retrieve data from old HD using other computer?

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

A friend's computer had a hardware crash; she can't get it to past the POST,
so she bought another computer.

Assuming the old hard drive is still good, what's the recommended way to get
the data off of it? I assume one should stick it into another computer with
one hard drive, but I don't know the exact procedure and the risks involved.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

On Mon, 03 May 2004 19:55:49 GMT, "sinister" <sinister@nospam.invalid>
wrote:

>A friend's computer had a hardware crash; she can't get it to past the POST,
>so she bought another computer.
>
>Assuming the old hard drive is still good, what's the recommended way to get
>the data off of it? I assume one should stick it into another computer with
>one hard drive, but I don't know the exact procedure and the risks involved.
>
define old computer ..naming the processor at least will help
at what point does it stop during post?
after memory check?
after detect ide?
before OS loads?
if you want specific information supply full details of the system in
question......from the info supplied in your initial post i would
suggest that you not touch your friends old computer just yet.....
getting data off a hard drive from an old computer can be a tricky
process......until you know more or you have somone else that
understands the problems involved dont take the drive out of the old
computer....

relloman

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

"rello" <relloman@beasty.com> wrote in message
news:4096bdb7.1246282@news-server...
> On Mon, 03 May 2004 19:55:49 GMT, "sinister" <sinister@nospam.invalid>
> wrote:
>
> >A friend's computer had a hardware crash; she can't get it to past the
POST,
> >so she bought another computer.
> >
> >Assuming the old hard drive is still good, what's the recommended way to
get
> >the data off of it? I assume one should stick it into another computer
with
> >one hard drive, but I don't know the exact procedure and the risks
involved.
> >
> define old computer ..naming the processor at least will help

"old" just means "not new"...if I recall correctly, it's a dell, probably
pentium 2 or 3...

> at what point does it stop during post?

I'm not sure...this is all over the phone, and she's extremely
techo-naive...sounds like before *any* of the things you list
happen...certain before any "beep"

> after memory check?
> after detect ide?
> before OS loads?
> if you want specific information supply full details of the system in
> question......from the info supplied in your initial post i would
> suggest that you not touch your friends old computer just yet.....
> getting data off a hard drive from an old computer can be a tricky
> process......until you know more or you have somone else that
> understands the problems involved dont take the drive out of the old
> computer....

What's wrong with just unplugging it, properly grounding oneself and the
case, and then taking the drive out?

> relloman

Thanks for replying to my post.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

On Tue, 04 May 2004 00:24:59 GMT, "sinister" <sinister@nospam.invalid>
wrote:

>
>"rello" <relloman@beasty.com> wrote in message
>news:4096bdb7.1246282@news-server...
>> On Mon, 03 May 2004 19:55:49 GMT, "sinister" <sinister@nospam.invalid>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >A friend's computer had a hardware crash; she can't get it to past the
>POST,
>> >so she bought another computer.
>> >
>> >Assuming the old hard drive is still good, what's the recommended way to
>get
>> >the data off of it? I assume one should stick it into another computer
>with
>> >one hard drive, but I don't know the exact procedure and the risks
>involved.
>> >
>> define old computer ..naming the processor at least will help
>
>"old" just means "not new"...if I recall correctly, it's a dell, probably
>pentium 2 or 3...
>
>> at what point does it stop during post?
>
>I'm not sure...this is all over the phone, and she's extremely
>techo-naive...sounds like before *any* of the things you list
>happen...certain before any "beep"
>
>> after memory check?
>> after detect ide?
>> before OS loads?
>> if you want specific information supply full details of the system in
>> question......from the info supplied in your initial post i would
>> suggest that you not touch your friends old computer just yet.....
>> getting data off a hard drive from an old computer can be a tricky
>> process......until you know more or you have somone else that
>> understands the problems involved dont take the drive out of the old
>> computer....
>
>What's wrong with just unplugging it, properly grounding oneself and the
>case, and then taking the drive out?
>
>> relloman
>
>Thanks for replying to my post.
>
>
if the machine is not posting ie blank screen when you press power on
you will have to do what you outlined above and trust that the drive
geometry settings in the old bios are the same when it is detected by
a newer computers bios...if they are not you are screwed...in older
systems settings for hard disks [386 486 & some early pentium] were
entered by hand and custom settings where sometimes used....these
varied from the default settings printed on the HD casing....a modern
bios will detect only the default geometry settings.....depeneding on
the new machine you may have no way of changing the settings from
default even if you know what the old settings were......
hope this helps
relloman

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

"sinister" <sinister@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
news:vpBlc.146936$L31.40158@nwrddc01.gnilink.net...
>
> "rello" <relloman@beasty.com> wrote in message
> news:4096bdb7.1246282@news-server...
> > On Mon, 03 May 2004 19:55:49 GMT, "sinister" <sinister@nospam.invalid>
> > wrote:
> >
> > >A friend's computer had a hardware crash; she can't get it to past the
> POST,
> > >so she bought another computer.
> > >
> > >Assuming the old hard drive is still good, what's the recommended way
to
> get
> > >the data off of it? I assume one should stick it into another computer
> with
> > >one hard drive, but I don't know the exact procedure and the risks
> involved.
> > >
> > define old computer ..naming the processor at least will help
>
> "old" just means "not new"...if I recall correctly, it's a dell, probably
> pentium 2 or 3...
>
> > at what point does it stop during post?
>
> I'm not sure...this is all over the phone, and she's extremely
> techo-naive...sounds like before *any* of the things you list
> happen...certain before any "beep"
>
> > after memory check?
> > after detect ide?
> > before OS loads?
> > if you want specific information supply full details of the system in
> > question......from the info supplied in your initial post i would
> > suggest that you not touch your friends old computer just yet.....
> > getting data off a hard drive from an old computer can be a tricky
> > process......until you know more or you have somone else that
> > understands the problems involved dont take the drive out of the old
> > computer....
>
> What's wrong with just unplugging it, properly grounding oneself and the
> case, and then taking the drive out?
>
> > relloman
>
> Thanks for replying to my post.
>
If the new computer has one hard drive and one optical drive, each on
seperate cables, the safest way is to unplug the data and power cables from
the optical drive and connect the old drive instead. Leave the old drive
loose on something non-conductive. If the new computer has a single C drive
the old drive will show as D and you can copy data across to C (but NOT
programs/applications). When finished, power down and reconnect the optical
drive.

Mike.


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.676 / Virus Database: 438 - Release Date: 03/05/2004

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

"rello" <relloman@beasty.com> wrote in message
news:40984560.12371759@news-server...
> On Tue, 04 May 2004 00:24:59 GMT, "sinister" <sinister@nospam.invalid>
> wrote:
>
> >
> >"rello" <relloman@beasty.com> wrote in message
> >news:4096bdb7.1246282@news-server...
> >> On Mon, 03 May 2004 19:55:49 GMT, "sinister" <sinister@nospam.invalid>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> >A friend's computer had a hardware crash; she can't get it to past the
> >POST,
> >> >so she bought another computer.
> >> >
> >> >Assuming the old hard drive is still good, what's the recommended way
to
> >get
> >> >the data off of it? I assume one should stick it into another
computer
> >with
> >> >one hard drive, but I don't know the exact procedure and the risks
> >involved.
> >> >
> >> define old computer ..naming the processor at least will help
> >
> >"old" just means "not new"...if I recall correctly, it's a dell, probably
> >pentium 2 or 3...
> >
> >> at what point does it stop during post?
> >
> >I'm not sure...this is all over the phone, and she's extremely
> >techo-naive...sounds like before *any* of the things you list
> >happen...certain before any "beep"
> >
> >> after memory check?
> >> after detect ide?
> >> before OS loads?
> >> if you want specific information supply full details of the system in
> >> question......from the info supplied in your initial post i would
> >> suggest that you not touch your friends old computer just yet.....
> >> getting data off a hard drive from an old computer can be a tricky
> >> process......until you know more or you have somone else that
> >> understands the problems involved dont take the drive out of the old
> >> computer....
> >
> >What's wrong with just unplugging it, properly grounding oneself and the
> >case, and then taking the drive out?
> >
> >> relloman
> >
> >Thanks for replying to my post.
> >
> >
> if the machine is not posting ie blank screen when you press power on
> you will have to do what you outlined above and trust that the drive
> geometry settings in the old bios are the same when it is detected by
> a newer computers bios...if they are not you are screwed...in older
> systems settings for hard disks [386 486 & some early pentium] were
> entered by hand and custom settings where sometimes used....these
> varied from the default settings printed on the HD casing....a modern
> bios will detect only the default geometry settings.....depeneding on
> the new machine you may have no way of changing the settings from
> default even if you know what the old settings were......
> hope this helps

Yes, that's helpful.

Does "screwed" = I won't be able to read the data on the disk, or does
"screwed" = I'll actually mess up the disk? And is there any risk to *my*
machine?

Cheers,

S

> relloman

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

"sinister" <sinister@nospam.invalid> wrote in message news:W95mc.31627$sK3.8794@nwrddc03.gnilink.net
> "rello" <relloman@beasty.com> wrote in message news:40984560.12371759@news-server...
> > On Tue, 04 May 2004 00:24:59 GMT, "sinister" sinister@nospam.invalid wrote:
> > > "rello" relloman@beasty.com> wrote in message news:4096bdb7.1246282@news-server...
> > > > On Mon, 03 May 2004 19:55:49 GMT, "sinister" sinister@nospam.invalid wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > A friend's computer had a hardware crash; she can't get it to past the POST,
> > > > > so she bought another computer.
> > > > >
> > > > > Assuming the old hard drive is still good, what's the recommended way to get
> > > > > the data off of it? I assume one should stick it into another computer with
> > > > > one hard drive, but I don't know the exact procedure and the risks involved.
> > > > >
> > > > define old computer ..naming the processor at least will help
> > >
> > > "old" just means "not new"...if I recall correctly, it's a dell, probably
> > > pentium 2 or 3...
> > >
> > > > at what point does it stop during post?
> > >
> > > I'm not sure...this is all over the phone, and she's extremely
> > > techo-naive...sounds like before *any* of the things you list
> > > happen...certain before any "beep"
> > >
> > > > after memory check?
> > > > after detect ide?
> > > > before OS loads?
> > > > if you want specific information supply full details of the system in
> > > > question......from the info supplied in your initial post i would
> > > > suggest that you not touch your friends old computer just yet.....
> > > > getting data off a hard drive from an old computer can be a tricky
> > > > process......until you know more or you have somone else that
> > > > understands the problems involved dont take the drive out of the old
> > > > computer....
> > >
> > > What's wrong with just unplugging it, properly grounding oneself and the
> > > case, and then taking the drive out?
> > >
> > > > relloman
> > >
> > > Thanks for replying to my post.
> > >
> > >
> > if the machine is not posting ie blank screen when you press power on
> > you will have to do what you outlined above and trust that the drive
> > geometry settings in the old bios are the same when it is detected by
> > a newer computers bios...if they are not you are screwed...in older
> > systems settings for hard disks [386 486 & some early pentium] were
> > entered by hand and custom settings where sometimes used....these
> > varied from the default settings printed on the HD casing....a modern
> > bios will detect only the default geometry settings.....depeneding on
> > the new machine you may have no way of changing the settings from
> > default even if you know what the old settings were......
> > hope this helps
>
> Yes, that's helpful.

Nope, it's not.

>
> Does "screwed" = I won't be able to read the data on the disk, or does
> "screwed" = I'll actually mess up the disk? And is there any risk to *my*
> machine?
>
> Cheers,
>
> S
>
> > relloman

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

"Michael Hawes" <michael.hawes1remove@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4099598a_1@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com...
>
> "sinister" <sinister@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
> news:vpBlc.146936$L31.40158@nwrddc01.gnilink.net...
> >
> > "rello" <relloman@beasty.com> wrote in message
> > news:4096bdb7.1246282@news-server...
> > > On Mon, 03 May 2004 19:55:49 GMT, "sinister" <sinister@nospam.invalid>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > >A friend's computer had a hardware crash; she can't get it to past
the
> > POST,
> > > >so she bought another computer.
> > > >
> > > >Assuming the old hard drive is still good, what's the recommended way
> to
> > get
> > > >the data off of it? I assume one should stick it into another
computer
> > with
> > > >one hard drive, but I don't know the exact procedure and the risks
> > involved.
> > > >
> > > define old computer ..naming the processor at least will help
> >
> > "old" just means "not new"...if I recall correctly, it's a dell,
probably
> > pentium 2 or 3...
> >
> > > at what point does it stop during post?
> >
> > I'm not sure...this is all over the phone, and she's extremely
> > techo-naive...sounds like before *any* of the things you list
> > happen...certain before any "beep"
> >
> > > after memory check?
> > > after detect ide?
> > > before OS loads?
> > > if you want specific information supply full details of the system in
> > > question......from the info supplied in your initial post i would
> > > suggest that you not touch your friends old computer just yet.....
> > > getting data off a hard drive from an old computer can be a tricky
> > > process......until you know more or you have somone else that
> > > understands the problems involved dont take the drive out of the old
> > > computer....
> >
> > What's wrong with just unplugging it, properly grounding oneself and the
> > case, and then taking the drive out?
> >
> > > relloman
> >
> > Thanks for replying to my post.
> >
> If the new computer has one hard drive and one optical drive, each on
> seperate cables, the safest way is to unplug the data and power cables
from
> the optical drive and connect the old drive instead. Leave the old drive
> loose on something non-conductive. If the new computer has a single C
drive
> the old drive will show as D and you can copy data across to C (but NOT
> programs/applications). When finished, power down and reconnect the
optical
> drive.

Thanks for your response.

(1) Do I have to do anything with "master/slave" settings?
(2) Is there any risk to my machine (the "new" one), if the other one has
some kind of short or something?

>
> Mike.
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.676 / Virus Database: 438 - Release Date: 03/05/2004
>
>

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Previously sinister <sinister@nospam.invalid> wrote:
> A friend's computer had a hardware crash; she can't get it to past the POST,
> so she bought another computer.

> Assuming the old hard drive is still good, what's the recommended way to get
> the data off of it? I assume one should stick it into another computer with
> one hard drive, but I don't know the exact procedure and the risks involved.

If the data is valuable, ask somebody with specific experience
to do it. There is some risk of doing damage if you do not
know how to do this. If the data is not valuable, it is a
great opportunity to learn and experiment.

Best way is to do this IMO is with knoppix (->google) since
it mounts everything read-only and thereby minimises the
risk of accidental damage.

Arno
--
For email address: lastname AT tik DOT ee DOT ethz DOT ch
GnuPG: ID:1E25338F FP:0C30 5782 9D93 F785 E79C 0296 797F 6B50 1E25 338F
"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws" - Tacitus

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

On Wed, 05 May 2004 22:42:36 GMT, "sinister" <sinister@nospam.invalid>
wrote:


>> If the new computer has one hard drive and one optical drive, each on
>> seperate cables, the safest way is to unplug the data and power cables
>from
>> the optical drive and connect the old drive instead. Leave the old drive
>> loose on something non-conductive. If the new computer has a single C
>drive
>> the old drive will show as D and you can copy data across to C (but NOT
>> programs/applications). When finished, power down and reconnect the
>optical
>> drive.
>
>Thanks for your response.
>
>(1) Do I have to do anything with "master/slave" settings?

No. That is the advantage of simply hooking it up to where the CD
drive is attached; no settings have to be changed.

>(2) Is there any risk to my machine (the "new" one), if the other one has
>some kind of short or something?

It's easy to test whether the problem with the old computer was a
problem with the hard drive. Simply unplug the hard drive (which you
will do anyway). If the old computer will POST, then the problem was
the hard drive. If it doesn't POST, then the problem is likely to be
elsewhere. Assuming the latter is the case, there is little risk to
the "new" computer simply from hooking up the drive and copying the
data.
- -
Gary L.
Reply to the newsgroup only

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

"Gary L." <nospam@cox.net> wrote in message
news:soej90pllgqosvnhqpkeu5o70s0tlq8ulb@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 05 May 2004 22:42:36 GMT, "sinister" <sinister@nospam.invalid>
> wrote:
>
>
> >> If the new computer has one hard drive and one optical drive, each on
> >> seperate cables, the safest way is to unplug the data and power cables
> >from
> >> the optical drive and connect the old drive instead. Leave the old
drive
> >> loose on something non-conductive. If the new computer has a single C
> >drive
> >> the old drive will show as D and you can copy data across to C (but NOT
> >> programs/applications). When finished, power down and reconnect the
> >optical
> >> drive.
> >
> >Thanks for your response.
> >
> >(1) Do I have to do anything with "master/slave" settings?
>
> No. That is the advantage of simply hooking it up to where the CD
> drive is attached; no settings have to be changed.
>
> >(2) Is there any risk to my machine (the "new" one), if the other one has
> >some kind of short or something?
>
> It's easy to test whether the problem with the old computer was a
> problem with the hard drive. Simply unplug the hard drive (which you
> will do anyway). If the old computer will POST, then the problem was
> the hard drive. If it doesn't POST, then the problem is likely to be
> elsewhere. Assuming the latter is the case, there is little risk to
> the "new" computer simply from hooking up the drive and copying the
> data.

Great. Thanks.

> - -
> Gary L.
> Reply to the newsgroup only