Solved! Can I fit a SSD to another computer to recover data

[nielwilson27]

I have a HP14 - ac100na that won't start, even though I have proved power to the motherboard. If I buy a similar refurbed laptop, can I insert the SSD from my old computer into the new one to recover the documents etc on it

 

[USAFRet]

I have a HP14 - ac100na that won't start, even though I have proved power to the motherboard. If I buy a similar refurbed laptop, can I insert the SSD from my old computer into the new one to recover the documents etc on it

You need to connect that drive as a secondary drive.
Just plugging it in and expecting it to boot up may fail.

Get a USB-SATA dock, and connect it like that.

 

[nielwilson27]

Hi, I have one, and have used it to read conventional hard drives, but the solid state hard drive only has the "ribbon" connector and I don't know how to connect it up

 

[USAFRet]

Hi, I have one, and have used it to read conventional hard drives, but the solid state hard drive only has the "ribbon" connector and I don't know how to connect it up

Pictures, please.

But I'll bet that ribbon is just an adapter for that particular laptop.
It should be removable, and expose regular SATA connections.

 

[nielwilson27]

how do I send you photos pl

 

[USAFRet]

how do I send you photos pl

Detailed instructions on posting images on Tom's hardware.
http/www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2580030/detailed-instructions-posting-images-tom-hardware.html

 

[nielwilson27]

http/i65.tinypic.com/fjp7ap.png

 

[USAFRet]

http/i65.tinypic.com/fjp7ap.png

Oh, it seems to be an m.2 drive of some sort?

 

[nielwilson27]

Hi, the ribbob connection is 5mm wide at the end and has 10 conducting strips

 

[USAFRet]

Hi, the ribbob connection is 5mm wide at the end and has 10 conducting strips

Can you remove that drive and then (carefully) remove the ribbon from it?
And then a nice clear pic of just the drive?

 

[nielwilson27]

http/i67.tinypic.com/xnvl8o.jpg The broad ribbon below the component is to a USB port and is not connected to the component

 

[USAFRet]

http/i67.tinypic.com/xnvl8o.jpg The broad ribbon below the component is to a USB port and is not connected to the component

Given that, it would only (MAYBE) work in an identical system.
It may fail to boot up. It probably will, but not 100% guaranteed.

Is there anything really critical on this drive?

This is why we have backups.

 

[nielwilson27]

Hi, guilty of no bckups, but there are some things that I'd like to recover if I could. I had it with me in hospital where my father died, and it chose to stop working on my way home before I had chance to back up.
The HP14 - ac100na appears to include a number of similar laptops, but looking online, they look different. Would it have to be the exact model to stand a chance of a sswap?

 

[USAFRet]

Hi, guilty of no bckups, but there are some things that I'd like to recover if I could. I had it with me in hospital where my father died, and it chose to stop working on my way home before I had chance to back up.
The HP14 - ac100na appears to include a number of similar laptops, but looking online, they look different. Would it have to be the exact model to stand a chance of a sswap?

Anything other than an exact replacement increases the fail potential.