I have a Toshiba Satellite Pro 4600, Win98, SE, generally wonderfully reliable. However suddenly it will not boot up

Jun 29, 2019
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There is instead an error message, "Please remove the incompatible memory module in slot B." I have never inserted anything into the two slots on the left side of the computer, and when I press the eject buttons, the buttons come back out (they are not stuck), but nothing is ejected. Only the two left green lights come on, the AC power & the one next to it. I tried an MS Win98 SE boot disk, which momentarily lit the far right of those 5 on buttons, and asked for the password for the machine, but then nothing, the 5th light went out, the screen blank, and I can't duplicate the effect. I got behind on backing up the hard disk, and now have my most recent work only on the 4600 Sat Pro hard disk. I am not a computer-savvy person & have no experience disassembling a computer. Many thanks to anyone who might be able to help. Joseph
 
Jun 29, 2019
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Sounds like the old girl kicked the bucket after a VERY long life. That HDD is likely an older IDE type of storage device. There are adapters that can be used to connect the HDD to another system via a USB enclosure. Do you have access to another computer?

Something like this: https://www.newegg.com/p/0VN-0055-00005
Thank you so much for bothering about this. I have another computer, an older (3 yrs?) Lenovo running Windows 10 (I also have another Toshiba 4600 W98SE, and even a Toshiba 4300, running XP -- but I assume they would be of no help?] I looked at the USB box thing from newegg -- do I set that up and then plug the USB into it and then into the USB slot of the 4600?
 

COLGeek

Cybernaut
Moderator
You remove the HDD from the 4600 and install it into the enclosure. You then connect the enclosure to another working computer to retrieve the files from the original HDD (assuming the drive is still in working order).
 
Jun 29, 2019
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Thank you again. Is removing HDD and putting it in enclosure, then connecting that to another computer -- via a USB I assume -- something that I should be able to figure out? that is, would it seem pretty logical what to do when I open the computer case? (I can look to see if I can find some youtube DIY instructions