Recovering data from 2.5" laptop drive

[RyanP13]

I am trying to recover some data from my friend's laptop. I don't have the laptop to hand as of yet but wanted a heads up on a few things.

If the laptop HDD is SATA i assume i can just plug in a SATA data cable form my mobo and a SATA power cable form my PSU and this should be fine?

I think the drive is a single OS partition so when plugged in Windows should still pick it up and i should be able to get the data straight from there?

If the drive is IDE i don't really know what to do? Any suggestions with regards to 2.5" IDE to SATA Interface converters? Also even if i attach a converter is there any guarantee that Windows will pick the drive up if it is IDE?

Am breaking new ground here so appreciate any advice.

[streetster]

if its IDE you can get a usb->ide housing (check ebay) for around a fiver it seems...

if its sata and takes the same power/interface, which it should*, then if its not automagically picked up in windows, you'll be able to find it in controlpanel->administrative tools->computer management->disk management, and then map it to a drive letter and get the stuff off that way


*alternatively*

download a copy of ubuntu livecd, boot the laptop (once you've got your hands on it), then stick a memory stick in the laptop and copy all the useful stuff across that way - assuming a) the laptop has a cd drive and b) you have a memory stick/usb key to use


* i think

[RyanP13]

if its IDE you can get a usb->ide housing (check ebay) for around a fiver it seems...

if its sata and takes the same power/interface, which it should*, then if its not automagically picked up in windows, you'll be able to find it in controlpanel->administrative tools->computer management->disk management, and then map it to a drive letter and get the stuff off that way


*alternatively*

download a copy of ubuntu livecd, boot the laptop (once you've got your hands on it), then stick a memory stick in the laptop and copy all the useful stuff across that way - assuming a) the laptop has a cd drive and b) you have a memory stick/usb key to use


* i think

nice one.

I think th Ubuntu LiveCD may be the way to go if not SATA. Looks great, thanks for putting me onto it.

[peterb]

You can also get 2.5" IDE to 3.5" IDE converters (about £1.50) off e bay which work well - but sata to USB (and IDE to usb) enclosurese are readily available. (as the previous post says)

[streetster]

nice one.

I think th Ubuntu LiveCD may be the way to go if not SATA. Looks great, thanks for putting me onto it.

You're welcome, it should be fairly straightforward to get the data off using ubuntu, but if you have any problems there are plenty of linux gurus floating around the forum that'll be able to help Good luck!