what hardware and software do I need to run WDR???

[SRUTSSSSSSSS80]

USB was added at the request of users, sometimes you can use it to backup service information - if the drive does not interfere with this. USB <> SATA chips are not able to work with a buggy HDD, only copying a record.

We connect only the board, if the ROM is intact then it will be ready in 5-10 minutes, we will find out the version of the overlay.
Perhaps the board just rotted, which often happens with 2060-701537, 2060-701444
The gasket between the board and the Hermoblock should be thrown out and the contacts on the board cleaned of oxides

[elevtechlift]

Surface Pro 6 - No sata ports (ahci mode/ide mode) available

motherboard sata port - yes, ahci mode/ide mode, no raid
usb<->SATA box - no
PCI-E -SATA-yes (jmb363- ok, ahci mode/ide mode, no raid)
PCI-SATA - yes (for ahci mode/ide mode, no raid)

Will it also work on laptops with a PCMCIA SATA adapter attached? I currently also have an old SONY laptop running Windows XP and it has a PCMCIA card slot.

[SRUTSSSSSSSS80]

Surface Pro 6 - No sata ports (ahci mode/ide mode) available

motherboard sata port - yes, ahci mode/ide mode, no raid
usb<->SATA box - no
PCI-E -SATA-yes (jmb363- ok, ahci mode/ide mode, no raid)
PCI-SATA - yes (for ahci mode/ide mode, no raid)

Will it also work on laptops with a PCMCIA SATA adapter attached? I currently also have an old SONY laptop running Windows XP and it has a PCMCIA card slot.

стоит указывать модель ноутбука
попробовать стоит, в такой конфигурации ещё не проверялось
в крайнем случае в ноутбуке есть 2 порта которые можно использовать, а на PCMCIA повесить системный флешь накопитель.