Fried MBR Want to Save HDD

[baracuda]

I have a damaged motherboard and want to save the harddrive. At this point I am just exploring possibilities. The OS on the drive is WinXPP and it is about 10 GB in size. I believe it is either a Seagate or Maxtor. Can I just remove it from the old computer and put it in a new one (providing the new one has room and provision for one) as a slave drive? Is there any thing I would have to do to the bios or are there other configurations I would have to make? Second option. Is there a way to transfer the data to the new computer if I can't boot up the old? Is there a device that would convert the old drive to an external drive? Any suggestions on the best solution for saving the data would be appreciated.

Baracuda

 

[edfair]

Normally not a problem. Change the jumpers to make it slave, add it as slave in the chain, power up and change the CMOS to add the drive as slave, probably with auto selection, and bring the system up.
Be aware that drives have a tendency of shorting stuff out internally when wierd voltages are applied, so if the system doesn't boot or the power doesn't come up suspect the drive first.
You may have to define the drive as cable select. Depends on how your system is set, or better, what kind of ribbon cable is installed.
If the drive spins and is recognized it should be possible to transfer your data.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[G0AOZ]

Assuming the motherboard in the new computer is exactly the same make and model, you would be able to boot from your old drive if the drive itself is still ok. With a different motherboard, booting from the old drive would be very unlikely, but as Ed says, configured as a secondary device, shouldn't be a problem.

If the drive is an IDE you could buy an external USB drive enclosure, and use it that way.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[baracuda]

Thanks Roger and Ed for the useful info. I haven't bought the replacement desktop yet but I am 99% sure it won't be the same model/motherboard. I think maybe at this point the safest route would be the external drive enclosure. I'll look into.

Jan

 

[rvnguy]

baracudu,

This link covers a "fried mobo" and you would use the current HD w/XP as the boot drive.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;824125

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[baracuda]

rvnguy: Thanks for the lead. Very useful info. One question - do you think I would need to reconfig windows if I was using the drive externally?

Baracuda

 

[rvnguy]

baracuda,

If thia is what you want (the data) and you do not intend booting from this external device, edfair gave precise steps to get this done. As he stated this should work.

If you intend on booting from this, much more information would be required.


rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all