Windows 7 - blacX duet docking station external hard drive help

I have an old hard drive I think it is windows xp. i bought the blacX duet docking station so I can access the files on that old hard drive. I cannot figure out how to access the files?

Do I have to initialize the old hard drive? Do I have to create a partition? I thought I would be able to open the files by selecting the external hard drive and the proper file?

Help please, I don't want to do something incorrectly and loose all the files on the old one or fill up the new one by moving them all on to this new smaller hard drive which is windows 7.

I tried to initialize the old hard drive but I get this error instead "Data error Cyclic Redundancy check" ????

You just stick the disk into the dock and open it like any other USB attached drive. Since it comes from XP, it is probably an IDE disk. I hope you have an IDE dock and not a Sata dock.

I agree.

BlacX is likely sata dock. At least my BlacX singles are. If it doesn't come up when you power up the dock then it's likely not a Sata drive. You may be able to get a USB to IDE enclosure cheap if you search. $20 or so including shipping if you're in the US.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...losure&x=0&y=0

Ugh, it is a SATA dock...there is no mention of IDE on the box. I have the wrong dock? Poo! I brought the whole dang computer into Best Buy and the dude never asked me anything about the harddrive I wanted to put in it. They won't take it back opened either. thank you very much for your response.

I was wrong it is Vista, is that still IDE? How would I find that information? Gosh I have a lot to learn!

Gateway Support - P-6860 FX Notebook Specifications This is the old hard drive from the old computer...looks like it is SATA?

How many USB 2 cables are connected? There should be one for each slot in the dock. If you only have one on, try putting the drive in the other slot.

edit: hmmm, I only have BlacX singles. Some dual require a cable per slot but some may not.

What's the model number of the BlacX?

The difference between IDE and SATA is the style of connection between the HDD and the motherboard. The OS that was installed on it will make little difference because it's the type of plug on the back of the HDD itself... not what's on it. The quickest way to tell is look at the back of the HDD. Does it look like the picture? If it does, then it is IDE and might not work with the blacX duet docking station unless you found one with an IDE interface.

Assuming the docking station matches the plugs on the back of the HDD, you should just be able to plug the docking station into a USB and have it show up as an external storage device.

Here is what a SATA looks like.

Don't try to initialize the drive. You'll just end up erasing it!!

What type of cable are you using to connect? In BlacX FAQ it says eSata may not recognize both drives in a dual because the controller does not have multiplex function. It says USB should see both slots using only one cable.

So is the cable an eSata cable or a USB cable?