The ones I've taken apart have had standard SATA drives connected via a USB-SATA converter. I've used both bits independently without problems.

What was the specific model that is giving you grief - sounds like one to avoid certainly but I'm not sure that they're all like that.

I use a PATA drive, stripped out of an old laptop, stuck in an external case and connect over usb2 - works a treat for storage and running Ubuntu from my dual boot pc. The only cost was the enclosure

So you're saying there is work to get these ready for PC use?

He appears to be commenting on the quality of the SATA - USB interface board (the board shown separated at the right of http://commit.me.uk/img_0299a.jpg ). For your purposes that is irrelevant as you'll remove that board and just use the SATA drive.

Boom the drive has just gone up to £89.99

The 1TB WD elements drive I bought for £44.89 on 19/3/2011 costs £74.99 today.

These are various "Elements" branded drives. I'll up some pics of the PCB's later.

In reply to a post by john2007:

He appears to be commenting on the quality of the SATA - USB interface board......

As you'll see from the links below, there is no seperate interface board.
Unfortunately, I've not seen the different enclosures, only the drives themselves. But I'm assured that they're all "WD Elements" branded.
There is quite a lot posted on the WD Discussion boards.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/580/wd3w.jpg
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/507/dscn0164q.jpg
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/406/pcbp.jpg
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/214/dscn0160h.jpg
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/507/2c534.jpg

Edited by Deadbeat (Tue 29-Nov-11 15:52:13)

In reply to a post by cox377:

So you're saying there is work to get these ready for PC use?

As you can see from the images linked to in my previous post, the ones that I've seen are simply not useable as internal drives without a lot of work.

Edited by Deadbeat (Tue 29-Nov-11 15:56:05)

That's all a bit tedious if you wish to "re-purpose" the drives.

I can't make out chip markings on much except the first photo which carries a USB3.0 to SATA bridge chip so, at present, they're still converting from USB to SATA, just doing it on one board. Obviously really as otherwise it wouldn't be possible to pick up a SATA interface in the way that you did.

OK. Will avoid WD drives if I want to rip the HD out!