Laptop fried....Need files

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carrie0105

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Aug 26, 2013
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I have a Dell Inspirion laptop that has been giving me trouble for the last 2 weeks. Today, finally, it just crashed and will not start- there's not even an option for safe mode. I need to recover my files and even though I ran several virus/malware scans, nothing showed up yet I am certain I have a virus. Can someone please recommend the best solution? I need to get my files off this hard drive as quickly as possible. I am a professor and I have lost all of my recently updated lectures :-( .
 
Solution
USAFRet


One of these will work:
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SATA/PATA/IDE Drive to USB 2.0 Adapter Converter Cable

Connect this (to a USB slot) only after the PC is actually running.
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PudgyChicken

PudgyChicken

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May 17, 2010
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I'm just going to go ahead and give the obvious answer here: you're a professor, not a computer technician. Go to your university's technology department or helpdesk and ask them to recover the files for you. This is by far the easiest way, allowing you to get your files immediately, and without the need to purchase any additional equipment or struggle with technology that you don't understand.

Good luck!
 
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carrie0105

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Aug 26, 2013
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Don't think I haven't already gone to tech support with this situation ;-) I use my own personal laptop, which they won't service. I work for a state university and the laptops they give us are ancient! I can't even use it for PPT presentations without it freezing. Unfortunately, new laptops aren't something that is budget-worthy.

I am concerned with corrupting my home PC. Will this happen when I use that device to transfer files?

Thanks so much for your help.
 
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PudgyChicken

PudgyChicken

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May 17, 2010
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Ah I see, that really sucks. You wont be at risk of damaging your own computer when you copy files over. Think of it like copying files off a flash drive or off a CD; you're using your laptop's hard drive as an external storage medium.
 
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carrie0105

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Aug 26, 2013
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10,510


I appreciate your help. You guys are so fast on here! I actually just recovered my lecture for tomorrow's class!! My students will be so disappointed that I don't have to cancel :D
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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Unlikely. A virus can't just turn itself on. Generally, that happens when Windows starts up. Something in the Registry says :"OK little virus. let's run" Since we are not letting the Windows on the laptop drive do anything, the chances are very, very small.

After you have the laptop drive connected, do a thorough virus and malware scan. See if it turns up anything.
We don't want to accidentally move something over that is potentially infected.

But again, connect it only after the host PC is started up. That way, nothing will be running on the laptop drive.
 
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