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Thread: Retrieving data from old hard drive

  1. #1
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    Retrieving data from old hard drive

    I have an old hard drive that was formatted in WIN98se, single partition,about 16GB of data on same. There is no operating system on this drive, was a slave, only used to store files. When I connect it to my new computer (WINXP) it isn't assigned a drive letter and I can't access the information on it, even though device manager shows the drive as healthy and active. Is there any way of retrieving this data without paying my local repair store $200+ dollars?
    dontease

  2. #2
    ********** |ceWriterguy
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    This could be caused by several things:

    1. XP isn't recognizing the fat32 that your old hdd is formatted in. I honestly don't know why in the world this would occur since XP is *supposed* to understand both fat32 and ntfs, but with Windows anything is possible.

    2. Your hdd was somehow damaged while you had it out of the machine - did you get it near any magnetic or electric sources, or drop it?

    3. You haven't got your jumper settings correct on the hard drive.

    4. You've installed the cable to the drive wrong - I know it's 1 way, but after working in the industry for awhile, one tends to discover that even 'idiot proof' cabling isn't so idiot proof.


    Sorry if I've got you checking redundant things, sometimes it's the most obvious that eludes us the best. Luck to you!
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  3. #3
    HeadShot Master N1nja Cybr1d's Avatar
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    Get yourself an external enclosure which allows you to turn internal HDDs into external. The interface can be either USB, or Firewire. XP will read the HDD as a jumpdrive and allow you to work on it.

  4. #4
    the beign of authority kurt_der_koenig's Avatar
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    Stupid question: Did you make sure your jumper was still on slave or that it is still there?

    Also, are you the Administrator or have an Administrator account? XP might have assigned the drive to admin accounts only and/or enabled no sharing.

    Just some thoughts...

    kurt

  5. #5
    Senior Member
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    Hope this helps

    Worked when i needed to get a couple files off a dead hdd... Which, turns out, wasnt dead. But now it is. Anywayz.
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  6. #6
    Junior Member
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    My Friends,
    I thank you for your replys, ideas and suggestions...
    All the jumpers were correct, cables also ok...and HD went directly from old unit to the new one, so no known damage...but one further question......the new unit is an HP Pavilion and the jumpers on the new Hd must be in the third location, which has no ID, (ie. CS,Master or Slave..this position is blank.....could it have something to do with the problem????
    Could this be some HP trick? This is the only jumper setting which allows the computer to boot up.

    thanks again for you help...
    dontease

  7. #7
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........................HP? as I recall they have some fancy hidden drive, and don't give you an honest to God Windows XP CD.

    Also XP boxes don't much like you messing with the hardware.

    If you have a friend with a DVD burner, I would ask them to burn the data for you..............it would take 4 or 5 DVDs and maybe cost you a cople of six-packs and a bottle of JD

    Just a thought

  8. #8
    Dead Man Walking
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    I ran into a very similar problem. Check the drive letter. What was it asinged in the old box and does the new box have a drive allready assigned to that letter? If it does what you want to do is to remove the drive with that letter temporarily. Retrieve your data to a differnt drive then go in to controlpanel\administrative tools\computer managment \Local storage( or something to that effect)
    From there you will need to basicaly repariton the drive adn assign it a new drive letter. When you are done with that put the other drive back in and you should be up and working again

  9. #9
    AO Curmudgeon rcgreen's Avatar
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    There may be an undocumented incompatibility between it and the master drive.
    Try putting it on the second ide interface by itself (as master).
    I came in to the world with nothing. I still have most of it.

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