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Question

Transferring files from a hard drive with a virus

by Oct 6, 2012 4:25AM PDT

Hello all. I just got a new laptop and am looking to transfer some files from my old hard drive to my new one. Problem is, my old hard drive was infected pretty badly. I'm pretty sure it caused the crash of my old laptop (bad enough that when I start it, it can't find the operating system).

The only thing I want to get off the old hard drive are all my music and pictures. I know 100% that there are no malicious files in my music or photos folders.

My question is what would be the best software to purchase to be able to pick and choose files? I'm not looking to spend a lot on the process as the old hard drive might be totally wasted. Also, I would like if the software would be able to wipe the old hard drive clean afterwards so I could make use of it.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Discussion is locked

4 Posts
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Answer
Should be fine.
by Former Forum moderator Oct 6, 2012 5:26AM PDT

Your new laptop should have an antivirus which most scan the files as they are read in.

-> There is NO SOFTWARE that does all this for you. Are you asking for some custom app that does what you can do without said custom software?
Bob

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by mck88 Oct 7, 2012 1:22AM PDT

Thank you for the response. My question is, what is the best, easiest, cheapest way to transfer the files over from the old hard drive to the new hard drive?

I specified being able to pick out individual files/folders and not the entire contents of the old hard drive, because the virus on the old hard drive is a really nasty one that was unable to be removed by the virus protection I had at the time.

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Cheapest is to use Explorer.
by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Oct 7, 2012 2:15AM PDT

And copy your files to their new folders.

There is no know app to do what you asked automatically. It's done all the time manually.
Bob

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Ok grest
by mck88 Oct 7, 2012 2:29AM PDT

Great. Explorer it shall be. I figured I'd be doing it all manually which I'm fine with. I just didnt know what exactly to use as their seems to be a lot of options but it's pretty hard to tell what the good ones are without personal recommendations. Now I just have to hope the old hard drive isn't fried. Thanks again for your help.

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