How To Backup Data From Broken Laptop

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When a computer dies due to a software failure rather than a hardware trouble, its files remain inaccessible only intact on the hard drive. This wikiHow teaches you how to recover information from the hard bulldoze of a laptop that has died. You tin can transfer it to a working figurer or an an external hard drive.

1
Purchase a hard bulldoze disk enclosure. This is an external organization into which you tin can place a estimator's hard drive in social club to run it on another figurer via a USB port; essentially, the enclosure will turn your laptop's difficult bulldoze into an external difficult drive. Different computers use unlike hard drive models, so be sure to check your dead laptop's specifications before making this purchase. For example, if your laptop has a ii.5 SATA drive, y'all will need a ii.v SATA USB enclosure.
- Note that deejay enclosures aren't commonly institute in big-box stores and are ordinarily purchased online.
Tip: Unless you have a SATA drive, be certain to buy a laptop-sized disk enclosure; merely SATA-fix enclosures can arrange both desktop and laptop hard drives.
two
Borrow or purchase a new reckoner with the same operating system equally your quondam computer. If your erstwhile reckoner ran on Windows, y'all'll need to borrow or buy a new Windows computer. If your old laptop was a MacBook, you volition need to borrow or purchase a figurer that runs MacOS. Make sure the working computer'southward hard drive has enough free space to adapt the files you want to recover from the dead laptop.
- Alternatively, you lot tin hook a 2nd external hard drive up to the working computer and simply utilize the computer to transfer files from the old bulldoze to the new i
- A Linux computer will be able to read files off of a Windows estimator (but not the other style effectually); unless you sympathise both systems, notwithstanding, information technology is best to use a Windows computer to recover a Windows hard drive.
- Mac computers can read difficult drives formatted for Windows default NTFS files organisation, but they cannot write or transfer files to a NTFS difficult drive. Hard drives formatted for Mac's HFS file system can only exist read by another Mac computer.
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3
Remove the hard bulldoze from the dead laptop. Make certain the laptop is unplugged and the battery is asunder. Locate the panel on the bottom of the laptop and remove information technology. Then locate the hard drive within the computer and advisedly remove it. You'll probably need any screwdriver to remove the laptop panel and hard drive.The location of hard drive is different from one laptop model to another. Consult the user'south manual or manufacturer's website if y'all demand aid locating the hard drive.
- Some laptop models may require special tools to open and/or remove the difficult drive. Check the label on the bottom of your laptop to get the exact model number for your laptop and then search for "How to remove a hard drive from a [brand and model] laptop. You lot should find official an users manual and perchance a YouTube video showing exactly how to open up your computer model. In some cases, you may demand to take it to a professional.^[ane]
four
Identify the old difficult drive in the deejay enclosure. Check where the connector pins are located on the hard drive and connect them to the pins in the enclosure. The way this is done is going to exist unlike from one model to another. Cheque the user's manual that came with the enclosure for further instructions.
- If you have an IDE hard bulldoze, note that in that location is a detachable adapter sitting over the interface. Simply pull this adapter off so that the drive will properly connect with the enclosure'south connector plate.
5

Connect the disk enclosure to the working computer. Once the hard drive is placed in the enclosure, information technology functions equally an external hard drive. Connect information technology to the working reckoner using the USB cablevision.
6
Connect a second external hard bulldoze to the working calculator (optional). If you lot are using a 2nd external hard drive, utilise a USB cable to connect it to the working computer. In one case the bulldoze is continued, an icon should appear on your desktop (Mac) or a notification should pop up (Windows). The computer might too open the bulldoze for you automatically.
- If your reckoner doesn't automatically prompt you lot about the new external storage unit, simply open File Explorer on Windows, or the Finder on Mac and click on the former hard drive. File Explorer has an icon that resembles a folder with a blue clip. It'due south in the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. The Finder has a icon that resembles a bluish and white smiley face. It's in the Dock at the lesser of the screen.
- If the difficult drive isn't recognized at first, try ejecting it and plugging it back in.
- If the hard drive is not readable, it's likely that the hard drive itself (and not your calculator's software) failed. If this is the instance, you volition demand professional aid if you lot wish to continue the salvage. Be warned that this tin can be very expensive.
7

Transfer your old files a working hard drive or figurer. Transfer them to either the working reckoner or to a 2d external hard drive by copying and pasting, or clicking and dragging. If you have a lot of large files (ex. songs, movies), notation that the transfer could take many hours.
eight

Close Windows File Explorer or the Finder on Mac. When y'all are finished transferring your files, click the 10 icon to close File Explorer or the Finder on Mac. The good news is that the expressionless computer is still physically intact and volition probably piece of work fine if you reinstall your operating system or replace the faulty parts.
9

Right-click the USB icon and select Squirt. You can now detach the old hard drive.

1

Get a laptop difficult drive adapter kit. This volition allow you to plug your laptop's hard drive directly into a compatible desktop reckoner. Different computers use dissimilar hard bulldoze models, and then exist sure to bank check your dead laptop's specifications before making this purchase. For case, if your laptop has a ii.5 SATA drive, you volition need a 2.v SATA adapter.
ii
Borrow or purchase a new computer with the same operating organisation every bit your old computer. If your old computer ran on Windows, y'all'll need to borrow or purchase a new Windows computer. If your one-time laptop was a MacBook, you volition need to borrow or buy a figurer that runs MacOS. Make sure the working estimator'south difficult drive has enough free space to accommodate the files you lot want to recover from the dead laptop.
- A Linux figurer will be able to read files off of a Windows figurer (but non the other way around); unless yous empathize both systems, however, information technology is best to use a Windows reckoner to recover a Windows hard drive.
iii
Remove the hard drive from the dead laptop. Unplug it, and remove the battery. Locate the panel that houses the laptop hard drive and remove information technology. Unscrew the hard drive cover and remove the hard drive. Some models will pop upward, some will slide outwards, etc.
- Where the difficult bulldoze is located is different from i laptop model to another. Consult the user'due south manual or manufacturer'southward website if you demand assistance locating the hard drive on your laptop.
- If your laptop has an IDE hard drive, annotation that there is a detachable adapter sitting over the difficult drive interface. But pull this adapter off so that the interface is accessible later.
- Some laptop models may require special tools to open and/or remove the hard drive. Bank check the label on the bottom of the laptop to see the exact make and model of your laptop and search for, "How to remove the hard bulldoze for a [make and model number] laptop." You should find a user's manual and possibly a YouTube video with step-by-step instructions on how to take apart your laptop. In some cases, you lot may need to take information technology to a professional.^[ii]
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Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is too the host of the Calculator Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering fundamental California for over 2 years.

Luigi Oppido
Reckoner & Tech Specialist

You can movement a working difficult bulldoze from ane computer to another. If the hard bulldoze from the dead laptop is physically functional, have the drive out and plug it into a functional figurer that already has its ain operating arrangement. If information technology doesn't kick, try copying the files. If the kicking sector is broken, yous can try rebuilding the drive.
4

Turn off your desktop computer, unplug information technology, and open up the tower. Y'all will use the adapter kit to plug the quondam hard drive straight into the motherboard.

Alert: Be sure to bear on something made of metal to ground yourself or vesture anti-static wrist bands while working inside of a computer. Static electricity can permanently damage your computer. Keep any and all computer parts off the carpet.
5
Connect the dead bulldoze to the working computer using your drive adapter. How yous do this will depend on your drive and adapter types, then utilize the instructions that came with the kit.
- If you have an IDE drive, configure it to "slave" style before connecting it to the IDE ribbon. The configuration should be noted on the difficult drive itself and will involve moving a plastic cap over a item pivot or set up of pins (aka "jumpers") on the hard drive interface. Configuring it to slave mode will keep your laptop hard bulldoze from competing with the desktop'southward "master" difficult bulldoze during boot-upwards.
half-dozen
Configure your desktop to recognize the new drive. Plug your desktop back in, power it on, and open BIOS. Go to Standard CMOS Settings or IDE Config, where you volition detect four settings involving master and slave settings. Change all four fields to motorcar-detection.
- The BIOS Settings and menus may be different from one computer model to another.
vii

Exit BIOS and reboot. Your desktop should now automatically find the new hardware.
8
Open the new hard drive. If you lot're using Windows, open up File Explorer and look for the new difficult bulldoze. It's the icon that resembles a folder with a blue prune in the taskbar. With Linux, the new drive will appear in the dev directory.
- If the hard drive is not readable, it'south likely that the hard bulldoze itself (and non your estimator'due south software) failed. If this is the case, you will need professional assist if you lot wish to continue the salvage. Be warned that this can be very expensive.
nine

Transfer the files to the working calculator. Apply File Explorer to transfer the old files to either the working computer or to the external hard bulldoze by copying and pasting, clicking and dragging, etc. If y'all have a lot of big files (ex. songs, movies), note that the transfer could have many hours.
10

Turn off and unplug the desktop to uninstall the hard drive (if desired). Since the hard drive is physically intact, it will probably work fine in the sometime laptop if you reinstall your operating organization or replace the faulty parts.

1

Purchase a FireWire cable. They cost anywhere between $five and $twenty.
2

Borrow or purchase a working Mac. Brand sure the Mac has enough infinite to arrange the files y'all desire to recover from the expressionless laptop.

Note: You can connect a 2d external hard drive up to the working Mac and simply use the Mac to transfer files from the former hard drive to the new 1.
3

Connect the dead Mac to the working Mac using the FireWire cable. Make sure that the working Mac is turned off when yous practise this.
4
Boot upwardly the working mac in Target Disk Mode. If you are using an older version of MacOS, simply boot upward the working Mac and press T as it boots up. Otherwise, use the following steps to kick into Target Disk Manner in MacOS 10.4 or newer.
- Turn on your computer as normal.
- Click the Apple icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
- Click System Preferences
- Click Startup Disk
- Click Target Disk Mode.
- Reboot your computer to start it in Target Disk Mode.
5

Find and open up the dead figurer's hard drive on your Mac's desktop. If the targeted drive does non appear on the desktop, the damage to your old computer is probable concrete, pregnant y'all volition need professional assistance to finish the salvage. Exist warned that this tin be very expensive.
half-dozen

Transfer your one-time files. Transfer them to either the working Mac or to the external difficult drive by copying and pasting, or clicking and dragging. If you accept a lot of large files (ex. songs, movies), annotation that the transfer could take many hours.
7

When y'all're washed, close the window to your hard bulldoze. The good news is that the dead computer is even so physically intact and volition probably work fine if y'all reinstall your operating arrangement or replacing the faulty parts.
8

Right-click the targeted drive and select Eject. Y'all tin at present detach the dead reckoner.

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Add together New Question

Question

How can I recover my external difficult bulldoze data?

This reply was written past one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

You can effort using recovery software (follow the prompts of the particular software). Other options tin can include trying to recover the data yourself; see How to Recover a Expressionless Difficult Disk or seeking aid from a reputable information recovery service.
Question

How can I recover my difficult drive?

This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accurateness and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Outset, endeavour to diagnose the problem and so that y'all tin utilize the correct solution. You can find aid with diagnosing the issue and trying to recover data here: How to Recover a Dead Hard disk. For a laptop, see the instructions in the steps above.
Question

How exercise I recover data from a crashed difficult drive?

This reply was written by 1 of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Reply

First up, don't panic; it may be fixable! For general instructions on recovering data, run across How to Deal with Potential Data Loss from a Hard Bulldoze Crash. For a physically broken hard drive, see How to Fix a Physically Broken Hard Drive. For a dead laptop, see the steps above. There are also various recovery software options, the instructions for which depend on the software (check the transmission). Lastly, you tin avail yourself of professional recovery services if you cannot work it out for yourself (usually expensive).
Question

Can data exist recovered from a dead external difficult drive?

This respond was written past 1 of our trained squad of researchers who validated information technology for accurateness and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Reply

Data may be recoverable from a dead external difficult drive and the sooner y'all attempt recovering the data, the meliorate your chances of getting it dorsum. If y'all're feeling confident, y'all might exist able to effort recovering the data yourself; meet How to Recover a Dead Hard Disk. Once the difficult bulldoze is making clicking noises though, your recovery chances are considerably reduced and professional assist may exist all that'south left. Be aware that data recovery services are non cheap; in future, practice more than than ane backup of your data or you really don't accept fill-in!
Question

What practise I do if the data on my HDD (USB to HDD) on Windows eight looks completely blank? How do I admission information technology?

The files could merely exist hidden. Effort showing subconscious files. If that does not work, apply a data-recovery program.
Question

How practice I access data that's been stored on an external hard drive?

DANIEL GACHARA

Community Respond

Professional external hard drive data recovery software will be required to restore the information from an external hard drive.
Question

What if information technology's from a laptop that had a Windows login password on it?

You lot will all the same have to log in to Windows with the password every bit you would if the laptop was still running.
Question

I can't get the hard drive out of my old laptop. The last screw is stripped and it will not come out. What can I exercise?

If it's an old laptop, just break the screw or surrounding chassis.
Question

What exercise I do if downloading a program caused my Windows vii computer screen to turn black and I can't restart it to retrieve erstwhile data?

First, get the data off the drive using the above techniques. And then reinstall Windows.

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Video

If you doubtable your old laptop failed due to a virus, be sure to browse the old hard drive with antivirus software before moving any of your files to a working computer.
If you lot make up one's mind non to put the laptop hard drive back into the old laptop, you lot tin always permit it to remain as an external difficult drive or a desktop's slave drive permanently.

In Linux, be sure to mount the file system as read-only before attempting. NTFS file systems tin can simply be opened past default in read-merely mode without additional packages.

Things You'll Need

A few modest screwdrivers
Compatible estimator
Deejay Enclosure (option 1)
Laptop Difficult Drive Adaptor Kit (pick 2)
FireWire cable (option 3)

Virtually This Article

Article Summary X

To recover data from the hard drive of a dead laptop, get a hard disk enclosure and a new computer with the same operating system as the expressionless laptop. Next, remove the hard drive from the one-time laptop and place information technology in the hard disk enclosure. After that, use a USB cablevision to connect the hard disk drive enclosure to the working computer. Once the two computers are continued, use File Explorer, or the Finder on Mac, to transfer files from the one-time hard bulldoze to the working estimator. When you're finished transferring files, right-click the USB icon and click Eject to disconnect the computers. For more than aid, including how to access old files from a Mac laptop through another calculator, read on!

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