar to this>>
http://smile.amazon.com/iDsonix%C2%AE-SuperSpeed-Docking-Station-Design/dp/B00FDLCTQO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1416383465&sr=8-2&keywords=USB+Adapter+for+hard+drive

Edit: Forgot about windows uefi, you may have to disable secure boot in the bios.

You could use a SATA to USB adaptor like this one

This allows to connect the SATA drive to USB and mount it.

It also allows you to connect a drive to your NAS as external storage, and use it for backup purposes.

it does look toaster like my cheap portable hard drive decided to break so I busted it open and made toast

Yup, a fairly common thing to do, especially in days past, when flash storage was smaller, and more expensive.

You'd need an HDD dock or something similar.

E.g. https://www.amazon.com/iDsonix-Drive-Docking-Station-Cable/dp/B00FDLCTQO/

Get one of these. Boot up your laptop and login with it attached with the hard drive in it but the unit powered off. Once your laptop is booted up and you're logged in power on the usb converter and you should see your hard drive in file explorer.

https://www.amazon.com/iDsonix-U3102-Drive-Docking-Station/dp/B00FDLCTQO/

Size: 1TB

Manufacturer: Western Digital

Model Info: iDosnix U3102 Hard Drive Bay

Western Digital Blue 1TB Sata 6GB/s

Keeps the drive aerated and lets me use the bay for computer reasons as well.

These

> Mid 2009 Model A1278

But...

> It's a 2013 MBP.

Which one is it?

> so it doesn't have an SSD.

SSD was an option on both Mid-2009 models, but it should still be a SATA.

> Is removing the HD relatively simple?

Yes. Pop open the bottom case and it'll be right there in the corner. At least if you actually do have a SATA model.

> Is that something I can buy at Best Buy?

Probably, but don't. Cheaper on Amazon.