computer q

have got 2 old hard drives from a laptop which died couple of years ago.

is there anyway to get info of them?

think all my old bike pics are on them.

i know you can get boxes to fit them into as external hard drive as got one guy at work sorted it for me but as left now.

but wouldn't know what type to get.

or even if i could get usb cable to fit them.

not good with comps would normally speak to eldest but in japan at min.

PC world or Curry’s may not be the cheapest, but taking them along and asking for the right kit for the job should get you the right box - as long as you find someone there who knows a bit about these things.

My first question when I arrive is usually to ask for someone able to help with the problem. They are not all sharp with these items and the onus on providing the correct box is passed to them.

Providing they are not corrupted in any way, it is easy to get the data off them.

Depending on what you want to copy them on to, and as by your own admission you are not particularly computer savvy it may be simpler to engage the services of your local one man band computer fixer, everywhere now has one of those, and get him to copy the data over to the new storage medium of your choice (desktop, laptop, external hard drive etc).

If you still have the laptop then pull out the HD connectors

Then find out what they are called

Then search ebay etc for same connections at one end and usb/sata/ide connectors at other end so you can plug them into a working unit

One problem may be master/slave jump switches, you should configure as slave if you are piggybacking onto an IDE/sata

USB is simplest route if you can find it

Good luck with that for a man that says he is 'not good with comps'

HD connection is IDE, try this:- **LINK**

Regards Ian.

If you do a search for 2.5" IDE external drive case, you will likely come up with something like this for not much money. (other sources are available ).

Pretty much plug and play, your host PC should automatically assign a drive letter for it, but note that the USB connection lead appears to be a splitter.

It's not, the single end goes into the external caddy, and the double end needs both plugging into two adjacent USB ports on the host computer. Only one carries data, but the other allows for additional power to be drawn, as USB only supports a limited current output to power external devices.

Make sure your Antivirus/spyware is up to date before plugging in your external case, scan the drive before otherwise accessing it, and maybe even work offline initially to be even safer.

Copy your data as required, and then use your new-found external drive as an off-site backup for your data, or as an operating system image for emergencies.

Bill

circlip-Ian, looks like we were typing at the same time, I just picked the next item as they had better feedback 

Edited By peak4 on 21/06/2018 11:35:39

Double indemnity Bill. Replaced a HD a few years ago in SWTSMBO Lappy that I thought had expired, no it hadn't so I "Won" an external storage drive. New drive still cost ME.

Regards Ian.

thanks for all help.

have beat up old desktop i keep bike plans and pics on so will put on that rather than laptop.

If you already have an old desktop it might be possible to plug your hard drives in as second drives. Then you don't need to buy anything at all, take the side off and see if there is a spare plug

huh?

my kids clapped when i worked out how to defrag laptop no hope of opening one up and playing inside it.

Buy a hard drive caddy off Ebay , Aliexpress Bangood, Amazon etc, they even have them in Currys , PC world etc. . puit the hard drive in it and you have an external hard drive to play with. Just plugs into USB sockets

Or see posts six and seven above

One question i have is how did the old laptops die ? It may be the case that the hard drive itself has died if it is dead getting anything off it is not possible . I have killed a few drives in laptops , some from rough handling others just dopied suddenly for no apparent reason .

I tend to sway towards what ndiy recommended with taking them to a local pc guy and asking how much they will charge to copy the files to a usb drive for you and that way all you have to do is stick the drive in a usb port and open the files you want to view . if you do get them copied to a usb stick you can then burn them to cd for a permanent copy that cant be erased or deleted .

If the lost data is really important there are a number of specialists able to go the full monty on disk recovery. Far beyond anything your typical local PC guy might do, clever though he might be.

Unlikely to be cheap. Worth it if the disk contains the only copy of your company payroll, or the draft of the next Harry Potter.

Dave

I have got data off an IDE drive with a USB caddy, cost, iirc, about £15. With a caddy the disc acts like a USB drive.

Regards

Richard.

Mick70, whereabouts in the country are you? Anywhere near Buxton Derbyshire?

Bill

Or even the first reply!

And that!

Duncan Webster's suggestion is by far the best and costs nothing. If you don't have the confidence to do it yourself, stand outside your house, grab the first teenager you see by the scruff of the neck and tell him what you need him to do.