want to transfer files from freezing computer

I have a computer that according to the tech has a fried copacitor. It opens and freezes. I want to take the files from the hard drive, possibly slave it, to a good computer.

Can I do this? Can I get to a DOS prompt in Windows xp to find the files the transfer them to my usb? Should I set up a slave drive?

I am thinking of pulling out the harddrive and hooking it to a good working computer.

Thanks for any help.

 

This is the best way to go. If you try to do any data saving on the freezing PC -regardless of whether you're at a "DOS" prompt- you run the risk of saving corrupt/incomplete data. If the motherboard has faulty capacitors, they will still be faulty in DOS, or in Windows, or in Linux for that matter. Faulty hardware is faulty hardware.

Remove the hard drive from the dying PC and hook it as a slave drive (check the jumpers) to a healthy PC . . . or better yet, get an enclosure to turn it into an external drive. You can then plug it into the USB port of a working PC, save everything you want to save, then format the drive and use it as a back-up/external storage drive for any/all your PCs. Enclosures are very inexpensive. You should be able to buy one at your local PC shop for under $25 or so.
Here's an example of one at Newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817423007 (I have used this exact enclosure many, MANY times and it works great for both IDE or SATA hard drives; if you're unsure of if you have an IDE/ATA drive or a SATA drive, this enclosure is ideal)

I hope this helps!

:-D

[dlb]

 

I would go with the hdd enclosure method dlb mentioned. It's your best bet!


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Thanks for your help.

Hind sight is 20/20. It makes sense that regardless of whether I use windows or dos the compunter board is still bad.