My old Dell Dimension desktop hasnt worked for a while. I push the start button, and nothing happens whatsoever. I want to transfer all my Itunes and videos to my new Gateway Laptop, but I dont know if I should go through with the expense of getting it to start long enough for a data transfer, or whether I should just give it up and toss the thing. I figure, either way I am screwed. I would prefer not to lose all my Itunes that I paid good money for.
2007-03-01 05:53:10 · 8 answers · asked by Brad 4 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Desktops
Quick and dirty answer (and probaby the best):
Go to newegg and buy yourself a USB 2.0 hard drive enclosure. Take out your old hard drive from the non-working system and throw it in the enclosure. Attach the USB cable to the enclosure, and you not only have access to your data, but you have a supplimentary storage device. These hard drive enclosures go as cheap as $20. Maybe even cheaper.
2007-03-01 06:07:55 · answer #1 · answered by Joe M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your machine beeps but nothing happens you might have a bad viedo card or memory (ram). If it doesnt even beep, your problem is most likely a bad Motherboard or Power Supply.
If you don't want the hassle of fixing your computer, you can buy a portable 3.5 in. hard drive enclosure. These come with USB 2.0, Firewire and SATA connections. Just make sure your HDD has the correct interface with the enclosure (EIDE or SATA). You can find these at several online stores such as newegg, mwave tigerdirect, etc. for around $30.
After you retireve the files you can just format the HDD to eliminate the operating system, program files and other unwanted stuff. This way you will end up with a portable hard drive for backups of your laptop files as well.
2007-03-01 06:19:22 · answer #2 · answered by veggie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pull the old hard drive out. When you buy a new computer, make sure it has a spare 3.5 inch internal bay. Install the drive in the new machine.
You should be able to copy all your files right to the new computer.
Installed programs will NOT run, however. They would need to be reinstalled. But this should work for files. I'd hope that iTunes has a way to import the files again with a fresh install.
2007-03-01 06:04:32 · answer #3 · answered by JustAnotherEngineer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if the hard drive is still functioning (which you will not know until you hook it up to another pc), You can transfer the files. The easiest way to connect that drive to your laptop is on the link below. It has everything you need. I have one for troubleshooting hard drives that I bought from the same site. It does the job very well. If the drive is functioning, and after you get your files back, you could use the drive as a backup.
2007-03-01 07:29:58 · answer #4 · answered by Mike Larson 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
that is the reason you pass with a united statesand a grounded outlet. you likely were given some seen mandatory piece of your OS trashed. The restore console gained't delete your suggestion. interior the shape that your hardware's all ok (which isn't a given), you could favor to be in a position to fix your OS from there. once you're in an excellent massive hurry and think ofyou've got yet another computing gadget obtainable someplace you could favor to take your now no longer immediately ahead rigidity out of this one, stick it interior the diverse one as a slave and get your suggestion off it that way. likely does no longer be a foul idea to attempt this usual in spite of everything. i'd likely ascertain your bios settings initially too, truly to be positive if each and each element's set acceptable there. And run a memory diag.
2016-12-05 02:46:55 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could get a friend with a desktop to allow you to tempoarliy take your old drive out, and install it in his/her computer as a secondary hard drive. Thereafter you'd have access to ALL your old files (assuming the hard drive is not dead/damaged) and could either transfer them over a network connection to your laptop or burn them to CD's or copy to other media like Flash Memory sticks, etc....
Remove the old drive after copying or format it for use by your friend as a secondary drive for more storage space.
Or keep it in a sealed bag as a backup for future reference.
Good Luck
2007-03-01 06:03:13 · answer #6 · answered by John N 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've got 8 ot 9 old junker pc's laying around
Do your self a favor, learn to just throw it AWAY
new pc's can be had for little cash nowadays
save the hard drive and slave it onto another to get your music and data
2007-03-01 06:02:14 · answer #7 · answered by delores4830 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you ahve any idea what the problem is? From the sound of it, I would guess your power supply, followed by your motherboard. You can try replacing the power supply temporarily
2007-03-01 05:59:01 · answer #8 · answered by KDFrosty 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋