Data Recovery

[Golddoor]

My laptop quit working becuase the plug in jack broke inside and it wont turn on or charge the battery. I got a new laptop and I need to recover the data and files from my old laptop. Is that something I can do my self or would I need to seek a profesional? How much does it cost to get some thing done like that? And what about personal info? Im a little leary about just turning over my laptop to someone I dont know and letting them have access to my personal info!

[rjfvillarosa]

Have you got access to a desktop computer or external harddrive?

[Golddoor]

No I dont have access to a PC. External Harddrive? Not sure whats that?

[rjfvillarosa]

If you could get access to another PC you could slave the harddrive from your old laptop into the PC and recover the files that way.
Here is a laptop to PC harddrive adaptor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812203012
What make and model is your old laptop and what make and model is your new laptop?

[glc]

To do it yourself, you will need to remove the hard drive and use a USB adapter to connect it to the new laptop to copy over your files.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?inv...-U2IDE&cat=HDD

To have a pro do it, it will probably be about 75 bucks.

[Golddoor]

Originally Posted by rjfvillarosa If you could get access to another PC you could slave the harddrive from your old laptop into the PC and recover the files that way. Here is a laptop to PC harddrive adaptor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812203012 What make and model is your old laptop and what make and model is your new laptop?

Ok thanks! My old one is an Compaq Armada M700 and the new is a HP pavilian.

[Golddoor]

Originally Posted by glc To do it yourself, you will need to remove the hard drive and use a USB adapter to connect it to the new laptop to copy over your files. http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?inv...-U2IDE&cat=HDD To have a pro do it, it will probably be about 75 bucks.

Can I just buy this cord and pull out the old hard drive and plug it in to my new one? Is it that easy?

[rjfvillarosa]

These adaptor cables really are that easy.

The Hi-Speed USB interface provides for easy installation with its Plug and Play design.The adapter supports all existing IDE/ATAPI devices such as a CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD-ROM and 2.5 and 3.5 IDE hard drives

They come complete with a power supply for the harddrive so you just pull the old one from your laptop and connect it up.

[glc]

No, you don't exactly put the old hard drive INTO the new laptop - you connect the drive to this adapter cable and plug this adapter cable into a USB port. The hardest part of this job is figuring out how to get the hard drive out of the old laptop and out of its caddy. Small Phillips screwdriver undoubtedly will be required.

[Redo40]

If you want to gain some experience, after you recover your files, go to ebay and get a couple (in case you mess up one) of dc jacks for the compaq and fix it. They are cheap for that model, shipping and all is around $6 per part. It will be an experience, you have to take the laptop completely apart to do it.