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    Recovering data from old laptop HDD

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Bigsmoke, Oct 22, 2011.

  1. Bigsmoke

    Bigsmoke Notebook Enthusiast

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    So i got a laptop from my friend who demands that i recover some data out of his old Toshiba laptop. The laptop doesn't boot windows so i took the HDD out and found some SATA to USB adapters so i can recover the data. These seem a little bit expensive so is there any other way to recover the data? thanks
     
    Bigsmoke, Oct 22, 2011
    #1
  2. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    Sure, simply install the bare drive in a desktop and recover the data from there.
     
    tilleroftheearth, Oct 22, 2011
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  3. cdoublejj

    cdoublejj Notebook Deity

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    might need some soft ware for it. i think ontrack has some software for it.
     
    cdoublejj, Oct 22, 2011
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  4. katalin_2003

    katalin_2003 NBR Spectre Super Moderator

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    katalin_2003, Oct 22, 2011
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  5. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    Why would software be needed? If the drive can spin, the data can be read off of it.
     
    tilleroftheearth, Oct 22, 2011
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  6. tijo

    tijo Sacred Blame

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    That exactly, personally i have a startech USB2.0 to SATA, IDE and laptop IDE adapter to recover DATA from drives. Cost me something like $25. I didn't need any software, recuva is for when you delete a file and want to get it back. The OP's scenario is more like a laptop no longer working and with the data still on the drive.

    Put the drive into another laptop and boot in safe mode or use a desktop. Note that if the drive is toast, getting to the data might not be possible.
     
    tijo, Oct 22, 2011
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  7. cdoublejj

    cdoublejj Notebook Deity

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    That is not always the case with hardware or software failures go wrong thats why shop charge money to recover data and big companies charge thousands of dollars for REAL data recovering failing drives or damaged and failing drives. there is big difference between recovering and transferring.
     
    cdoublejj, Oct 22, 2011
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  8. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    The big $$$$ charges are for HDD's that won't spin - this is simply a system HDD that doesn't boot.

    No software needed.

    This isn't a 'recovery' operation - just a simple transferring of files.
     
    tilleroftheearth, Oct 22, 2011
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  9. Qing Dao

    Qing Dao Notebook Deity

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    Yeah, really. Recovery software is for when you accidentally delete something and want to get it back. In this case the files are just sitting there normally on the disk and will be easily accessible when you connect the drive to another computer.
     
    Qing Dao, Oct 23, 2011
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  10. Full-English

    Full-English Notebook Deity

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    Buy a cheap external hdd enclosure and try getting the data that way. These can be picked up for next to nothing from Ebay/Amazon. Hopefully, as mentioned, if the drive is spinning, you may be able to retrieve the data.
     
    Full-English, Oct 23, 2011
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  11. Jarhead

    Jarhead 恋の♡アカサタナ

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    This is all you need for getting the data off. I have a Thermaltake BlacX, which is basically the same as this. I use it for the stock 500GB HDD that came with my W520 and together with this dock, it's a nice external HDD for my video/picture/data storage.
     
    Jarhead, Oct 23, 2011
    #11