i'd say grab your self a usb 3n1 data.ide/sata converter at microcetner, 11bucks and while you are there get your self a new Macbook Pro,

There is a point to where you start to cross the line of: The excitement of vintage computing vs but really i am too cheap to spend any money on something much more practical and useful!

this "scared me death comment", over a laptop, come on, get it together....

throw the pos in the trash and get something practical so you don't fail at college...