How to access a HD from a broken comp.

HPtallman · 03-23-2005, 03:00 AM

I have a hard drive from an old broken computer. My taxes are on it, but the computer does not work at all so I need to access the old hard drive files on my new computer. Does anyone know if this is possible and if so....how?

Thx

Yeti · 03-23-2005, 03:13 AM

Well, if the problem of your old computer wasn't the hard drive, you should be able to just pop it into the new computer and it should work just fine. Basically open up your old computer, disconnect all the wires/cables and take out the hard drive and open up your new computer put it in an empty bay, connect the IDE cable (the flat ribbon cable) and power cable (white 4 pin connector) and make sure the jumpers (those little rectangular things that connect pins) on the hard drive are set to slave. If you need more help or if this doesn't make any sense just let me know.

Blue · 03-23-2005, 05:53 AM

As told by Yeti

. Pop the old hard drive into your working pc as a secondary drive and you'll be able to browse its contents within the windows enviroment. Make sure to set the jumper on the back of the drive as slave and put it on the IDE chain as secondary and you should have no problems.

HPtallman · 03-23-2005, 12:26 PM

thanks for the replies. I took out the HD and I am ready to plut in in my new comp., but I'm still not sure about the switches to change it to slave? where are they located?

mgoldb2 · 03-23-2005, 12:33 PM

As shown in the picture the jumpers should be on the end of the harddrive. You will see something covering 2 of the pins. take that off and cover the 2 pins that stand for slave. Usually there a picture on the front of the harddrive that shows which 2 pins are for slave. If none of the pins are currently covered then you will need a jumper to cover the 2 pins needed for slave.

If you cant figure out which 2 pins to cover for slave. post what harddrive you have and am sure one of us will be able to tell you.

Bobo · 03-23-2005, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HPtallman

thanks for the replies. I took out the HD and I am ready to plut in in my new comp., but I'm still not sure about the switches to change it to slave? where are they located?

Or, you could get an IDE-->USB thing and make it external, if you don't want to risk messing up the new computer

HPtallman · 03-23-2005, 10:22 PM

Thanks for the replies. I did everything you all said. I put the jumper on slave and hooked up the IDE and power cables. I then turned on my computer, but the boot menu is not picking up the slave HD, and I cannot access windows with the slave plugged in!

I then looked on the back of my Master HD and on the jumper chart it had a selection for two jumpers for "Master with non-ATA compatible Slave. Is this what I need to do? I will have to find and extra jumper, but if I don't have to that would be nice!

thanks

**Praetor** · 03-24-2005, 01:35 AM

Quote:

I have a hard drive from an old broken computer. My taxes are on it, but the computer does not work at all so I need to access the old hard drive files on my new computer. Does anyone know if this is possible and if so....how?

Open the case, pop out the drive and pop it in the new computer

Quote:

As shown in the picture the jumpers should be on the end of the harddrive. You will see something covering 2 of the pins. take that off and cover the 2 pins that stand for slave. Usually there a picture on the front of the harddrive that shows which 2 pins are for slave. If none of the pins are currently covered then you will need a jumper to cover the 2 pins needed for slave.

Nice pic, generally speaking master if left most, followed by slave being 2nd left most pair

HPtallman · 03-24-2005, 02:49 AM

Thanks for the replies. I did everything you all said. I put the jumper on slave and hooked up the IDE and power cables. I then turned on my computer, but the boot menu is not picking up the slave HD, and I cannot access windows with the slave plugged in!

I then looked on the back of my Master HD and on the jumper chart it had a selection for two jumpers for "Master with non-ATA compatible Slave. Is this what I need to do? I will have to find and extra jumper, but if I don't have to that would be nice!

thanks

**Praetor** · 03-24-2005, 03:09 AM

Older mobos sometimes only allow master HDDs to boot so you can just use it on master (and set the other one to slave ... unconventional but not impossible)

Quote:

"Master with non-ATA compatible Slave. Is this what I need to do? I will have to find and extra jumper, but if I don't have to that would be nice!

You prolly dont need this

03-23-2005, 03:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
HPtallman Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 43	How to access a HD from a broken comp. I have a hard drive from an old broken computer. My taxes are on it, but the computer does not work at all so I need to access the old hard drive files on my new computer. Does anyone know if this is possible and if so....how? Thx

03-23-2005, 05:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
Blue VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: London Ontario Age: 35 Posts: 3,555	As told by Yeti . Pop the old hard drive into your working pc as a secondary drive and you'll be able to browse its contents within the windows enviroment. Make sure to set the jumper on the back of the drive as slave and put it on the IDE chain as secondary and you should have no problems. __________________ FOLDING FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND :F@H Team 44358

03-23-2005, 12:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
mgoldb2 VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Age: 25 Posts: 1,259	As shown in the picture the jumpers should be on the end of the harddrive. You will see something covering 2 of the pins. take that off and cover the 2 pins that stand for slave. Usually there a picture on the front of the harddrive that shows which 2 pins are for slave. If none of the pins are currently covered then you will need a jumper to cover the 2 pins needed for slave. If you cant figure out which 2 pins to cover for slave. post what harddrive you have and am sure one of us will be able to tell you. __________________ Acer A11912B 19"montior Aspire x-superalien case Asus k8t800 pro motherboard athlon 64 fx-55 2GB(2 of 1GB) of Geil DDR ram Geforce 6800 ultra 2 Seagate 200GB 7200RPM Model ST3200822A configure as RAID 0 1 DVDRW and 1 CDRW 3.5 drive sound blaster audigey2 zs logitech 2300 thx certified 2.1 speakers

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03-23-2005, 03:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
Yeti VIP Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 1,278	Well, if the problem of your old computer wasn't the hard drive, you should be able to just pop it into the new computer and it should work just fine. Basically open up your old computer, disconnect all the wires/cables and take out the hard drive and open up your new computer put it in an empty bay, connect the IDE cable (the flat ribbon cable) and power cable (white 4 pin connector) and make sure the jumpers (those little rectangular things that connect pins) on the hard drive are set to slave. If you need more help or if this doesn't make any sense just let me know.

03-23-2005, 12:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
HPtallman Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 43	thanks for the replies. I took out the HD and I am ready to plut in in my new comp., but I'm still not sure about the switches to change it to slave? where are they located?

03-23-2005, 10:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
HPtallman Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 43	Thanks for the replies. I did everything you all said. I put the jumper on slave and hooked up the IDE and power cables. I then turned on my computer, but the boot menu is not picking up the slave HD, and I cannot access windows with the slave plugged in! I then looked on the back of my Master HD and on the jumper chart it had a selection for two jumpers for "Master with non-ATA compatible Slave. Is this what I need to do? I will have to find and extra jumper, but if I don't have to that would be nice! thanks

03-24-2005, 02:49 AM	#9 (permalink)
HPtallman Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 43	Thanks for the replies. I did everything you all said. I put the jumper on slave and hooked up the IDE and power cables. I then turned on my computer, but the boot menu is not picking up the slave HD, and I cannot access windows with the slave plugged in! I then looked on the back of my Master HD and on the jumper chart it had a selection for two jumpers for "Master with non-ATA compatible Slave. Is this what I need to do? I will have to find and extra jumper, but if I don't have to that would be nice! thanks