Pulling data off a PC that won't boot.

[mramseyISU]

Ok this is for all of you IT guys. I have a laptop that gives me the blue screen of death when I try to boot it up. I have another computer and want to know how to get the stuff out of my documents on the one that won't boot. I really don't want to give best buy or somebody like that $100 to pull that stuff off before I do a system restore if I can help it.

 

[alarson]

Pop the hard drive out of the laptop (usually just a couple screws on the bottom), and get a SATA\IDE to usb adapter (like this: Amazon.com: Cables To Go 30504 USB 2.0 to IDE or Serial ATA Drive Adapter (Black): Electronics) or a USB 2.5" hard drive enclosure. Plug that all in to your computer and it should pop up like any other external drive.

Alternately, if your other computer is a desktop and you've got the open slots\cables (and you're comfortable popping that open), you can plug the hard drive directly in to it.

 

[mramseyISU]

Sweet.

That's exactly what I was looking for. Any idea if I could get one of those at radio shack or best buy?

 

[Iastfan112]

Ok this is for all of you IT guys. I have a laptop that gives me the blue screen of death when I try to boot it up. I have another computer and want to know how to get the stuff out of my documents on the one that won't boot. I really don't want to give best buy or somebody like that $100 to pull that stuff off before I do a system restore if I can help it.

I'd go for external enclosure like the ones shown here: (Make sure you chose the right interface. Depending on the age of the laptop it'll be IDE(old laptop) or SATA(newer, if its newer than 2008 its almost assuredly SATA).
Newegg.com - External Enclosures, External Hard Drive Enclosures

Make a choice based on the size of your laptop hard. As Ramsey said, open the bottom and take out the hard drive. Pop in into the enclosure and hook it up to your other computers usb. There's always a chance this won't work, if its your hard drive causing the BSODs, a bit unusual though.

 

[alarson]

Sweet.

That's exactly what I was looking for. Any idea if I could get one of those at radio shack or best buy?

Best buy should have at least one or the other... definitely the enclosures.

 

[mramseyISU]

Ok so I went and got a cord. I get a error that says I don't have permission to view the files, and the ones are want to copy are the only ones I can't view.

 

[brianhos]

Ok so I went and got a cord. I get a error that says I don't have permission to view the files, and the ones are want to copy are the only ones I can't view.

Is your username on the new computer the same or can you just log into it as a local admin?

 

[alarson]

Ok so I went and got a cord. I get a error that says I don't have permission to view the files, and the ones are want to copy are the only ones I can't view.

Hm.. Don't think ive gotten that one before, maybe this will work?

How can I get permission to transfer files from my old hard drive - Microsoft Answers

 

[mramseyISU]

Is your username on the new computer the same or can you just log into it as a local admin?

I'm using my work laptop to try and transfer from the old harddrive to an external USB drive I have. I can view every file on it until I get into the users and try to copy that folder.

 

[mramseyISU]

Hm.. Don't think ive gotten that one before, maybe this will work?

How can I get permission to transfer files from my old hard drive - Microsoft Answers

I think it might be a permission issue on my work laptop. They keep these things locked down pretty tight so I'm wondering if I just don't have permission because of my permissions on the work computer I'm using.

 

[brianhos]

I think it might be a permission issue on my work laptop. They keep these things locked down pretty tight so I'm wondering if I just don't have permission because of my permissions on the work computer I'm using.

Could be, but if you can see files, then you know the drive is good.

 

[mramseyISU]

I'm trying to fire up my wifes old XP machine to see if I can make it work with that.

 

[Cy4Patriots]

Why don't you just fix the BSOD? Usually just a driver issue. Could be RAM as well.