Backing up my computer.. not as simple as it sounds!

[Dezolat0r]

Hi all

I have a problem. Basically, what I want to do is install my new motherboard, CPU and graphics card to my computer. As I understand it, I have to back up the data on my harddrive and reformat everything first (can someone confirm this? and perhaps explain why?).
However, the motherboard in my old PC is dead. I can't turn it on at all, so how would I go about backing up my old drive? I don't have another computer into which the drive could be inserted.
Another forum suggested I buy a seperate harddrive and install windows onto it, then use my drive with all the stuff I want on as a slave. I don't really want to buy another one though because being a 17 year old with a part time job, I'm already tight on cash! Is there another option? I have a 250GB external harddrive which I could use, but I don't know how that might help because I can't transfer any data without turning the computer on obviously!

Summary: how do I back up the data on my harddrive when my computer won't turn on in the first place?!

I hope that makes sense

Thanks in advance...

[Splash]

Do you have a linux livecd or something similar? If so you just boot from that (with old hard drive installed and USB drive connected) and backup to USB drive. Failing that you could see if you could get into Windows with your current install (dependent on how different your new mobo is) and backup through Windows. A reinstall is DEFINITELY the way forward when replacing a mobo though.

Where are you located? If you're anywhere near me I have a 10Gb drive I could lend you to install Windows on for recovery purposes (I'd need it back though - it's going in my new firewall) if that helps at all.

The most important thing is that in future you take regular backups for just such a situation - don't worry though, I'd say a fair chunk of us have learnt this the hard way!

[Funkstar]

also when you do reformat and install, don't just create one giant partition on the disk, split it up so you can re install windows without affecting the data on the other partition.

[Dezolat0r]

Do you have a linux livecd or something similar? If so you just boot from that (with old hard drive installed and USB drive connected) and backup to USB drive. Failing that you could see if you could get into Windows with your current install (dependent on how different your new mobo is) and backup through Windows. A reinstall is DEFINITELY the way forward when replacing a mobo though.

Where are you located? If you're anywhere near me I have a 10Gb drive I could lend you to install Windows on for recovery purposes (I'd need it back though - it's going in my new firewall) if that helps at all.

The most important thing is that in future you take regular backups for just such a situation - don't worry though, I'd say a fair chunk of us have learnt this the hard way!

Nope, I don't have a Linux livecd.. I don't know the first thing about Linux! I'm a noob.

When you say get onto Windows with the 'current install' do you mean the set-up that I already have now, or the new CPU/mobo/GPU I plan to install? Like I said, the broken mobo prevents it from turning on at the moment. But would it be possible to turn on the computer with the new components then back it all up to the USB drive like that? Then reformat?
The 10GB harddrive sounds like a potential plan.. I live in Wiltshire. Chippenham to be exact. Let me know about this if you can Thanks!

[Splash]

Hmm - I'm in York, so I couldn't really just drop the drive off with you

As for booting into your current install that's exactly what I mean - replace as little as possible hardware-wise and try getting into Windows - it might work (though I can't promise anything)

[mark19632]

As I understand it, I have to back up the data on my harddrive and reformat everything first (can someone confirm this? and perhaps explain why?).

You don't "have" to reformat the harddrive when installing a new motherboard, but it is preferable.

You can install the new board and if windows will not boot then do a repair of the installation from the XP (I assume you are using XP). I've had to do this a number if times and works fine.

You could always install windows to the external HDD then backup the old HDD to this.

HTH

Mark

[dannyboy83]

yeh, you don't HAVE to do it. Maybe install ur new mobo etc, do the repair XP as mark said above, backup your stuff to CD/DVD...THEN reformat, repartition, etc.

[monkeyville]

Post a wanted thread asking to borrow a hard drive and offer to pay postage there and back. I'm sure somebody has a 10gb one they can lend you for a week

[Splash]

Like me : ) - if you can pay postage and promise to return within a couple of weeks I have one you could use. If you lived closer I'd come drop it off with you.

[nvening]

Do you know Nickolas Fowlke? Sorry, bit off subject lmao

[Splash]

wtf?

[Dezolat0r]

You don't "have" to reformat the harddrive when installing a new motherboard, but it is preferable.

You can install the new board and if windows will not boot then do a repair of the installation from the XP (I assume you are using XP). I've had to do this a number if times and works fine.

You could always install windows to the external HDD then backup the old HDD to this.

HTH

Mark

Hmm, why is 'have' in inverted commas? I'm curious as to what whether I'd be able to get away with booting my computer with the new motherboard and not reformatting.. What would happen? Couldn't I just install the components (mobo cpu and gpu), then boot the computer up as normal and install the new drivers/BIOs for everything?

What exactly do you mean by 'repair of the installation from the XP'? Yeah I'm using XP and have the disk.. but I don't understand what this means. I'm open to hearing any other option though

And I just found out the external HDD I was planning to use is Firewire only.. which my motherboard doesn't have. I don't have a DVD burner either.. so basically I'm trying to find out if it's possible just to get all these components installed without reformatting the harddrive.

Hope that makes sense.

And Splash... I'm taking the components to my friend's house tomorrow to get it installed by then. Thank you very much for the offer (I appreciate it!) and in any other situation I would probably take you up on that offer and pay for postage of the HDD but unfortunately my dad is getting sick of me going on his computer and wants me to get this whole situation fixed before Christmas (with good reason I suppose!), so I want to get it done as soon as possible really

Cheers guys

[Ceefer]

You may well get away with just installing the new motherboard and booting from your existing installation of windows. Windows XP is actually very good at coping with this sort of change.

As an example:

A few months ago I was messing around with my dual boot 'play' computer listed below and ended up replacing one of the hard drives. The old drive that came out had a perfectly good installation of XP Home on it.

Some time later I was refurbishing an old Compaq Deskpro SFF business computer. I installed the HDD that I'd removed from my 'play' computer and started the machine. It had escaped my mind that this HDD had not been wiped clean. I had intended to boot from CD-Rom but forgot to put the disc in the drive in time, so it booted from the HDD. In spite of the fact that the previous mobo was an Abit NF7 and the new mobo was an Intel 440BX it booted straight into Windows, loaded all the drivers necessary and basically was working OK straight away. There were a few minor glitches, but as said above, I popped the XP Home CD-Rom in the drive and did a 'repair' of the OS and all was OK.

So I would say give it a try.

[ajbrun]

Do you have another PC in the house (preferable connected to a network)?

If you do, do this:

Take out you HDD ad plug it into the other PC.
Backup everything you need from your HDD onto the primary HDD of this second PC.
Order and build your new PC.
Send your backup over the network and you're done.

If the other PC in your house isn't connected to a network, then burn your backup to DVD/CDs instead, or get you external HDD and stick it on there, or an MP3 player etc etc.

Otherwise, if there is no other PC in your house, take you HDD to a friends house and transfer everything you need to backup onto your external HDD using their PC.

Failing that, just ask if any of the many people you know has a spare HDD.

[fredered]

one problem you will have using a different windows install is that windows will not let you into your my documents if you are not loged into the same account name on the same install, I do not remember this being a problem when i had linux though it seemed to get straight through, so the linux live wouild be a good option , linux isnt that scary really - if you get the right one it will be really easy for someone used to windows to use

[Dezolat0r]

Hey guys
I got my computer fixed today
I lent it to a friend, I'm not sure exactly how I did it but I think he accessed my harddrive by putting it into his computer then backing everything up onto his, then swapping everything back over once the new components were installed.

I'm over the moon, now I get 90FPS on HL2 with all settings on max, AND I get to keep all my precious data
Thanks for your help guys, I really appreciate it.