Can I retrieve an email from a dead laptop?

JPS29

Hi.

My old laptop died, keep getting blue screen and when windows try to fix doesn't solve anything, keeps going round in circles.

I also have a working laptop. Is there anyway of me hooking the two up and retrieving the old email I need, or another way?

I can access the set up etc before the dead laptop boots of this is any help, oh the old laptop is a compaq

Thanks in advance

closed

You could put the hard disk in a usb 2.5" caddy, or look at fixing the boot problem.

Do any of the safe mode options work?

JPS29

no, tried everything safe mode etc. Just constantly says windows looking for faults, may restart several times etc. Then when does just same again :-(

danthemoneysavingman

Can it not boot in under any circumstance then? Can you start up from the OS install CD/DVD & run repairs off that?

Otherwise, the USB caddy may help, but if your partition table is corrupted then you'll need software to fix that first. And IDing the single email you're after may prove irksome.

Is said email not still available on your email server ? (e.g. if with virgin, log on to email thru their website).

gonzo127

if the email is saved as a file you could use a ubuntu livecd to boot into and then search your hard drive for that file and then save it off to usb stick

JPS29

Thanks to all.

Don't have the disk anymore due to moving house, or it may be in the attic.....

just a regular mail on outlook express. I did anticipate things like this happening as I have my own domain so set up email forwarding to a yahoo account also but this trashes them after so many months.

If it is harder than I thought would a pc repair type shop be able to retrieve it or am I goosed?

closed

A hard disk caddy costs around £5 which is cheaper than paying someone.

Fixing your problem will probably require either an OS disc of some sort (borrow one), or if you have a factory restore partition you could use that, but will lose your data.

JPS29

Sorry Closed. I am really thick when it comes to IT, is this just a usb stick (I have few of these) or something else and how would I get my email off the old one on to the caddy?

Cheers

closed

no you take your hard disk out, and plug it into a usb lead/disk enclosure, then assuming the disk is not faulty, you should have access to all your files. There are other ways to do it, linux/pe boot cd's, but a hard disk caddy is the simplest.

JPS29

Is this it?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BLACK-2-5-SATA-USB-HDD-HARD-DRIVE-CADDY-CASE-ENCLOSURE-/300446034120?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Collectables_HardDriveEnclosures_RL&hash=item45f3faa8c8

Do I need a specific one for my model or are they universal?

Not bothered about the laptop working again as I've got a replacement and half the keys had fell off anyway:p

Thanks again

closed

That's the type of thing, but there are 2 types pata and sata, if the machine is oldish, you may have a pata hard disk