Can I save my hard drive this way?

[spideyontheweb]

Hi
I am not very good with PC issues but comfortable opening one up and replacing PSU,Memory,etc.
Now my Dell Dimension PC has suddenly conked up (just dead!). I tried replacing the PSU and all I could see was a yellow light on the motherboard but system was still dead. If the motherboard needs replacing I am not sure I can do it. I would prefer postponing buying a new PC till Christmas.

So thought of another option:

Can I get hold of all my files on the hard drive by buying an used Dell Desktop and replacing the hard drive in that with the hard drive from my defunct PC.

1.Would that help me get hold of my files safely or would I still have risk of virus,etc from the used PC?
2. My old system was vista. Can I get any used Dell PC with good processor/memory or should I look for a particular one?
3.Are there any other security risk,etc with an used PC even if I replace the hard drive with my own.
4.Anything else to watch out for provided my 'madcap' idea does work?

Has anyone else done this themselves?

Regards

 

[Costas Athan]

Hi
I am not very good with PC issues but comfortable opening one up and replacing PSU,Memory,etc.
Now my Dell Dimension PC has suddenly conked up (just dead!). I tried replacing the PSU and all I could see was a yellow light on the motherboard but system was still dead. If the motherboard needs replacing I am not sure I can do it. I would prefer postponing buying a new PC till Christmas.

So thought of another option:

Can I get hold of all my files on the hard drive by buying an used Dell Desktop and replacing the hard drive in that with the hard drive from my defunct PC.

1.Would that help me get hold of my files safely or would I still have risk of virus,etc from the used PC?
2. My old system was vista. Can I get any used Dell PC with good processor/memory or should I look for a particular one?
3.Are there any other security risk,etc with an used PC even if I replace the hard drive with my own.
4.Anything else to watch out for provided my 'madcap' idea does work?

Has anyone else done this themselves?

Regards

Usually when you transfer the HDD you have to format it. You can install it as a second hard drive to another PC and boot from another one. In this case you will have to format the empty hard drive, install the OS you want and all the programs you need. When done you will be able to access all your files saved in your old hard drive.

 

[C1]

Go to Fry's Electronics and buy an external enclosure and put the HDD from the Dell into it. Go to the public library and begin to off load critical files to CD (you can do that there).

Meanwhile, drop your Dell off at a shop for analysis and possible complete repair.

Try not to make a mountain out of a mole hill (like El Topo).

 

[Ketchup]

Assuming you plugged in everything correctly, you have limited the problem to a bad power switch or a bad motherboard. Usually Dells have lights on the back that tell you the status when you turn it on. Are you seeing any of these lights?

Anyway, as C1 mentioned, the best thing to do is to get a USB enclosure that fits your drive (SATA or IDE) and plug it into a working computer to recover your files. Most likely the drive is fine.

As for buying a used desktop, if I understand you correctly, your hard drive will only run the computer that is the same model with the same hardware (Dell loves to offer all kinds of hardware configurations using the same model number), but you could use a Dell (or any computer) to plug into the enclosure mentioned above and recover you data.

What model Dell is it Do you have any info for the hardware in it?