Bennysweelry
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If your solid state disk fails, there is still hope. Laptop drive data recovery
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Notebook drive data recovery
- Thread starter Bennysweelry
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Who Replied?3 Ways to Recover Data from the Hard Drive of a Dead Laptop
How to Recover Data from the Hard Drive of a Dead Laptop
When a computers dies due to a software failure rather than a hardware problem, its files remain inaccessible but intact on the hard drive. To recover data from the hard drive of a dead Windows, Mac, or Linux notebook, follow one of the methods below.
How to Recover Data from the Hard Drive of a Dead Laptop
When a computers dies due to a software failure rather than a hardware problem, its files remain inaccessible but intact on the hard drive. To recover data from the hard drive of a dead Windows, Mac, or Linux notebook, follow one of the methods below.
Method 1 of 3: Turn Your Old Hard Drive into an External Hard Drive (Windows, Mac, Linux)
1
Get a hard drive disk enclosure. This is an external system into which you can place a computer’s hard drive in order to run it on another computer via a USB port; essentially, the enclosure will turn your laptop’s hard drive into an external hard drive. Different computers use different hard drive models, so be sure to check your dead laptop’s specifications before making this purchase. Ex. If your laptop has a 2.5 SATA drive, you will need a 2.5 SATA USB enclosure.
Borrow a working computer that is compatible with your old one. If you had a Windows, use another Windows; if you had a Mac, use another Mac; etc. Make sure it has enough space to accommodate the files you want to recover from the dead laptop; alternatively, you can hook a second external hard drive up to the working computer and simply use the computer as a transfer system for the files.
Mac users can insert a Windows hard drive into their computer and be able to read (not write) the contents of their hard drive if they did not install a seperate driver, for example NTFS-3G or Paragon NTFS. Take caution, though, and only use Disk Utility during the process to "mount" the hard drive. Any other action you make on Disk Utility may remove contents.
4
Remove the hard drive from the dead laptop. Turn off the laptop, unplug it, and remove the battery. Turn it over and you’ll see that various sections of the laptop base can be unscrewed and removed seperately. Either look up your laptop model online to see exactly where the hard drive sits or simply look for the most likely candidate: though it differs between laptops, a laptop hard drive is often similar in size and shape to a 3.5-inch floppy disk. Unscrew the hard drive cover and remove the hard drive. Some models will pop upwards, some will slide outwards, etc.
5
Remove the disk enclosure’s connector plate and insert it into the hard drive interface. Look for connector pins at one end of the drive to see where to make this connection.
6
Insert the hard drive into the enclosure. Screw it shut if necessary; read the enclosure manual for additional details.
7
Connect the external hard drive to the working computer via a USB cable. Make sure the computer is turned on. Once the drive is connected, an icon should appear on your desktop (Mac) or a notification should pop up (Windows). The computer might also open the drive for you automatically.
8
Explore and salvage your old files. Transfer them to either the working computer or to a second external hard drive by copying and pasting, clicking and dragging, etc. If you have a lot of large files (ex. songs, movies), note that the transfer could take many hours.
9
When you’re done, close the window to your hard drive. The good news is that the dead computer is still physically intact and will probably work fine if you reinstall your operating system.
10
Right-click the USB icon and select Eject. You can now detach the old hard drive.
1
Get a hard drive disk enclosure. This is an external system into which you can place a computer’s hard drive in order to run it on another computer via a USB port; essentially, the enclosure will turn your laptop’s hard drive into an external hard drive. Different computers use different hard drive models, so be sure to check your dead laptop’s specifications before making this purchase. Ex. If your laptop has a 2.5 SATA drive, you will need a 2.5 SATA USB enclosure.
- Unless you have a SATA drive, be sure to buy a laptop-sized disk enclosure; only SATA-ready enclosures can accommodate both desktop and laptop hard drives.
- Note that disk enclosures aren’t commonly found in big-box stores and are usually purchased online.
Borrow a working computer that is compatible with your old one. If you had a Windows, use another Windows; if you had a Mac, use another Mac; etc. Make sure it has enough space to accommodate the files you want to recover from the dead laptop; alternatively, you can hook a second external hard drive up to the working computer and simply use the computer as a transfer system for the files.
- A Linux computer will be able to read files off of a Windows computer (but not the other way around); unless you understand both systems, however, it is best to use a Windows computer to recover a Windows hard drive.
Mac users can insert a Windows hard drive into their computer and be able to read (not write) the contents of their hard drive if they did not install a seperate driver, for example NTFS-3G or Paragon NTFS. Take caution, though, and only use Disk Utility during the process to "mount" the hard drive. Any other action you make on Disk Utility may remove contents.
4
Remove the hard drive from the dead laptop. Turn off the laptop, unplug it, and remove the battery. Turn it over and you’ll see that various sections of the laptop base can be unscrewed and removed seperately. Either look up your laptop model online to see exactly where the hard drive sits or simply look for the most likely candidate: though it differs between laptops, a laptop hard drive is often similar in size and shape to a 3.5-inch floppy disk. Unscrew the hard drive cover and remove the hard drive. Some models will pop upwards, some will slide outwards, etc.
5
Remove the disk enclosure’s connector plate and insert it into the hard drive interface. Look for connector pins at one end of the drive to see where to make this connection.
- If you have an IDE hard drive, note that there is a detachable adaptor sitting over the interface. Simply pull this adaptor off so that the drive will properly connect with the enclosure’s connector plate.
6
Insert the hard drive into the enclosure. Screw it shut if necessary; read the enclosure manual for additional details.
7
Connect the external hard drive to the working computer via a USB cable. Make sure the computer is turned on. Once the drive is connected, an icon should appear on your desktop (Mac) or a notification should pop up (Windows). The computer might also open the drive for you automatically.
- If Windows doesn’t automatically prompt you about the new external storage unit, simply open it manually by going to My Computer and looking for the new drive.
- If the hard drive isn’t recognized at first, try ejecting it and plugging it back in.
- If the hard drive is not readable, it’s likely that the hard drive itself (and not your computer’s software) failed. If this is the case, you will need professional assistance if you wish to continue the salvage. Be warned that this can be very expensive.
8
Explore and salvage your old files. Transfer them to either the working computer or to a second external hard drive by copying and pasting, clicking and dragging, etc. If you have a lot of large files (ex. songs, movies), note that the transfer could take many hours.
9
When you’re done, close the window to your hard drive. The good news is that the dead computer is still physically intact and will probably work fine if you reinstall your operating system.
10
Right-click the USB icon and select Eject. You can now detach the old hard drive.
Method 2 of 3: Plug Your Old Hard Drive into a Desktop Computer (Windows, Linux)
1
Get a laptop hard drive adapter kit. This will allow you to plug your laptop’s hard drive directly into a compatible desktop computer. Different computers use different hard drive models, so be sure to check your dead laptop’s specifications before making this purchase. Ex. If your laptop has a 2.5 SATA drive, you will need a 2.5 SATA adapter.
2
Borrow a working desktop computer that is compatible with your old one. If you had a Windows, use another Windows; if you had a Linux, use another Linux; etc. Make sure it has enough space to accommodate the files you want to recover from the dead laptop; alternatively, you can hook a second external hard drive up to the working computer and simply use the computer as a transfer system for the files.
3
Remove the hard drive from the dead laptop. Turn off the laptop, unplug it, and remove the battery. Turn it over and you’ll see that various sections of the laptop base can be unscrewed and removed separately. Either look up your laptop model online to see exactly where the hard drive sits or simply look for the most likely candidate: though it differs between laptops, a laptop hard drive is often similar in size and shape to a 3.5-inch floppy disk. Unscrew the hard drive cover and remove the hard drive. Some models will pop upwards, some will slide outwards, etc.
4
Turn off your desktop computer, unplug it, and open the tower. You will use the adapter kit to plug the old hard drive directly into the motherboard.
5
Connect the dead drive to the working computer using your drive adapter. How you do this will depend on your drive and adapter types, so use the instructions that came with the kit.
6
Configure your desktop to recognize the new drive. Plug your desktop back in, power it on, and open BIOS. Go to Standard CMOS Settings or IDE Config, where you will find four settings involving master and slave settings. Change all four fields to auto-detection.
7
Exit BIOS and reboot. You desktop should now automatically detect the new hardware.
8
Open the new hard drive. If you’re using Windows, go to My Computer and look for the new hard drive. With Linux, the new drive will appear in the dev directory.
9
Explore and salvage your old files. Transfer them to either the working computer or to the external hard drive by copying and pasting, clicking and dragging, etc. If you have a lot of large files (ex. songs, movies), note that the transfer could take many hours.
10
Turn off and unplug the desktop to uninstall the hard drive (if desired). Since the hard drive is physically intact, it will probably work fine in the old laptop if you reinstall your operating system.
1
Get a laptop hard drive adapter kit. This will allow you to plug your laptop’s hard drive directly into a compatible desktop computer. Different computers use different hard drive models, so be sure to check your dead laptop’s specifications before making this purchase. Ex. If your laptop has a 2.5 SATA drive, you will need a 2.5 SATA adapter.
2
Borrow a working desktop computer that is compatible with your old one. If you had a Windows, use another Windows; if you had a Linux, use another Linux; etc. Make sure it has enough space to accommodate the files you want to recover from the dead laptop; alternatively, you can hook a second external hard drive up to the working computer and simply use the computer as a transfer system for the files.
- A Linux computer will be able to read files off of a Windows computer (but not the other way around); unless you understand both systems, however, it is best to use a Windows computer to recover a Windows hard drive.
3
Remove the hard drive from the dead laptop. Turn off the laptop, unplug it, and remove the battery. Turn it over and you’ll see that various sections of the laptop base can be unscrewed and removed separately. Either look up your laptop model online to see exactly where the hard drive sits or simply look for the most likely candidate: though it differs between laptops, a laptop hard drive is often similar in size and shape to a 3.5-inch floppy disk. Unscrew the hard drive cover and remove the hard drive. Some models will pop upwards, some will slide outwards, etc.
- If your laptop has an IDE hard drive, note that there is a detachable adaptor sitting over the hard drive interface. Simply pull this adaptor off so that the interface is accessible later.
4
Turn off your desktop computer, unplug it, and open the tower. You will use the adapter kit to plug the old hard drive directly into the motherboard.
5
Connect the dead drive to the working computer using your drive adapter. How you do this will depend on your drive and adapter types, so use the instructions that came with the kit.
- If you have an IDE drive, configure it to “slave” mode before connecting it to the IDE ribbon. The configuration should be noted on the hard drive itself and will involve moving a plastic cap over a particular pin or set of pins (aka “jumpers”) on the hard drive interface. Configuring it to slave mode will keep your laptop hard drive from competing with the desktop’s “master” hard drive during bootup.
6
Configure your desktop to recognize the new drive. Plug your desktop back in, power it on, and open BIOS. Go to Standard CMOS Settings or IDE Config, where you will find four settings involving master and slave settings. Change all four fields to auto-detection.
7
Exit BIOS and reboot. You desktop should now automatically detect the new hardware.
8
Open the new hard drive. If you’re using Windows, go to My Computer and look for the new hard drive. With Linux, the new drive will appear in the dev directory.
- If the hard drive is not readable, it’s likely that the hard drive itself (and not your computer’s software) failed. If this is the case, you will need professional assistance if you wish to continue the salvage. Be warned that this can be very expensive.
9
Explore and salvage your old files. Transfer them to either the working computer or to the external hard drive by copying and pasting, clicking and dragging, etc. If you have a lot of large files (ex. songs, movies), note that the transfer could take many hours.
10
Turn off and unplug the desktop to uninstall the hard drive (if desired). Since the hard drive is physically intact, it will probably work fine in the old laptop if you reinstall your operating system.
Method 3 of 3: Access Your Old Files through Another Computer (Mac Only)
1
Get a FireWire cable. Buy a new one for anywhere between $5 and $20 or borrow one from a friend.
2
Borrow a working Mac. Make sure the Mac has enough space to accommodate the files you want to recover from the dead laptop; alternatively, you can hook an external hard drive up to the working Mac and simply use the Mac as a transfer system for the files.
3
Connect the dead Mac to the working Mac using the FireWire cable. Make sure that the working Mac is turned off when you do this.
4
As you power up the working Mac, press the T key until the FireWire icon appears. This starts the computer in “Target Mode,” meaning that the working Mac will give you access to the targeted computer’s master drive in addition to its own.
5
Find and open the dead computer’s hard drive on your Mac’s desktop. If the targeted drive does not appear on the desktop, the damage to your old computer is likely physical, meaning you will need professional assistance to finish the salvage. Be warned that this can be very expensive.
6
Salvage your old files. Transfer them to either the working Mac or to the external hard drive by copying and pasting, clicking and dragging, etc. If you have a lot of large files (ex. songs, movies), note that the transfer could take many hours.
7
When you’re done, close the window to your hard drive. The good news is that the dead computer is still physically intact and will probably work fine if you reinstall your operating system.
8
Right-click the targeted drive and select Eject. You can now detach the dead computer.
1
Get a FireWire cable. Buy a new one for anywhere between $5 and $20 or borrow one from a friend.
2
Borrow a working Mac. Make sure the Mac has enough space to accommodate the files you want to recover from the dead laptop; alternatively, you can hook an external hard drive up to the working Mac and simply use the Mac as a transfer system for the files.
3
Connect the dead Mac to the working Mac using the FireWire cable. Make sure that the working Mac is turned off when you do this.
4
As you power up the working Mac, press the T key until the FireWire icon appears. This starts the computer in “Target Mode,” meaning that the working Mac will give you access to the targeted computer’s master drive in addition to its own.
- If you use OS X 10.4: Turn on your computer normally, go to System Preferences > Startup Disk > Target Mode. Then, reboot your computer to start it in Target Mode.
5
Find and open the dead computer’s hard drive on your Mac’s desktop. If the targeted drive does not appear on the desktop, the damage to your old computer is likely physical, meaning you will need professional assistance to finish the salvage. Be warned that this can be very expensive.
6
Salvage your old files. Transfer them to either the working Mac or to the external hard drive by copying and pasting, clicking and dragging, etc. If you have a lot of large files (ex. songs, movies), note that the transfer could take many hours.
7
When you’re done, close the window to your hard drive. The good news is that the dead computer is still physically intact and will probably work fine if you reinstall your operating system.
8
Right-click the targeted drive and select Eject. You can now detach the dead computer.
[h=2]Tips[/h]
[h=2]Warnings[/h]
- If you suspect your old laptop failed due to a virus, be sure to scan the old hard drive with antivirus software before moving any of your files to a working computer.
- If you decide not to put the laptop hard drive back into the old laptop, you can always allow it to remain as an external hard drive or a desktop’s slave drive permanently.
[h=2]Warnings[/h]
- In Linux, be sure to mount the file system as read-only before attempting. NTFS file systems can only be opened by default in read-only mode without additional packages.