retrieving data from a messed up laptop..?

[joko]

is there a way i can copy my hard drive or retrieve the data from my laptop...without having to pay a lot of cash at pc world for them to do it for me?

I am quite good with pc hardware and software so would be happy to have a go... any ideas.

i have some leads that have enabled me to attach a desktop harddrive to my laptop with the intention of copying the laptop drive... any tips?

and if this doesn't work - has anyone got any other ideas?

ive downloaded software too onto my flash drive but it doesnt open it up.

i am on vista and dont wantt to do a reset to factory settings and dont have a recovery or installation disk.

thanks

[ChuckFickens]

OK, as your quite good I won't mess about.

How was the laptop messed up? as long as the hard drive is ok then yes you can probably get the data from it.

you need a working computer and a 2.5inch USB hard drive enclosure to suit the drive that is in the laptop (IDE or SATA)

pretty cheap

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_/026-8 946677-8949249?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-ke ywords=2.5+usb+caddy&x=0&y=0

Remove the hard drive from the laptop and install in the enclosure and plug into a USB port on the good computer and if the drive is OK you will probably be able to simply copy the stuff from it

if the drive has been erased then I use getback... but that's a pay for solution.. there are free ones and sure others will recomend one

[ACtheTROLL]

you don't say what the problem is - you could try repairing the boot sector
but
2 options - both need a USB disk
1 - bung the old disk in an enclosure - plug in to new machine - copy files

2 if you have a DVD drive - download a linux distro such as Knoppix - boot from that - copy your stuff to USB

your big problem is that if you don't have the disks - you only have the f8 (or whatever) restore option - if you corrupt the recovery partition - you are stu@@ed

usb keys are unreliable - I've had mixed success booting from them

I now carry a credit card boot CD just in case.

[ACtheTROLL]

lol chuck - twist

[ChuckFickens]

I'm liking the credit card boot CD AC.... good idea I'm gonna get me one of those!

[joko]

after i did a repair before, a message said 'afterwards NO partition is set active, check log file for details on performed repairs'

is this why the main hardrive is not registering?
all i can locate is a partition....

can anyone tell me if i can 'switch it back on' and how?

thanks guys

[ACtheTROLL]

no active partition ???

not seen that for a few years - active = boot
so it can be there readable - but not bootable

as for how to fix - it's easy .... if you have the software
powerquest/acronis

whichever you use you need a bootable CD

I'm just on my way out - google swiss knife or ultimate boot disk

anybody have an idea?

[joko]

ive got acronis disk director suite 9.0...?

ive got a 'hirens' cd... ithink thats what it was called... anyone know if anythin on that will help?


thanks guys

[joko]

ive got acronis disk director suite 9.0...? - when i opened this it only listed the partition with the recovery stuff on it... for factory settings

ive got a 'hirens' cd... ithink thats what it was called... anyone know if anythin on that will help?


thanks guys

[ACtheTROLL]

I'm a little confused

is the disk fat32 or NTFS?

anyhow - you need to boot with either the acronis bootdisk or hiren (naughty)

in hiren it's option
1 Disk Partition Tools
2 Acronis Disk Director Suite 9.0.554
see the fourth screenshot - set active
http://www.whatsabyte.com/P1/dualboot.htm

[miap]

In the past, I lost my files, some of them were important, which is a misfortune. At that time , I didn't know what to do. Later, my friend told me the EaseUS data recovery software. some of them are free, although it can recover 2G, it can recovery speed is fast, especially for the e-mail.
I think it is a good choice. what is your ideas about the software? Media URL: http://www.easeus.com
Description:

[advancerecovery]

If the hard drive is ok then Hard Disk Recovery could be easy but if the HDD is affected too then I’ll suggest you to visit a dedicated firm for help.

http://www.advanceddatarecoverylondon.co.uk/hard-drive-recovery/

[advancerecovery]

This issue sounds like a complicated problem and it can be solved only by a professional firm of data recovery. Recently I had a problem with my Hard Disk Recovery and I got it resolved through a nice firm.

http://www.advanceddatarecoverylondon.co.uk/hard-drive-recovery/