Laptop Dead

[101RRS]

My laptop has been dying for a little while and has finally died - dry joints, dust and other stuff - dropped too many times - just faded away. Hardrive is all OK though - except for security reasons I had a password on the Hard Drive.

The problem now is that when I connect the old laptop hard drive to my PC the computer tells me that it has loaded drivers and the device is ready to use but it does not appear on windows explorer so I cannot gain access to the drive (and the files and emails etc).

What I was expecting was that the PC would recognize the drive but I would be asked for the password for it to work - but this has not happened.

So does anyone have any idea how I can get this drive working as a secondary drive on another computer so I can get my stuff off it.

Thanks

Garry

[mikehzz]

It sounds like the drive has karked it. What shows if you go into control panel, administrative tools, computer management, disk management?

[101RRS]

It sounds like the drive has karked it. What shows if you go into control panel, administrative tools, computer management, disk management?

No - the hard drive is fine - it was the on/off switch that karked it and the switch is the type that are embedded in the circuitry.

When I do go into control panel etc it shows the drive but says it is not initialized - but it will not initialize. I suspect that it is the need to enter the password which is bios controlled (the bios in the dead laptop) before anything can be read on the HDD - I guess the HDD password is working as it was intended - security to stop undesirables reading the hardrive if it was stolen.

Cheers

Garry

[sheerluck]

Garry,

What OS was the old laptop on, and what is the new PC on?

[101RRS]

The drive was with XP and the PC is Windows 7 - certainly XP will read Win 7 files so I assume the reverse would be the case.

Cheers

garry

[Debacle]

Are you connecting it direct to your pc or via an external enclosure ?

[101RRS]

Are you connecting it direct to your pc or via an external enclosure ?

I have tried both - as the secondary drive and via an external enclosure - the computer has treated them the same.

[Debacle]

Just wondering if you could try disconnecting your other drives and just using your laptop drive, do a fresh install of xp or 7, without formating the drive and see if you can find your files then.

[Ferret]

I guess the HDD password is working as it was intended - security to stop undesirables reading the hardrive if it was stolen.

Cheers

Garry

Repair Station (http://hdd-tools.com/products/rrs/) Said to be able to unlock HDD's. Don't know - never tried it myself though.

[101RRS]

That Repair Station might be the go if all else fails.

Thanks for that.

Cheers

Garry

[101RRS]

All else has come good - I pulled apart the laptop in the hope that I might be able to get it going long enough to remove the HDD security password.

Don't pull your laptop apart - it is a pita - none of the wires and ribbons are long enough to get piggy fingers inside with it all connected. So I disconnected everything - lengthened some wires pored some hot candle wax on other bits to keep them in place and then sort of put it back together - and she fired up first go.

I managed to remove the HDD password and as expected when connected to my PC the files could be read - but on the other computer it said I did not have access privileges so while I can now see the files folders etc - I still cannot read the files on another computer. I will ask how to gain access another day.

So the old laptop is running - I think I will leave it on and will get another one next week.

So - do not outsmart yourself and put a HDD password on - might stop the baddies but also stops you if you have issues with your computer.

Thanks for all you help and suggestions.

Garry.

[mikehzz]

You should be able to change ownership of the files via properties, security in the advanced section. Make sure you set it to recurse child objects. You may need to type explorer in the run box and right click and run as administrator to get enough stick to do it.

[blitz]

Last Thursday evening my laptop had a major melt down started flashing warnings popups every where - Oh bugger forced shut down let it cool down, tried to start it but nothing. chucked it in the bin which got emptied Friday. Got to work told one of my work mates his forst words were oh good you can get a new one on insurance :eek: :eek: :eek:
Bit hard to prove when it's in the dump Do'h guess who feels like a moron

[horaceOz]

With a problem like this you could have left the drive connected to the pc and when you start up go into the bios of the new pc and see if the password could be changed. In theory HDD passwords should carry across.

As for file permissions you can use the "Eveyone" account and give that account full permissions

Check this out for changing file permissions if ya not sure
How do I change folder and file Permissions? - Microsoft Answers (http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-files/how-do-i-change-folder-and-file-permissions/465f2b42-63dd-4486-8dd1-c870290efeed)

[101RRS]

With a problem like this you could have left the drive connected to the pc and when you start up go into the bios of the new pc and see if the password could be changed. In theory HDD passwords should carry across.



Tried that but would not work. Password is now gone - just need to set up permissions when the laptop goes to heaven.

Garry