Dead Laptop

[badgermark]

My laptop is dead :( it resuses to boot up at all now.

I'm not too bothered, means i get a new one... But is there any way to get the data off the hard drive? 90% of my cds are backed up on it, along with uni work and photos. Anyone know of a method to extract my precious hard drive?

[froglord]

I've never done this, but in theory you should be able dismantle the laptop, plug the hard drive into a spare IDE or SATA connector on a desktop PC, boot, then just copy the files off.

In practice, it might be more difficult.

There are also professional data recovery companies that might be able to do it for you, but I don't know how much they'll charge.

[Shag101]

I agree.  If you are getting no power at all the power supply probably fried, meaning the HD should still be good.  If your getting another laptop then you'll have to copy the files over since you really cant fit (2) HD's in a laptop.  If your getting a desktop you have (2) choices.  The IDE "I'm guessing you have IDE" cable should have 3 or more connections to plug something into it.  One goes to the motherboard, the other goes to a HD set to primary and the other goes to a HD set to slave.  You can pick which one you want to set to what.  Set the new HD to master and your 2nd HD with the music to slave and copy over or set the new HD to slave and set you old HD to master.  Doing it this way you will use your old HD as you use to and format the new HD as extra storage.
If you are getting another laptop, I would invest in a USB to IDE cable -w- the power attached "Like 15 bucks USD off ebay".  You can connect your old HD to the laptops usb port and copy the files you want over.  Then you could format your old HD and us it as extra storage.  If you over a friends house and they have a lot of great music you want, pull out your HD and cable and copy away.  ......chris