? on how to transfer data from dead computer to another computer in Category-Specific Boards in Community

Last Post Nov 22, 2009 10:05 PM by: *_dash_*

Replies: 9

? on how to transfer data from dead computer to another computer

Nov 6, 2009 6:23 PM

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A friend has an old emachine that the power supply has died on. He wants to transfer data (pictures, etc.) to his laptop. How is this done and what will he need to do this?

TIA

Re: ? on how to transfer data from dead computer to another computer

Nov 6, 2009 6:39 PM

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he could take the hard drive out of the computer case, and then buy something like item 220465054005 , this will turn his hard drive into an external drive. it will come with everything he needs, then the included usb cable will run for that external box to a usb port on his laptop...and he should be able to copy his data into his laptop.
the only reason this would not work if it the hard drive is dead

Re: ? on how to transfer data from dead computer to another computer

Nov 6, 2009 9:52 PM

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Thank you. I will let him know!!

Re: ? on how to transfer data from dead computer to another computer

Nov 7, 2009 5:59 AM

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.
That external case with USB method almost always works.
.
If the hard drive is still dead and the data is needed,
then there are commercial services that can probably recover the data.
.
Google hard drive data recovery. ... Good luck,

Re: ? on how to transfer data from dead computer to another computer

Nov 22, 2009 4:05 AM

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Hi - the method described will usually work except for a possible clash with the old windows system files
- 2 windows being detected at the same time -
So is best to first connect the converted usb drive to the laptop and run a Ubuntu linux live disk
(Ubuntu linux is a non-Windows operating system)
which will not affect the laptop windows and will detect the external drive and allow the deletion of the old Windows system files stored therein
(all of C:\windows folder on the external drive)
(the laptop drive files will not be accessable)
Then shut down and restart using Windows and copy over the desired personal non-system files

Re: ? on how to transfer data from dead computer to another computer

Nov 22, 2009 5:36 AM

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Connecting a drive with an external USB drive enclosure will not cause any clashes with 'old windows system files' UNLESS for some odd reason (unlikely) you have your computer set to attempt to boot from a USB device before the internal hard drive. (Even then, there would not be a 'clash'. It would merely attempt to boot from the old drive.)

Otherwise, the current operating system merely sees it as another data storage device.

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Re: ? on how to transfer data from dead computer to another computer

Nov 22, 2009 2:24 PM

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rogespeed wrote:

Hi - the method described will usually work except for a possible clash with the old windows system files
- 2 windows being detected at the same time -

Have you ever personally seen this cause an issue? I connect Windows drives from other computers to the XP install on my bench box on a daily basis for file transfers, virus/malware removal, etc., and I cannot ever, not once, recall having any sort of a problem with "- 2 windows being detected at the same time -".

Don't connect the external USB drive containing the Windows installation to the new computer until the new computer has booted to the desktop. That way you don't chance booting into the Windows install on the external drive in the unlikely event that USB is selected before the internal hard drive in the boot order of the new computer.

rogespeed wrote:

So is best to first connect the converted usb drive to the laptop and run a Ubuntu linux live disk
(Ubuntu linux is a non-Windows operating system)
which will not affect the laptop windows and will detect the external drive and allow the deletion of the old Windows system files stored therein
(all of C:\windows folder on the external drive)
(the laptop drive files will not be accessable)
Then shut down and restart using Windows and copy over the desired personal non-system files

What you are suggesting makes the process much more complicated than it has to be. If the OP is asking how to do this, what do you suppose their chance of successfully navigating Ubuntu, mounting the affected drive, etc., would be? What happens when they delete the C:\Windows folder on the new computer by mistake? I would also hesitate deleting ANYTHING on the old drive - there's too much chance of inadvertently deleting the wrong file or directory.

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Re: ? on how to transfer data from dead computer to another computer

Nov 22, 2009 3:51 PM

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mikejoac:
"Have you ever personally seen this cause an issue? I connect Windows drives from other computers to the XP install on my bench box on a daily basis for file transfers, virus/malware removal, etc., and I cannot ever, not once, recall having any sort of a problem with "- 2 windows being detected at the same time -".

I've lost count of the number of times I've done it without any "clashing" myself. This PC has two copies of Windows installed, one on each hard drive. They're not set up to dual boot (I select the boot drive via the BIOS) and there's never been any clashing going on. But what if I did dual boot, isn't dual booting "normal" and done without any risk of clashing? But connect a USB hard drive which has Windows on it and apparently you've got boot from a Linux CD to avoid the clashing risk.......

The USB drive would be just another hard drive with a bunch of files on it as far as the original, internal Windows installation is concerned.

I haven't used or booted from a Linux CD in years, but does Linux even read the NTFS file system?

Re: ? on how to transfer data from dead computer to another computer

Nov 22, 2009 4:57 PM

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*_dash_* wrote:

I haven't used or booted from a Linux CD in years, but does Linux even read the NTFS file system?

Most distros read and write to NTFS.

Ubuntu's WAY too bloated to use as a rescue disc. I use Puppy Linux as it will boot on just about any PC that has 128MB of RAM installed.

I didn't understand why the Frisbee was getting bigger - then it hit me...

Re: ? on how to transfer data from dead computer to another computer

Nov 22, 2009 10:05 PM

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That's handy to know.

Although the only reason I'd want to boot from a CD is to fix something in an emergency etc or to make a Ghost image of a drive, and for that I made myself a BartPe boot disc. Link That way I can add all the usual Windows drivers to it and I know all the hardware will work.

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