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retrieving files from hard drive

8 years ago

I did it..... recycled an old computer, but saved the hard drive. Now I find I want some of the files off that hard drive. Can I get them without spending an arm and a leg?

Featured Answer

mikie_gw

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

If a tower home desktop just put the drive in as a 2nd hard drive...

Or additionally you can buy a hard drive dock or usb adapter cable & or hard drive enclosure for it and have it as a portable external drive... or perhaps plug it into your router too would be possible as a network drive... with usb, or even an Ethernet adapter.

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Comments (7)

Elmer J Fudd
8 years ago
I'm sorry you didn't think of doing that before separating it from the mother ship.
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Thanks everyone. Lots of useful methods. Mikie - it's good to know about moving entire folders (I don't have my video's in folders - yet - but am just discovering how useful that would be for shows I've recorded for a few seasons - having them altogether). I'd like to double check and ask what "a cmd window" is - and how I'd get there. Again - I have Windows XP (SP3). Sorry to say, Mikie, but I also need more explanation for what "make a shortcut to the destination , within the folder the files are in... then select a bunch of what I want to move, cut&paste onto the shortcut" means. I know someday I'll understand all of this, but I don't know how to make a shortcut to the destination. And once I cut and paste onto the shortcut, what do I do with it? Absolutely there are some big files - so I'm glad to told me to break it up into smaller chunks. I have so far. Thank you. Lynn.
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ruobet55
Original Author
8 years ago
Me, too......
kudzu9
8 years ago
At least you saved the hard drive...I usually smash mine with a sledgehammer ;-)
User
8 years ago
Something like this works very well and is inexpensive: Rosewill IDE/SATA to USB Converter Your Drive can be an 3.5 or 2.5" IDE Drive or SATA Drive. I've been using one of these for years, much easier than opening up the computer. I usually use it to try and retrieve files for people when their computers crash!

Like Snidely stated; best to have it still in the old computer hooked to the original mother ship! But in my case that's not always possible! This IMO is the next best and cheapest option! You never install the drive back into a computer, it does come with Protective Silicon Cases for Standard or Laptop Hard Drives.
Elmer J Fudd
8 years ago
In addition to the cord adapter bugspop suggests, there are also hard drive docking stations that are sold for about $30. I'd probably favor using one of those, as some USB receptacles may or may not put out enough voltage for the drive connected through just a cord.
ruobet55
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks to all. I ordered a hard drive "thingie", can't think of the name. They only carry them for laptops, and don't have the pc ones in the store!

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