Computer won't do anything. I checked cables. everything. I saw a little "fuse" or something that was blown on the motherboard so obviously that's the problem. I took the hard drive out of the computer and now i'm wondering what to do to recover the data. It's a serial ata hard drive and it runs win xp pro. my brother has a new computer that runs vista.... could i use that computer?. will the hard drive show the data and work?. should i install the hard drive on another xp computer?... what are the steps to take to recover that data from the hard drive?... MY WHOLE LIFE IS IN THERE.. .. i know i should have had a backup... but some people don't learn... please help i don't want to loose all my important data...i promise i would buy a backup drive right now!!!!
2007-07-24 09:55:39 · 17 answers · asked by blue 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Desktops
you can get an external hard drive adapter, they cost about 30 dollars, it will plug into your HD, and is usb ready, when you get your new computer you can just hook it up and retrive your information.
2007-07-24 09:58:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get an external usb enclosure that supports serial ata. Then you can hook it up to any other computer that can read it (like xp or vista) and get your stuff off and onto something else. Or leave it there if you're going to get a new computer. If you're going to fix yours, then backup your data onto something else in case there's a problem after you put your hard drive back in.
You'll be able to go in and get everything in My Documents, your IE Favorites, your email, and any other data so that you can have it after you repair your motherboard (or get a new computer). If you put in a new motherboard, you'll have to reactivate windows. If this is greek to you, get some help from a pro.
As long as the hard drive isn't fried, you won't lose your data.
2007-07-24 10:02:24 · answer #2 · answered by conehead 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
take the drive out and move it to any other computer
yo "might" have to set the jumpers on the hard drive to make it a slave...
http://www.pcguide.com/byop/byop_SettingHardDriveJumpers.htm
otherwise the computer may want to boot to your drive.
i have fixed DOZENS of hard drives this way.
it IS possible and its not that hard if you are even just a little bit technical at all.
Now it is possible that it will boot up to your drive if you want it too
but again
you will have to set the jumpers on BOTH drives if you do it this way.
EITHER way you should be able to get to your data and burn what you need to CD_ROMS
did you try replacing the FUSE ???
if thats all it is thats burned
then it should bring back your Motherboard
if not then jjust replace your motherboard.
Theres a good chance the data is fine.
if it doesnt boot into windows after replacing the MOBO
then you wil have to go with the first route anyway
(by checking the data on another computer)
and use a file recovery program if needed like
http://www.download.com/PC-Inspector-File-Recovery/3000-2248_4-10378268.html
or
http://www.download.com/VirtualLab-Data-Recovery/3000-2248_4-10659383.html
2007-07-24 10:03:44 · answer #3 · answered by greenmannowar 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry to tell you this, but hard drives, even sata drives, are not plug and play. You cannot just plug it into a different PC and everything will be fine. The PC will recognize the drive but not the data on it. I've never done the USB enclosure route, it may work since it ultimately is a USB connection, but I doubt it.
Take the hard drive to a professional service. They can extract your data.
2007-07-24 10:03:24 · answer #4 · answered by Buckeye024 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should be able to open up your brothers computer and add the hard drive.
Then reboot the OS should recognize the hard drive and then you can move all the data to your backup
Sorry about the fuse that sounds like a tough break.
2007-07-24 10:00:10 · answer #5 · answered by Ch 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh dear that is horrible luck. Well my friend, your data should be safe.
Your best bet is to take the Hard Drive to your nearest computer repair store (or Geek Squad, or similar), or look in the yellow pages for computer repair. They will have the ability to restore what ever is on your hard drive.
2007-07-24 10:01:14 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can put the HD into a HD Enclosure (about $40 at CompUSA, Circuit City, etc) and turn it into an external USB , the it can be plugged into any PC. If you buy a new PC you can add the HD as a secondary drive.
2007-07-24 10:00:01 · answer #7 · answered by acydskull 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well everything still should be there just find another computer take that hard drive out or somthin then see if it works then get an external hard drive to back up everything or get a zip drive depending on how much data you have on there or donno if this will work but try..puttin your computer back together and pluggin it in on a different outlet if it makes a beap its fine then start it up and everything hope i helped
2007-07-24 09:59:39 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to a techy store with your hard-drive.
Ask them to put it into another XP computer as a spare.
Don't intermix with your brother's Vista, file may differ.
Get them to burn the contents onto CDs for you.
2007-07-24 10:02:57 · answer #9 · answered by Robert S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ask a friend to install your HD in there PC that has a CD_RW Drive then send all files to CDs
2007-07-24 10:00:42 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
best bet is to set up on brothers computer as a slave drive, it will not boot as master. read the manual for your drive set as slave then transfer your data to a backup device.
2007-07-24 09:59:01 · answer #11 · answered by mamaboy7 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋