Any computer people here?

[wihdt]

I had a gaming desktop computer and I found I was using it less and less, The specs were a lot more than I needed, I only really use social media and email these days so it was going to waste. Before I sold it I took out the HDD.

I have since bought a cheap laptop and it does me fine for what I need.

I have some things on the HDD that I would like to get off and put on my laptop, I ordered a USB to sata lead thinking this would do it, I plug it in, it lights up but it doesn't show the drive, Nothing happens at all when I plug it in.

Do I need something else to do this?

an enclosure

www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=enclosure+hdd

Was it a brand new sata?

Did you format it? If not that's your first step.

Plenty of info how to - e.g. www.bu.edu/comtech/students/technical-guides/hardware/how-to-format-hard-drives/

If it's a SATA drive and you are connecting it to the laptop USB port, then I think you'll also have to power the drive externally as it wont draw power through the USB port. Buy an enclosure.

This.