Data Recovery - Opinions?

[Deadpæce]

• Motherboard died on my Dads DV9700 laptop
  
• We got him a newly built desktop to replace it as they're easier to maintain.
  
• Salvaged the old HDD from the lappy
  
• Succesfully copied over critical data (documents and pictures) to the new PC using a 2.5 sata enclosure.

Now, onto the problem I'm having now.

He uses two programs, Incredimail and Ready to Print Organiser. The latter of which had the contact details for friends,family members, business associates and calendar dates (he likes what he likes I dont bother arguing with him to just use outlook )

These programs require you to create a back up file in order to save contact details as a .csv. Due to laptop failure being sudden we didn't make these back ups.

So what I'm trying to do now is find a way to boot into his old Vista config to actually access these programs and create the back up files.

So, what do Hexus?

What are my options?

Tried booting from the old hdd via usb and it wasn't having it (configure bios to boot from USB, select OS I want to boot, screen goes blank then goes back to the splash screen. Presumably looking for HP drivers that aren't there. No recovery disk to hand.)

Any help is appreciated

[mrt9888]

You could try installing the same programs on the new pc then find out where it keeps the contacts and copy into the same place from the laptop drive.

[GoNz0]

option b would be to repair the install on the external drive.

otherwise find out where the info is stored, ie application data/incredimail and copy the files to a new install of said applications.

application data will be hidden so you have to type the path from c:\

[Deadpæce]

You could try installing the same programs on the new pc then find out where it keeps the contacts and copy into the same place from the laptop drive.

There's no clearly marked 'Contact' file in the programs file directory. Only and Incredimail folder (with mainly dll and exe files) and the Bin folder. Comparing the directories side by side (from ext hdd and the hdd on the new system with the fresh Incredimail install) the files seem to be exactly the same.

option b would be to repair the install on the external drive.

otherwise find out where the info is stored, ie application data/incredimail and copy the files to a new install of said applications.

application data will be hidden so you have to type the path from c:\

I'll see if the files are hidden in the direcory.

Thank you both for the help so far.

[DrATty]

Try adding a contact and then searching for all files (*.*) on the drive, including hidden and system files. That might help find the location of the stored data.