Dead laptop

[littlejools]

Hello,
my laptop (HP & v old!) has just died. It's the HD thats developed the fault and it fails at the boot up stage as it can't see the HD. I don't mind that the laptop is dead but as usual I have some items on there that I hadn't managed to back up before it expired. Any ideas....?
Thanks
Jools

 

[hpfreak]

Well, if it's the hard drive that died.. then your only solution to getting data off of it is putting it in the freezer for 1 whole day, then putting it in the fridge for 1 whole day, then take it out and leave it for 30 minutes and see if that works. (Make sure it is in a ZipLock bag the entire time.)

After that, try putting it back in and see if it works.


If you want to go to the EXTREME recovery solution... then, you can try buying a hard drive that is 100% IDENTICAL. Then you need to open both hard drives, and carefully move the discs to the new one and position them correctly... this is like.. if you have data that you absolutely have to have... otherwise... I don't think there is much you can do unless you want to try connecting it thru USB to another PC and seeing if that works.

 

[littlejools]

Thanks, I take it by doing the freezer thing you mean I remove the HD, freeze it and then replace back in the laptop and try and start the laptop? Also, could you explain connecting to another PC thro the USB please?
Thanks

 

[hpfreak]

Yeah, you need to remove the hard drive from the computer to do that.

To connect it to another computer via USB. You will need a 2.5" HDD enclosure.
I can give you a link to one if you tell me if you are using a SATA or IDE drive.

 

[littlejools]

Okay, sorry for my ignorance, how can i tell if it's SATA or IDE? I have just removed from the laptop and have it in my hand....

 

[littlejools]

i think i've worked out it's an IDE, it's quite long and thin.

 

[hpfreak]

IDE has a long line of double row pins. SATA, is seperated in to 2 different areas, (power and data) and there are a few pins.

If your sure it's IDE, here is an enclosure you can get: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1086960&Sku=M501-1030


If it's sata, here is an enclosure for that: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4846666&CatId=2783


These are pretty cheap, the usual price is around 20-30 dollars. These are basic, but it will work.

Only buy the one that fits the description, I'd double check only on... google images to see what an IDE port looks like, and what a SATA port looks like, just to verify you got the right one...


I'm sorry I haven't replied in such a long time, I was out of the house...