Rocover notebook HD

I need to recover data from a notebook SATA HDD. I would prefer not to have to buy an external enclosure and wait a few days for delivery, so can I connect it directly to SATA power and data cables in my desktop to transfer data?

Thanks!

 

I've never tried this with a notebook SATA drive so I'm not certain the connectors are compatable. Standard ATA drives' connectors are very different in notebooks and desktops, but a simple adaptor can be had with or without an enclosure. You can find them on eBay or possibly at retailers like Circuit City.
Basically if the cables fit, you shouldn't have any problem transfering your files.

 

Yes.

I have saved data from more than a few laptop SATA drives, and EVERY drive has had identical connectors as a desktop drive. I have personally NEVER had a compatibility issue, but I suppose it is possible, but I haven't seen it.

Just be sure to unplug the power cord from the desktop PC when connecting the drive, and since it will be kind of 'dangling' out of the case, be sure it's fairly stable and sitting on a non-conductive surface.

Good luck!

 

Thank for the replies.

The connectors fit, but Vista would not boot. I made sure I was trying to boot from the correct drive in the desktop, but still no boot.

So I disconnected the laptop HDD, started the desktop, and since I am using ACHI mode (supposedly enabling hot plugging), hot plugged the laptop drive. I let Vista spend 5 minutes trying to figure it out, opened Windows Explorer, and that locked up. Disconnected laptop drive.

Ended up having to hit reset button and start up in Safe Mode then shut down normally and Vista then started ok. I'm just grateful I don't have to reinstall anything. Guess I'll buy an enclosure unless anyone has a better idea.

(Is it me, or does Vista seem like XP redone with new icons and useless effects?)

 

So with the laptop drive on a secondary port, the desktop drive will not boot? That is very strange. Using an enclosure is a good idea, but can you boot to a CD when both hard drive's are connected to the desktop? If so, you could boot to a PE disc (like the UBCD4Win) and recover the data that way. The UBCD4Win is a bootable 'live' CD that is basically like running Windows XP entirely from the CD so you have free access to the hard drives if they aren't booting or full of viruses or whatever. I have used it many times to save data from non-booting drives. So you could boot to the CD, create a folder on the desktop's boot drive and call it "laptop data" then using one of many built-in tools, copy any data from the laptop drive to the folder you just created. I've done it a bazillion times; works like a charm!

Good luck!

 

Since you never really stated the problem with the laptop: If the laptop boots but the OS on the drive is bad - use a Bart PE or Knoppix disk to boot up and copy the files over the network or burn them if you have a cd-r. They may have the sata drivers or somewhere you can add them.
But really those USB to sata/ide cables are only $20 and very useful. No "case" needed.