Can a SATA-to-USB cable (like this one on Amazon) connect a SATA hard-disk to a USB port and supply the hard-disk enough power to spin?
If not, how can I augment this cable to actually give the disk enough power to spin?
35 Answers
A computer can supply enough power on the USB port to drive an SSD or even a 2.5" laptop hard drive on this cable. But it won't be enough to drive a 3.5" desktop form factor hard drive, in part because they require 12 volts and the USB connector doesn't provide it, so there's not really any hardware hacking you can do. If you need to access one of those, get a USB hard drive enclosure which has a separate power supply.
Can a SATA-to-USB cable (like this one on Amazon) connect a SATA hard-disk to a USB port and supply the hard-disk enough power to spin?
If its a 2.5 inch hard drive and the cable is plugged directly into a host or into a good quality powered hub then it will probably work, but it will almost certainly be in violation of the USB spec.
If it's a 2.5 inch hard drive and the cable is plugged into an un-powered hub it is more likely to fail. It may fail to enumerate if the adapter declares a high power consumption and the hub declares itself as an unpowered hub. In the real world though it is more likely that it will just fail to spin up due to volt drop through through the cabling and hub.
If it's a 3.5 inch hard drive it will fail. 3.5 inch hard drives require significantly more power and they require both 5V and 12V power rails.
If not, how can I augment this cable to actually give the disk enough power to spin?
You could possibly use an extension cable to separate out the data lines of the adapter and allow a separate power supply to be connected to the drive.
But honestly you are probablly better off just buying a USB to SATA cable that comes with a power supply.
There are various extensions of USB to supply extra power. In the old days there was a standard called "powered USB" which used a physically extended connector and was rarely seen outside of point of sale equipment. More recently there is USB power delivery which allows a higher voltage/current supply to be negotiated on the main power pins.
In principle USB power delivery can be used with USB standard A, but in practice it is normally only seen on USB C ports and even then there is no guarantee that the port will support a suitable power profile.
Both of these standards could theoretically provide more than enough power to run a 3.5 inch hard drive. However I have not seen a suitable adapter for actually doing so. I suspect if such an adapter was made for connecting 3.5 inch hard drives to USB hosts with power delivery it would be a support nightmare as users plugged it into unsuitable ports and complained that it did not work.
0It depends on the kind of HD and USB type you are connecting to (e.g. USB3 can provide more power then USB2) - and of course, on the specific SATA-USB-adapter cable you will be using.
I assume you are using the exact SATA/USB-adapter you linked to in combination with a 3,5in SATA3 HD as you suggested in your comments. In this case, your adapter won't work if you are using USB2. If you decide to go just with USB3 it will work, but not with the adapter you suggested. Some USB3 types (with "USB Power Delivery") can supply devices with up to 100W, enough to run a 3.5in HD, but again, not with the adapter you suggested and you need to make sure your USB port on your computer is actually capable of supporting "USB Power Delivery".
Although theoretically possible it will be at least "tricky" to "augment" the adapter you suggested (most likely additional assembly/disassembly of the cable required). In this case, most likely it will be easier to buy an adapter that has an appropriate additional/external power supply. This way you be able to use USB2/3 and 2.5/3.5in HDs. Another idea would be to buy an external casing as Michael suggested in his answer.
What you buy (just the adapter or one including the external casing) depends on how you want to use it in the future.
0The answer to your question is yes, if you find an adaptor with an external 12v DC socket.
This is not an advertised feature on any SATA adaptor I've seen when I looked on the usual cheap sources (Ebay/AliExpress) but it is still there on a few.
Closeup of the rear of the adaptor showing the power socket
The DC connector required is a fairly standard 5.5 x2.1 plug, commonly found by searching for 12v DC CCTV or LED power supplies. Most WiFi routers are powered with them, too, so you may already have one kicking around.
Finding an adaptor with one of these is harder than it should be. Most sellers don't want to show an image of the adaptor from this angle.
From my research, none of the USB3 (blue plug) adaptors have the connector. Only the ones with the following shell markings have them:
For example see this item on Ebay.
If in doubt, ask the sellers to check whether the connector exists before you buy.
1Most time a cable like that comes as part of a kit, with a power brick and both SATA and Molex (for IDE) power connectors on it. To get good, reliable operation off a IDE or SATA drive, you would need to feed it power from an appropriately conditioned and regulated source. I've been known to open up a desktop case and add a pigtail if needed to be able to power the one I have where I lost the power brick.
