Can i reinstall Vista without losing files?

Figment

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=usb+caddy+SATA+2.5%22&_sacat=0&_odkw=usb+caddy+SATA&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

longwalks1

Thanks again Figment, Id be lost without you :beer:
Justordered one so fingers crossed Mon or Tuesday I can start recovering my data!
Have a good weekend

longwalks1

Hi all

I got the SATA hard drive out my laptop, plugged into the USB caddy i got off ebay, turned on my desktop waited for it to fully boot up, THEn plugged the caddy into a USB port, and nothing? Was expecting to see it come up under 'computer' as a sperate drive

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong please?

Figment

a) Check the connectors on the back of the drive are inserted fully into the corresponding sockets on the caddy

b) Plug caddy directly into a USB socket on the desktop computer, not via a USB hub.

c) When you plugged the caddy into the desktop the first time, did the 'New Hardware' wizard start?

d) When you plug the caddy into the desktop can you head the drive start spinning?

e) Is the caddy powered by USB or a spearate power adaptor?

longwalks1

Hi Figment
a) Yup fully plugged into the caddy
b) thats what i meant,sorry for confusion
c) didnt get the usual 'new hardware install' wizard appear in bottom right hand corner of screen?
d) not spinning, just a very very quiet 'ticking' like a clock almost??
e) USB powered, power LED comes on as soon as plugged into desktop USB

Figment

c) Under normal conditions I would expect to see the New Hardware Wizard on plugging in as it should detect the caddy itself as a USB device, followed by detecting the hard drive.

d) Doesn't bode well. The ticking/clicking usually indicates that the drive is sticking or failing/failed, which was indicated when you ran diagnostics back at end of April.

longwalks1

Thanks again Figment
would the fact its not seeing the caddy to load new hardware wizard also point towards a screwed HDD? ?if its sticking/failed then nothing to detect?

I guess ive not got many more options then? Other than buy a new HD and fit it, and take the hit for the lost data?

Figment

I'm not sure whether it should detect the caddy irrespective of the condition of HDD (or indeed with no HDD fitted). Impossible to know for certain unless you have another (known good) HDD you could fit into the caddy to test.

I think a new HDD is given. What you do with the old one depends on how valuable the data is to you

longwalks1

Thanks figment, the one thats playing up is a SATA Seagate 5400.5 160GB

Wheres best ot buy a new one from? And is it worth buying a larger capacity one?

Thanks again for your help

Figment

It's worth getting a bigger one, but check on DELL site/forums first just in case there is an upper limit to the size supported by your laptop's BIOS.



As for where to buy, all much of a muchness. If you're in a hurry and prepared to pay a higher price then Local Computer Shop / Maplin / PC World. If you're prepared to wait. then good ol' fleabay. Be aware that retail packaged drives usually carry a 2 or 3 year manufacturer's warranty, whereas the identical drive sold as OEM (plain white box or other anonymous packaging) will only have one year's warranty.