Has static electricity destroyed my laptop?

[donkyboy]

Surely, in order to get the data off the hard drive, you have take the hard drive out and connect it to another laptop and transfer the files? I can't see how else it can be done

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Surely, in order to get the data off the hard drive, you have take the hard drive out and connect it to another laptop and transfer the files? I can't see how else it can be done

No, you can get USB caddies. Another laptop is far from guaranteed as it might have a different size of drive.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

bump anyone?

It'll be a hard drive caddy - perhaps take the disk in to make sure you get the right connector? If there's a repair shop they might take the data off if you take in/buy another disk or large usb?

I'd go with this, get a repair shop to do it.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

And worth repeating that if there's files you can't afford to lose you should have them backed up in cloud like dropbox.

 

[donkyboy]

Another laptop is far from guaranteed as it might have a different size of drive.

No no. I dont mean literally. I mean one of these. I've done it myself with previous laptops

Hard Disk Drive External Enclosure Case Caddy - USB 3.0 SATA, 2.5 inch, for HDD, Solid State Drive SSD - Tool Free - CLEAR : Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Hard Disk Drive External Enclosure Case Caddy - USB 3.0 SATA, 2.5 inch, for HDD, Solid State Drive SSD - Tool Free - CLEAR : Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[UnderOpenSky]

No no. I dont mean literally. I mean one of these. I've done it myself with previous laptops

Hard Disk Drive External Enclosure Case Caddy - USB 3.0 SATA, 2.5 inch, for HDD, Solid State Drive SSD - Tool Free - CLEAR : Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Hard Disk Drive External Enclosure Case Caddy - USB 3.0 SATA, 2.5 inch, for HDD, Solid State Drive SSD - Tool Free - CLEAR : Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

www.amazon.co.uk

Ah yes. But that won't work as she doesn't have a old fashioned 2.5" drive.

 

[donkyboy]

Ah yes. But that won't work as she doesn't have a old fashioned 2.5" drive.

There are many types of external HDD readers. Just got to google it.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

The laptop is being collected tomorrow and I really want to get the data off the hard drive before it goes (as I fear I will never get it back otherwise.)

I can go into town this afternoon and buy whatever it is I need to buy but I don't even know where to begin. Which shops sell things to recover a hard drive, and are they called caddies or something else? Already dreading having to put the laptop back together again before it's collected.

If you can't get someone to do it for you, then you need one of these, although they may be a bit harder to find.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/UGREEN-Enclosure-External-Compatible-Aluminum/dp/B07NPG5H83

 

[UnderOpenSky]

.

 

[miss direct]

Couldn't find anything in town. Not many shops there though.
Someone suggested I try to put my hard drive into an existing external hard drive, so that's my next step.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Couldn't find anything in town. Not many shops there though.
Someone suggested I try to put my hard drive into an existing external hard drive, so that's my next step.

I'd be very surprised if this will be the size you need

Where are you based. Is there anyone here who can help you?

 

[Riklet]

The laptop is being collected tomorrow and I really want to get the data off the hard drive before it goes (as I fear I will never get it back otherwise.)

I can go into town this afternoon and buy whatever it is I need to buy but I don't even know where to begin. Which shops sell things to recover a hard drive, and are they called caddies or something else? Already dreading having to put the laptop back together again before it's collected.

it depends on what the hard disc is. Tbh its not very hard to do this but youve left it very last minute!!

If it's a big square hard disc you need a SATA 2.5 to USB caddy. Can you post the laptop model and specs and a picture with the back off?

 

[UnderOpenSky]

it depends on what the hard disc is. Tbh its not very hard to do this but youve left it very last minute!!

If it's a big square hard disc you need a SATA 2.5 to USB caddy. Can you post the laptop model and specs and a picture with the back off?

It's an NVME M2, posted on the last page!

 

[Riklet]

It's an NVME M2, posted on the last page!

Ah okk!

miss direct direct I would buy something like this or just get a shop to do it for you tomorrow morning (much more realistic, you don't seem very technically minded). They could back it up to an external HD or a USB pen. I doubt you'll find it that easy to do yourself without another working computer etc.

Personally if the data is that important and a shop can't do it then then I would just keep the laptop for the moment. Don't worry about John Lewis, you have your 2 year protection. I dont know if that's realistic but that's the best way.

 

[miss direct]

Thank you! I ordered this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07F7WDZGT/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
but not sure if it'll turn up before the courier.

I actually did manage to do exactly this last summer when my last laptop broke. I don't know the names of things, but I can manage to do tasks with instructions.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Thank you! I ordered this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07F7WDZGT/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
but not sure if it'll turn up before the courier.

I actually did manage to do exactly this last summer when my last laptop broke. I don't know the names of things, but I can manage to do tasks with instructions.

That's not what you need. It won't fit.

Me and Riklet have given links to what will.

 

[miss direct]

Oh whoops. Ok, cancelled that.

 

[fishfinger]

Thank you! I ordered this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07F7WDZGT/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
but not sure if it'll turn up before the courier.

I actually did manage to do exactly this last summer when my last laptop broke. I don't know the names of things, but I can manage to do tasks with instructions.

That's for a SATA drive, yours appears to be a NVME one.

 

[Riklet]

Thank you! I ordered this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07F7WDZGT/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
but not sure if it'll turn up before the courier.

I actually did manage to do exactly this last summer when my last laptop broke. I don't know the names of things, but I can manage to do tasks with instructions.

Just take it to a shop. Christ you don't half like to make things more complicated than they need to be!

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Just take it to a shop. Christ you don't half like to make things more complicated than they need to be!

I mean I quite admire this, because these things are handy to have and who knows when you could do someone a huge favour. But yes. Provided you have one near by.

 

[Riklet]

Agreed dont mean to be mean! thats one of the most useful cables possible to have to help someone with computery!

Hope you can get the data back miss direct what a 'mare!

 

[miss direct]

woohoo, the caddy thing is here and I can access everything on the old hard drive. Only issue now is where to put all that data - as I assume I have to put the hard drive back in the old laptop before sending it off for repair. Not sure my diddy netbook has space!

 

[two sheds]

you could anyway do with a backup drive

 

[miss direct]

Maybe I can put it all on my netbook for now and then copy to an external hard drive. I do have two.
Any ideas as to how to locate the important stuff on this drive? I'm pretty gutted not to be able to access Office anymore, very inconvenient for work.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

woohoo, the caddy thing is here and I can access everything on the old hard drive. Only issue now is where to put all that data - as I assume I have to put the hard drive back in the old laptop before sending it off for repair. Not sure my diddy netbook has space!

I'd say now would be perfect time to invest in cloud storage/backup!

 

[two sheds]

Depending on how much you've got on there it might even be free

I've been copying stuff across between upstairs/downstairs computer on my imap email account and so have a few things in cloud storage unwittingly.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Maybe I can put it all on my netbook for now and then copy to an external hard drive. I do have two.
Any ideas as to how to locate the important stuff on this drive? I'm pretty gutted not to be able to access Office anymore, very inconvenient for work.

Is this mostly office type documents? If so I'd expect them to be in C:\Users\yourname

If you need office cheaply then you can buy a key from Amazon for Office 2019 for £10 - £15. They are semi legit and do work.

 

[miss direct]

Brilliant. I managed to find everything I was looking for. I do pay Google each month and have 100GB of storage on my drive so I guess everything should go there pronto. Phew.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Brilliant. I managed to find everything I was looking for. I do pay Google each month and have 100GB of storage on my drive so I guess everything should go there pronto. Phew.

Yes. It's so handy once you have it set up and no extra work. I can access everything on my phone or at a totally different PC via a browser. Plus if you have two computers all your files are automatically synced between them.

And of course if your PC dies it's not an issue in terms of data.

 

[two sheds]

I was really pleased about Firefox Synch, made setting up the downstairs computer so much easier.