Hi there guys!

right - my old pc is fudged - won't start up, sometimes does in safe mode.

sometimes it starts ok, other the hd makes a clicking sound so it seems like the drive is fudged. however it does work sometimes.

the pc is old so i'm going to buy a new laptop. thing is all my music is stuck on the internal ide hard disk (about 20gig)
i've taken it out and would really like to be able to get a lead to access it a bit like a mass storage device eg drive E.

any way to do it. i don't want to try and fit this old drive into my new pc (if i get a desktop) and i know it won't even fit a new laptop.

cheers!

Rob.

 

You can network it if need be, just connect the laptop to the main pc via ethernet cable. Or, you can buy and IDE to USB converter and just plug it into the laptop

 

cheers for the reply.

i picked up a external 3.5" to usb box. fitted it into that - managed to get a few files off - the drive must be really knackered loads of clunking noises coming from the drive itself - it can't have long left!

got about 10 gig of music on it - only managed to pull off about 900meg so far

 

Right, the best thing to do, is put the hard drive in a sealed bag (sandwhich bag will do) and put it in your freezer overnight. Then, take it out, and plug it in and get as much off as you can

 

ok mate i know you know what your talking about!

in it goes.

good job you didn't say the microwave or it would end up getting zapped!

i'll let you know how i get on

 

Just make sure there's no water / condensation on the drive before plugging it in

 

don't know how or why that worked.........

i've got my music back!



does the cold kill the static build up or something?

cheers

 

Yeah, i think it does, and also, if the drive's failing from heat, as in the heads are getting too hot, then starting it from freezing cold temp's will make it last a bit longer

 

Holy shit I never knew that Dan! Nice one

Tell me more about these IDE>USB converter thingies tho - the only way I know to transfer mass storage from one HDD to another is to plug one in a secondary drive and click>drag from inside windows OS.....

 

Just looked them thingies up on Google and found this;

http://www.motherdigital.info/archiv...ide_to_us.html

Could be a very usefull thing to have, even if you don't use it a lot - I would have found it pretty usefull over the last week where I was swapping drives in and out to copy files and data over - would have been a lot quicker and easier this way

 

thats what i've got - sort off - but in a plastic box with a fan and a lead to usb 2.0

luckly pc world only charged me £60 for it

was in such a rush didnt have time to shop around, net etc.

still i managed to get my music and pics back thanks to dan

there worth the money to me.

...... still £60