Recovering files from a removed internal laptop hard drive

inssane · Aug 24, 2012

A couple years ago my disk was failing on me, I don't remember what the problem was.

I replaced the hard drive, but I want to see what I can recover from the removed hard drive. How would I go about doing that? What adapters/connectors would I need?

When the hard drive is put into the computer it doesn't run the OS, so I can't just put it back and retrieve.

Nick

imnotmikal · Aug 24, 2012

A simple SATA to USB bridge should do the trick. I've done exactly what you're saying multiple times.

Cavalry Sata to USB 3 2.5" Hard Drive Bridge Black New | eBay

However, there is a possibility that the drive may not be recoverable if it has gotten past a certain point of failure.

inssane · Aug 24, 2012

I understand that some files can't be recovered.

Will I need extra cords/cables for this piece you linked to? Hard to tell what goes where in the picture. It looks like a lego.

lunatic59 · Aug 24, 2012

You can use something like this. Cables To Go 30504 USB 2.0 to IDE or Serial ATA Drive Adapter (Black). It plugs right into the old drive and then mounts like a USB drive (which it is

)

inssane · Aug 25, 2012

Thank you everyone. I wll give this a try.

SUroot · Aug 25, 2012

imnotmikal said:
A simple SATA to USB bridge should do the trick. I've done exactly what you're saying multiple times.

Cavalry Sata to USB 3 2.5" Hard Drive Bridge Black New | eBay

However, there is a possibility that the drive may not be recoverable if it has gotten past a certain point of failure.

He didn't say it was SATA

350X · Aug 26, 2012

EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard

it will find 3 time more stuff then you thought was there, even on a drive that doesn't show up or work right, amazing what it found when I had the need to recover data off a bad drive.

imnotmikal · Aug 26, 2012

SUroot said:
He didn't say it was SATA

Since it is a laptop, I was assuming SATA. I don't know of any laptops that used IDE... >.>

OP: The link I posted includes everything. One end plugs into the drive, and then it comes with a USB cable to plug into the opposite side.

SUroot · Aug 26, 2012

imnotmikal said:
I don't know of any laptops that used IDE

Loads of laptops used IDE/PATA. It was the standard before SATA. Since we do not know the age of the laptop (The HDD died 2 years ago) we don't know the connection either.

Laptops have been SATA for a few years now, but before that they were PATA for a long time.

imnotmikal · Aug 26, 2012

SUroot said:
Loads of laptops used IDE/PATA. It was the standard before SATA. Since we do not know the age of the laptop (The HDD died 2 years ago) we don't know the connection either.

Laptops have been SATA for a few years now, but before that they were PATA for a long time.

Interesting tidbit of information. I'm apparently negligent of quite a bit of information.

Carry on.

SUroot · Aug 26, 2012

There's a whole world out there that no one knows

XplosiV · Aug 26, 2012

SUroot said:
There's a whole world out there that no one knows

Indeed...

... SUroot is just old enough to remember the likes of PATA 33 & DOS

mind you back in them days there was no need to differentiate between parallel and serial so it was just ATA Iirc.

SUroot · Aug 26, 2012

Yup. I remember dos. I was a child though

350X · Aug 26, 2012

Pentium 133MMX over clocked to 166, 64megs of EDO ram, 800meg HD, 4meg virge DX 2d card with a 12meg 3DFX voodoo 3D add on card

MacFett · Aug 26, 2012

I have an IDE to USB cable I use to connect old hard drives. The one I have is IDE for a 3.5" on one side, flip it around and it is IDE for a 2.5" on the other.

I got mine from Newegg a number of years ago (before SATA was common at all). I see them around there and Amazon still.

A good number listed here. Amazon.com: usb ide

SUroot · Aug 26, 2012

Yep those are good. You can get them with 2x ide +Sata too.

MacFett · Aug 26, 2012

SUroot said:
Yep those are good. You can get them with 2x ide +Sata too.

Careful with the power supplies if you get El Cheapo. Had one melt when I plugged it into the wall (luckily the drive wasn't connected to it).

inssane · Aug 30, 2012

I ended up going with the Cables to Go kit (nice quality)

@350 - I will have to try that software. I got a CRC error, so I can't access the drive at all.

Connection of the drive seemed to be the culprit in most CRC errors, but all my cables were fine. I have to explore some software options now to help me out.

inssane · Aug 30, 2012

SUroot said:
Loads of laptops used IDE/PATA. It was the standard before SATA. Since we do not know the age of the laptop (The HDD died 2 years ago) we don't know the connection either.

Laptops have been SATA for a few years now, but before that they were PATA for a long time.

It's a sata drive. I didn't have to use the long plug portion, just the little one. About a 4 year old laptop

inssane · Sep 1, 2012

I restored a ton of data using EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard

Only thing is that pictures that showed up in the EASEUS program and displayed proper thumbnails don't load nor does a thumbnail show up.
Why would it show up in the program upon scanning and once recover not display anything? All of my pictures are doing this.

Recovering files from a removed internal laptop hard drive

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