Removing files from old hard drive

november

I've had major problems with my old computer and it bit the dust (think its the motherboard). We have another practically identical computer so attached the old hard drive as a slave drive on computer no 2.

Could read all the program files on hard drive no 1 (slave drive) but it wouldn't let me into the Folder 'My Name' within which is My Documents etc. It said 'can't access' and a click on properties showed no files within A search for any document files, photos etc gave nothing.

We checked hard drive 1 with Seagate tools (its a Seagate ) and it was OK.

Then ran Komotix (borrowed from a friend) and we could see the My Name folders in there including My Docs etc. which was a big relief. However we couldn't copy the folders as Komotix wouldn't copy. I think because it either didn't recognise the Flash drive or because it seemed to have everything as read only.

Has any one got any idea how I can get the files off my old hard drive? Windows Explorer insists they are not there and Komotix is waving them in front of me but won't let me save them onto anything.

Any advice gratefully appreciated.

needaspirin

If the computer is identical try swapping the drive and see if it will boot from it. You can then copy all your files to a flash drive.

Zagu

I presume that 'hard drive no 1' still has an operating system on it?

november

Thanks. Yes hard drive no. 1 still has an operating system on it.

We did try using that as the original and no 2 as the slave but it didn't work. Computer no. 2 won't boot from hard drive no 1. I think because the hard drives aren't the same make.

So maybe I should have said similar not identical sorry (they are both similar sized Dells so have same connections inside but different make hard drives)

Zagu

The make shouldnt make any difference really. If you disconnect the new hard drive from the new PC, plug in the old one while its set to 'Master' with the jumpers on the back, what does your bios say? It'll probably be under the boot section, just press Delete, probably, at startup.

november

Maybe the OS is faulty then as unfortunately it just didn't start - said it didn't recognise hard drive.

Can't try again at the moment to see if its possible to look at the bios as it was actually my OH who was doing the techie stuff not me as he is at work now The drives are back as they were - HD1 as slave and new as OS.

Just to clarify (although its probably obvious) I am actually currently on his PC:rotfl:

albertross_2

try running chkdsk e: /F on the slave drive (substituting e: with the correct drive letter), if that doesn't work, it may be a rights issue, which could be worked around by taking ownership.

november

CHKDSK is running. (Yes e: is the drive letter )

edited to update - the CHDSK ran OK

Explorer will still open any program etc on Drive e (drive 1) apart from Documents & Settings/My Name which it says is empty and access is refused.

albertross_2

try right clicking on the folder, properties, security, and check that you have read or full control rights

november

In Windows Explorer? Properties didn't have 'security' it did have 'attributes' which says read only for all folders on the computer - I looked on both drives and they are both the same. However all the other folders say they have files in them and are accessible.

jrrowleyws

Thats how windows works, if you have multiple user accounts or one with a password it locks down the Documents and Settings folders. If I remember correctly Linux can get around this issue, or failing that you should still be able to boot into safe mode using the old hard disk as the master on the new pc and recover your documents.