Options for connecting an external disk to an old laptop

Options for connecting an external disk to an old laptop

I've tried connecting a 2.5" external drive to an old laptop which has only USB 1. The LED on the disk lights up, but the disk doesn't seem to spin up. Since the same disk works fine on a newer laptop my guess is that the old one doesn't output enough power on the USB port. Besides looking for an external drive with its own PSU, what would you suggest? Will one of those USB cables with two connectors work? What about a powered USB hub?