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General discussion

Getting data from interntal hard drive removed from computer

Oct 14, 2010 6:09AM PDT

My desktop computer died and I have removed the internal hard drive with the hope of transferring that data on to my portable hard drive. Is there a product out there I can buy that will allow me to plug the internal hard drive into it then transfer it to my portable hard drive?

Discussion is locked

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Re: drive
Oct 14, 2010 6:17AM PDT

There are 2 things you can buy:
1. A case for an external drive (connects to your USB). Details depend on it being SATA or IDE 3.5" (IDE 2.5" is used in laptop), because it must have right connections and size. An externally powered on (with a power adaptor, so not on USB-power) is recommended.
2. A STA-IDE to USB cable.

The first is the best if you plan to use this drive (or any drive) in the future. A cable is OK if it's for one time use. It doesn't protect the drive for later use.

Once the drive is connected it's like you get an "access denied" error on certain files. Then find out how to TAKE OWNERSHIP using the OS on the computer it's connected to.

Kees

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Getting data from interntal hard drive removed from computer
Oct 14, 2010 8:54AM PDT

Hi Kees,

Would you happen to know the name of a product or two that can do this? Thanks for your quick reply on that initial post!

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Re: products
Oct 14, 2010 7:36PM PDT

Let me first correct a typo: it should be SATA/IDE to USB cable.

For both gadgets I just picked the first good google hit to give you an idea. If you have a local computershop, you can try there also, of course. Any other Internet-shop would be OK also. As I said, this is just to give you an idea.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3ASATA%20hard%20disk%20enclosure&page=1

There's no obvious quality difference between different brands. If it works, it works.

Kees

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Possible device
Oct 16, 2010 6:34PM PDT

Google for ADA-2020 adapter. This has worked for me. If you mean by "portable" as in laptop, you will need to explain that. Othwerwise, connect adapter setup from old HD, then to system. If you mean yet another ext. HD as being portable, retrieve from saved folder(on another system) rather than swapping from adapter to ext. HD, it would be slow otherwsie, but the choice is yours.

tada -----Willy Happy

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I agree with Kees_B...esp suggestion 1
Oct 17, 2010 1:01AM PDT

"1. A case for an external drive (connects to your USB). Details depend on it being SATA or IDE 3.5" (IDE 2.5" is used in laptop), because it must have right connections and size. An externally powered on (with a power adaptor, so not on USB-power) is recommended."

It will help you get the data you want off the drives and allow you to use the device thereafter for secondary or portable storage.

VAPCMD