Motherboard kaput, but can someone advise how to retrieve info from HD?

[bakanaotoko]

Hi all,

My year old Laptop`s MB went kaput on me last year (The day I arrived in Japan for a stay of a year - how`s that for luck?)
Anyhow, I`m back now and as it seems that MBs for the model are no longer available, I`d like to get rid of it for spares, but obviously wish to retrieve/wipe my personal info from the HD.

I`ve tried putting feelers out at my uni, but no joy.

Anybody have any ideas how I can get around this without having to find someone with the same Laptop (Nigh on impossible I would guess...)

You`d think in this day and age that HD designers would do something sensible like add a USB port to the HD incase the worst ever happened... I guess that`s too simple (or am I being naive?)

Anyway, The model is a compaq X1140 series, but as it`s dead, I don`t suppose the specs are too relevant, I just need ideas on how to crack into that HD.

Many Thanks!

[TimW]

http://www.datapro.net/products/1920.html

[tunered]

With that adapter you can have a friend hook your hd as a slave and retrieve your info, you can put it on a full size hd for a desk top pc, or burn it to cd-dvd's. You can download good software to do this at the makers site of your brand of hard drive. ed

[bigbazza]

Just beware, that adaptor quoted in the earlier link will not work if your laptop happens to be fitted with a SATA hard drive. Mine is, and that adaptor is useless for SATA.
We had to connect mine to a desktop with SATA drive connections.

It was really easy to remove my TOSHIBA hard drive. One screw and slide it out. Bazza

[bakanaotoko]

Many thanks for your time and efforts guys! it`s thoroughly appreciated.

Bigbazza - just a quick question - How can I tell if my HD is SATA?

Anyone know if I can get that type of adaptor in the UK???

[bigbazza]

Everest will tell you, free.

Everest Home Edition. www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4181

Install Everest and then open up Storage.
Go to Windows Storage.
Then look for Disk Device Physical info.
Mine says SATA beside Interface.
Check what yours says.

SATA connection is completely different from the one shown in the link earlier in this thread.

As for availability in the UK, maybe try a google search for SATA laptop adaptor, or adapter, or combinations of the above. Best of luck. Let us know how you go. Bazza

BTW, forgot to mention, welcome to Major Geeks. :D : Baz

===

Originally Posted by bakanaotoko

Many thanks for your time and efforts guys! it`s thoroughly appreciated.

Bigbazza - just a quick question - How can I tell if my HD is SATA?

Anyone know if I can get that type of adaptor in the UK???

[bakanaotoko]

Thanks again Bigbazza, but I can`t check if my motherboards kaput, can I?
I can`t even boot-up.

I got one of these tihngs off of ebay yesterday...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d..._promot_widget

Hoped to just plug it in and get what I needed, but the bits that plug into each other are different... the linked item above is 42 pin, my HD (looks to have) 21 bits of straight, vertical plastic with brass covering them (I hope you can figure out what I mean from this bad description)

SATA do you think?

[bigbazza]

Duh, stupid me, sorry.:o :

I'd take your hard drive down to your nearest friendly computer repair store ( not sales oriented store), and ask a tech for help. They usually are an obliging lot. Bazza

===

[quote=bakanaotoko]Thanks again Bigbazza, but I can`t check if my motherboards kaput, can I?
I can`t even boot-up.
quote]

[abri]

Originally Posted by TimW

http://www.datapro.net/products/1920.html

cool, Tim

[Jazagod]

You`d think in this day and age that HD designers would do something sensible like add a USB port to the HD incase the worst ever happened... I guess that`s too simple
quick patent the idea before I do!!

[Jazagod]

that didn't work... patent it before i do, or Halo