My PCs screwed!

[haggis1984]

Ive got an old PC that I havent used for months (had no probs last time I used it its just a bit prehistoric). Got Loadsa stuff on there that I want to transfer to newer pc.

 

Turned it on, it gets to the windows logo then restarts. Did this about 10 times in a row. Dug up my old XP disk, went through booting from the cd and it spent ages scanning and checking files. Then suddenley restarted again. Now when I try and boot from the XP CD it gets as far as a blue screen with the words 'setup is resuming.' Then restarts again!

 

Is this fixable?

 

If the PC cant be saved is it possible as a layman to remove the hard drive and somehow connect it to my new PC to transfer files?

 

Thanks Caggers!

[locutus]

Pretty easy to do. You need a "External Hard Drive Kit" then you can connect that to the USB on your new computer

 

 

^^ that one is mine

[Tezcatlipoca]

Is this fixable?

 

Just before you dash out and buy a External Kit, can you boot into Safe Mode?

Restart the PC, then keep pressing F8 until a black list of boot options comes up. I suggest the second one down, Safe Mode With Networking.

 

Please let us know if you can boot Windows in this mode.

 

If not, you should be able to simply pull the hard drive out of your old PC, and attach it as a second hard drive to the new (assuming they're both the same conenctor type). You can then pull the files out directly.

 

Or you could go down the route of getting an External Hard Drive kit, which will cost, but is by far the easier option.

[Conniff]

But if you are opening your old pc to take the hard drive out, you will see how it is connected and be very easily reconnected to your new pc. You can leave it in permanently as a second drive if you want to install it properly.

Max cost nil as you can use the leads from the old pc.

Edited December 26, 2009 by Conniff

[andydd]

YEP..As Conniff said, just connect up the hard drive upto a new PC, easy and cheap (you can of course go buy an external drive if you want to fork out).

 

If you connect it to another PC, just have a browse through the drive to find your files, if its XP, they'll be in Documents and Settings/'your login name', if you didnt set up a specific login then look in All Users (I think thats correct).

 

It may of course still be possible to get your old hard drive to boot, try F8 and Safe Mode as suggested or failing that a XP disc will have a repair mode that will re-install Windows Xp but should keep your files and settings intact. Other options are to boot into some sort of DOS/Command prompt and try fixboot or fixmbr commands. Also try chdsk to fix any problems on the drive.

 

Andy

[locutus]

As me and Uncle Tez said, for simplicity an External Hard Drive Kit. Cost around a tenner and you can use that hard drive to backup your system and transfer files hastle free.

 

Also as Uncle Tez said, if you can get the old one working that would be a step in the right direction and would open up other avenues for saving your files. (blank cd/dvd, usb flash drive)

 

The adding the old hard drive to your new system will work with patience and persistance as long as there is a free IDE port.

 

If you like, remove the sides of both the old PC and new PC and take a photo and post the photo in this thread, and we'll tell ya how to go about doing that if thats the route you choose!

[haggis1984]

No Joy with safe mode. I can get as far as the list of options but as soon as I press return on either safe mode or safe modewith networking it restarts again. Gonna try taking out the hard drive and sticking it in the newer pc (never done anything with hardware before though!)

 

Pics of dismantled PCs to follow!

[Tezcatlipoca]

No Joy with safe mode. I can get as far as the list of options but as soon as I press return on either safe mode or safe modewith networking it restarts again. Gonna try taking out the hard drive and sticking it in the newer pc (never done anything with hardware before though!)

 

Pics of dismantled PCs to follow!

 

Ok, something in the Windows bootup is screwed then, but that's alrgely academic since we'll be extracting files from this hard drive, so don't really care if it boots or not.

 

With regards to plugging it in, we need to first establish the supported cable types of your two PCs.

 

Hard drive cables come in one of two types; the older ATA cable, and the newer SATA cable.

 

The above links will take you to the Wiki articles on these cables. What you're looking to do is open up both PCs, find the cables coming out of the back of the hard drives, then trace them back to the motherboard.

If the cable is a large, flat ribbon which terminates in a broad slot, it's ATA. If the cable is thinner and ends with a neat little connector, it's SATA.

 

If both have the same cable and termination slots, you're in business. If they don't, make absolutely sure that you don't see any of the ATA slots on the new motherboard (many motherboards supported both types).

 

Please let us know which types your respective PCs have, and we'll go to the next step.

[haggis1984]

Lol my phone picked a good time to play up and not let me get pics from it onto my PC.

 

Finally got pics here:

 

PC Probs - Album - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting

 

Managed to get the Hard drive out of the old PC easy enough - thats the 1st pic. However, there was another cable plugged into the HD (the one sticking up in pic 3). I followed this and it seems to connect to the power supply. It isnt gonna be disconnectable without taking apart the power supply.

 

The 2nd pic is the good PC. Seems that the cable with the HD that I have managed to disconnect is an ATA cable. Cant see a socket matching it on the good PCs motherboard though.

 

Would be really grateful for some expert opinion on the pics ive posted!

 

Thanks guys really appreciate it.

[locutus]

looks like the connector.

 

Does it have a CD/DVD rom connected to it?

[haggis1984]

Thanks locutus.

 

Behind the hard drive is a floppy drive and cd drive which are connected.

 

Should I just plug the other hard drive into the slot youve labelled? Was a bit concerned about the cable in the 3rd pic which was also connected to the hard drive prevously. Is this needed in the comp above?

[locutus]

the cable that connects the CD.... anything else connected to that ribbon?

[haggis1984]

I dont think so.

 

Its the comp im using at the mo though so Im gonna need to take it apart again to be sure.

[locutus]

If there is only the CD Rom connected to that ribbon, unplug both cables from the CD Rom (Both the ribbon and the power) and plug them into your hard drive. NOTE: the cable must go in a particular way round! Stripe side of the ribbon to pin 1 (which should be next to the power plug) You will then be able to access your old files and copy them onto your new system. Then plug the CD Rom back in.

[haggis1984]

Ok it was only the cd that was connected to that ribbon. But what Ive unplugged from the CD wont fit into the hard drive.

 

Connections - Album - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting

 

Pics 1 and 2 show 2 angles of what I unplugged from the CD (it looks like the power is connected to this also) and pic 3 the available connections on the HD.

Edited December 17, 2009 by haggis1984

[locutus]

Can you see the connector that I've circled?

 

Does it have anything plugged into it? That looks very much like the connector you need for the ribbon. You also need a power for the hard drive aswell.... Failing that I'd suggest the External Hard Drive Kit (just do a google shopping search, or search amazon using the link on the left of CAG) I can't see it costing much over a tenner, you should search for a "3.5 inch IDE USB2"

[haggis1984]

The one that youve circled is the where the ribbon I photographed is connected to. So it was where the CD drive was connected.

 

Ive got the ribbon that the Hd was connected to the dead PC with and it wont fit in the that connector.

 

Im just gonna go for the kit you suggested. Thanks for all the help Locutus.

 

The link you pmd... does this just connect to the HD and then via USB to the PC?

[locutus]

Yup. thats the way

[haggis1984]

Cool.

 

Thanks again mate

[haggis1984]

Umm...more probs!

 

Just go given footy manager 2010 for xmas and the CD drive isnt working. When I put the CD in the green light ont he front of the drive flashes, the drive makes a noise like its reading the disk and a cd icon appears by the mouse cursor for a couple of secs. Then nothing. I tried going through my comp and and double clickkin on drive but it just says 'please insert disk.'

 

Have I screwed it up when I disconnected it to try and plug in the hard drvie?

 

Aargh!!

[locutus]

Does "My Computer" show a CD drive at all?

[haggis1984]

Its showing 2, which it always has (even though I only have one)

 

CD Drive (D) and DVD drive (E)

 

Ive gone into my comp/prop/devices and there's 2 showing there too. Both say they have no probs.

 

Just figured out that when I click 'eject this disk' on CD Drive (D) the cd ejects if that helps.

 

And Merry Xmas!

Edited December 25, 2009 by haggis1984

[haggis1984]

Lol found the prob...

 

My Drive is a CD drive...Football Manager 2010 is on DVD.

 

Doh!

[locutus]

Just back from visiting the in-laws. Merry Christmas to you aswell.

 

Now, If you want a DVD drive, it's a case of taking it to bits and taking the old CD drive out, Buying a DVD drive / DVD writer with the same connector and swapping it over, OR buying an external DVD drive, although I have to say, a system without a DVD drive is probably a bit long in the tooth, you can get some good 2nd hand base units that may be more powerful than what you have.

[haggis1984]

Its actually good PC - processors over 2ghz.

 

Ill pick up an external dvd drive then - itll go nicely with my external hard drive