[Resolved] Can I save old W7 files with my AIO W10 desktop

[mij]

The title says it all really. My old W7 desktop gave up the ghost and I replaced it with an all singing and dancing W10 AIO desktop. Can I get the personal files off it? I do not know whether it's the HDD or something else which is gone. Is there an easy way to tell?
Jim

 

[KenB]

Hi Jim,

Sorry for the slow response - I don't know how I missed your post

The easiest way to get at the files - if it is actually possible - is to take the hard drive out of the case and connect it to your new machine.

Let's do this one stage at a time.
Firstly you will need to take the hard drive out of the case.
Unplug the case from the wall socket if it is still connected.

Then take the side panel off.
To do this you will need a cross-head screwdriver.
Not all cases are the same so you will need to play this by ear.



This shows a hard drive in the case. [ not all pull out like this one ]
Pull the cables from the drive connectors
You may need the screwdriver again to undo 4 screws that may be holding it in place.

If you are having problems let me have the make and model number of the Win7 computer.

 

[mij]

Hi KenB.
I did not need to start a new thread as I forgot this one still existed.
I did note that it arrived a day earlier than forecast, was cheaper from there and no fiddling to avoid "P-------"
The disk reader came in this mornings post. It looks like an obvious procedure and connection to me but I am getting forgetful these days so will await instructions .

 

[KenB]

Hi Jim

It is quite straightforward.
Once you have taken the hard drive out of the old case it is a simple matter of carefully placing it into the new enclosure
and slide it up to make the connection inside the enclosure.

The foam pads are to stop the hard drive moving around inside the enclosure.

Once you have it connected up and the cover put back on you will need to connect the cables.



Connect the Data Cable from the enclosure to a USB port on your new computer.

Then connect the Power Cable to the enclosure and then plug into the wall socket.

There is nothing else to do.
As long as there is nothing wrong with the old hard drive you can treat it as a memory stick.

You should be able to see it when you click on the "File" logo at the bottom of the screen.
Failing that - type ...file... into the Search box bottom left of screen and hit Enter key.

Your enclosure should show up as a letter D: or E: possibly.
If you click on the new drive letter you should be able to navigate around and find the files you want to recover.

 

[mij]

Hello KenB.
I have tried this ad the hd does not show up at all. I presume that was the cause of the W7 computer not working then. Ah well, I have another bit of kit now
Jim.

 

[KenB]

Sorry to hear that Jim
There was no other way to try to access the drive.

 

[mij]

Hi KenB, perhaps I am going too fast here. I have an old 80 GB hd here and I tried reading it and it did not show. I know there is nothing on the disk so is there something wrong with the process or the equipment? I got the disk as a replacement awhile back but never fitted it. Shouldn't it show that there is nothing on the disk?
Jim.

 

[KenB]

Hi Jim

Are you sure that the hard drive is connected properly inside the enclosure?

When you connect it up to the computer - do you get any sound [computer recognising a device has been plugged in] ?

It may be that the hard drive needs formatting.
To check ....
Connect it up to the computer
then....
In the search box type in ..... dskmgmt.msc ..... hit Enter
You will see something like this:


Disk 0 is your main disk that has the operating system on.

Disk 1 is my external hard drive.
If yours shows up it may say "Unallocated" - this could be Disk 1 or Disk 2


If you get this far could you post a Screen Shot or photo of what you see please ?

 

[mij]

Hi KenB and thanks for posting.
It is not very encouraging. I get no De doink from the computer when it connects up like it does when anything else (like the camera) is connected and switched on.
I have not tried pasting a screen print in a post before but here goes. This is what I got when I put in the "as new" bought a few years back 80 GB hard drive - it has not been formatted. It is the exact same thing when I try it with W7 hd.
Jim.

 

[KenB]

No external drive showing Jim - not good.

I got the disk as a replacement awhile back but never fitted it.

If this is a new disk - as you say - then it should show up when connected to the enclosure.

Conclusion?
Faulty enclosure.

Contact the seller and tell them you have tried two hard drives [ one new ] in it without success.
Exchange or money back.

These things usually work straight out of the box.
If they don't it could be due to the power supply [power cable] or internal circuit board.
Either way - return it.

 

[mij]

Hi KenB, thanks for coming back again.
The supply was worth checking so I checked it was putting out something. It was 12.5something Volts so that was ok. I also tried another hd of 500 GB in it and got the same results so - back it will have to go. To the auction site -it looked so good in the box as well. Ah well you lose some-you win some.
jim.

 

[KenB]

You could try a replacement ?
These enclosures are usually quite reliable.

 

[mij]

Yes KenB, it looked ever so good in its box. perhaps they will suggest a replacement.
Jim.

 

[KenB]

Let me know when you are ready to go again

 

[mij]

Thanks KenB.
I have another hard drive case which seems to work - the light shows and it plays a de de de doink as it is switched on.

I think my memory is playing tricks because the 80Gb hd seems to have images from the camera. From a course completed a few years back. So it must have come from an old computer.

One other hd (a Seagate Barracuda capacity 1000GB) has little on it but warns that it needs a scan. I do not know how to do that in W10.

The hd that must have come from the computer that went caput (its capacity is 500GB, also a Seagate) does no dedoink when the button is pressed but ticks 4 times then misses a beat then 4 more - like an old gramophone record gone wrong.
Jim.

 

[KenB]

The hd that must have come from the computer that went caput (its capacity is 500GB, also a Seagate) does no dedoink when the button is pressed but ticks 4 times then misses a beat then 4 more - like an old gramophone record gone wrong.

Oh dear - not good news [ as you have probably gathered ]
The ticking noise is made by the moving arm [ that holds the read/write head ] bouncing back to the stop.
It is known as the "click of death"
Your hard drive is dead I am afraid. The head cannot read any data from the drive.

The other two drives seem to be ok.
You can treat the enclosure as a memory stick and search it in the usual way.

Any photos etc that you find can be transferred to the actual hard drive in the computer.

Once you have everything off the external hard drive that you want you can format it and use it for additional storeage / backup.
If you do format it - you will lose ALL data on the drive.

Let me know if you need any more help.

================

but warns that it needs a scan. I do not know how to do that in W10.

Put the hard drive into the enclosure and connect up.
Click on the Files icon [ bottom of screen ]
Your external hard drive should be showing as a letter [ :E or :F possibly ] [ C: is your main hard drive ]
Right click on the drive letter of the external drive
you will see something like this...



Your anti-virus should show here.
Mine says "Scan with ESET internet security"
Click on it and follow the onscreen instructions.

It may take a while if you have a big drive.

 

[mij]

Hi KenB,
It is an end to my quest to recover the W7 files from the hd
I really do not need any more external memory as I have a Samsung external drive and a couple of thumb sticks that I do not use. Perhaps they might be better employed as back-ups
Thanks for all the help KenB, I assume this is now solved.
Jim.

 

[KenB]

Not really "solved" Jim - more "resolved".
I am sorry that you cannot get at your data.

A specialst firm could access that drive but it would cost you around £300 for them to do it.

 

[mij]

Hi KenB.
Yeah, I should have backed up since I was using an old computer. Never mind it was a only few photos and a copy of our household accounts, the latter which I can duplicate anyway.
Cheers for now and thanks again for all your help.
Jim.

 

[KenB]

You are welcome Jim