Please please -- Need HELP with retreiving data from dead old computer

[Ineeda]

My 6 yr old computer died (no power) and I don't know how to retrieve my old files, email, documents, bookmarks. I regularly backed up everything onto a Clickfree, but when I plugged it into the new computer, I got no prompt to restore, although the device itself 'took'. The Clickfree "works with Vista, XP and 2000" and my new puter is Windows 7 OS. Could that be the problem? Anyway, how else can I get my info out of old, dead Dell if it has no power? P.S. I'm not the brightest lightbulb in the pack when it comes to this stuff, so be patient, please.

[TrogL]

1. If it's just the power supply, just put a new one in it

If it's 6 years old, it's right around the time that some of the connectors changed, but if you take it down to the local non-brand-name computer shop, they'll sell you the right one. However, if your drive was recognized by the new computer, just bring up Windows Explorer (NOT Internet explorer) and it should be a drive letter. You may have to go into some of the admin utilities to get it to recognize (don't have Windows 7 in front of me or I'd talk you through it).

[Ineeda]

2. Thanks TrogL but

when I posted my question, I had already purchased and set up a new computer. My question was how to get info off the old to transfer to the new. My external backup device didn't do the trick. So now I guess I'll be taking the old one to a pro to retrieve the info. I have about 200 email addresses, years of writing projects and some irreplaceable correspondence. Luckily, I saved my novels on disks, but everything else is on that darn Clickfree, which I can't get to work. Thanks anyway.

[hobbit709]

3. I'd still get a power supply.

That way you have a backup computer.

[Warpy]

9. I second that, having a backup box is great

As for putting the data on the new computer, you can do that easily with a hard drive dock, just pull the hard drive out of the dead box, put it into the dock, and fire it up. You can then transfer almost anything. Write protected software is not going to go, but all your files will.

The dock won't break the bank. You can order it at the same time you order that new power supply. The dock is also a little more reliable than transferring data by cable and Easy Transfer, which must be downloaded onto the XP box. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=734917d8-0663-4c26-89d0-2d00b632ebdb

I got Easy Transfer to work with one box but not the other. The hard drive dock worked all the time.

[trotsky]

4. Easy and you can do it yourself with a screwdriver.

Get one of these for $20: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3012908&CatId=3770
(They are also available at most computer stores like MicroCenter or Best Buy.)

Then you will have to remove the hard drive from your old system - not hard, just held in place by a few screws. Hook it up to the above device, then plug in the USB connector to your new computer. Windows 7 will take a moment to detect the hardware and then spin up your old disk. It will appear as another drive letter and you can open it up, browse to the files you want, and copy them to your new system.

[Ineeda]

5. THANKS!!

I just ordered the gizmo and I'm sure I can handle it. I'm no dummy, but sometimes these things are more intimidating than hard when I don't know what the hell I'm doing!

[hermetic]

6. Do you know

if that will work on a drive that I was told when the computer quit working, "The motherboard fried." I have kept that drive for 6 years in hopes someday something like this would come along. Or is a "fried motherboard" unusable ever again?

TIA

[hobbit709]

7. Fried motherboard doesn't usually mean fried hard drive

[Duer 157099]

8. Just a generic FYI

The hard drive in a computer is a completely modular item, which means that you can unplug it and then plug it into another computer, EASILY. The caveat being that you most likely won't be able to boot up from that drive, which means, you won't be able to run the operating system. But in terms of recovering files, PIECE OF PIE. Don't let anyone tell you different!

You just need to attach it to your new computer as a SLAVE drive, it's easy, Google it.