Here are some more thoughts from a demented mind in Central Florida: I just bought an Acer with Windows Vista, to make up for my old eMachine crapping out last month. I don't believe that the eMachine will start up again. However, there is a boatload of files that I want to get off of the hard drive and put on my new computer's hard drive (noting, of course, that the old hard drive runs a Windows XP, Service Pack 1). I don't think that I can get the old eMachine powered back up and re-booted, so a direct PC connection (discussed here)may be out of the question.
Is there someone I can temporarily hook up the old hard drive to the new computer and get all the stuff off of there? Without completely trashing the new computer?
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Why yes, I am both a musician and a lawyer. Thanks for asking. :)
Buy a hard drive enclosure for about $25. You put the HD in it, and then attach it to your new computer via USB. Very simple, very easy.
Also, you can probably run those "destroy hd" tools on it before disposing of it - or keep it as a handy method of backing up data (for non critical pain in the ass stuff - like put your CD ripped MP3s on it because you dont want to do it again but you could if you had to).
Do the sizes of the hard disk enclosure matter at all? Like, if I got a 3.5 inch enclosure, would smaller drives function or would I need to get an enclosure for each size?
for FLRockAndLaw ATA vs SATA, with pictures so you can compare.
What matters is the size of the connection, not the size of the enclosure. I have one that holds a CD-ROM or a hard drive - because both have an IDE connector. I use it for a DVD+RW drive that we used on Lise's old laptop since it doesn't have a DVD drive.
So - a 2.5" drive should work just fine assuming it has the same power connecter and drive connector as a 3.5" drive.
That said, check the return policy before buying in case I'm wrong
Here are some more thoughts from a demented mind in Central Florida: Sweet advice, y'all. Thanks!
I actually didn't want to wait for Amazon to deliver the sucker to me, so I went to a Circuit City this afternoon and got the ADS Tech USB 2.0 Basic HDKit (cheap plug, thumbs up!) because it handles both IDE/DMA drives and ATA drives... my old HP hard drive is a DMA drive, and this one has no problems with it. Got a bunch of files off of that old hard drive that I never expected to be able to get fixed. Cleaning that hard drive as we speak, and getting ready to transfer stuff from my ATA hard drive on my eMachines piece of crap.
Wouldn't have even thought to go this route without the W's. Thanks again!
Why yes, I am both a musician and a lawyer. Thanks for asking. :)
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