Retrieving files and other data from a disenbodied laptop hard drive

[water buffalo]

Hello,
My daughter has an old Compaq CQ60 laptop that the power connector has come loose on and it won't power-up. I took it to a tech guy where I work and he basically said it wasn't worth fixing. I would like to retrieve the files and photos from it. How can I connect to the hard drive if it's not in the computer?

 

[Brett928S2]

Hi

Buy an EXTERNAL CADDY (USB) , then connect it to any other computer by usb and take your files off...

As its an old machine, the hard drive will probably be IDE but it may be SATA (check before you buy the caddy)...

All the best Brett

 

[C12Friedman]

An external caddy as Brett suggest works fine, you can also get something like this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002
which is a bit cheaper, quite a bit more versatile but not nearly as handy if you are considering continuing to use the hard drive - for just pulling data from old hard drives, it is great.

 

[water buffalo]

Thanks C12, is there any way to get another link? The one in your post comes up at newegg but then immediately redirects to another site for some "shopping service" and it isn't really clear how to get to the product you recommended. It looks like I might even be able to use it even with my meager tech skills. I won't know however unless I can look at it for more than 5 seconds at a time.

 

[C12Friedman]

Here's the title of the model I linked
Vantec 2.5"/3.5"/5.25" SATA/IDE to USB 2.0 Adapter Model CB-ISATAU2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002&name=Adapters-Gender-Changers
seems they've changed their links, try that one - same one

 

[water buffalo]

Best answer selected by water buffalo.

 

[water buffalo]

New link worked. Thank you. I think this will do nicely. Will be back in touch if I fail.