And Why You Probably Don’t Keep Your PC Long Enough
Every week I have people contact me wanting to recover data or just access a hard drive that is not part of a working computer.
Most people have no idea or easy way to do that.
But it’s easy and fast.
This past weekend I setup my brother with a new Dell T3500 computer I bought for under $500, with 3 year on-site warranty at the Dell outlet store – even got free shipping.
(Note, you don’t have to buy a piece of junk from a big box store with a lousy 1 year bring-it-to-the-store warranty to stay under $500! This is a enterprise quality workstation.)
His old computer was a year 2000 Asus P3V4X based computer with a HUMONGOUS 13GB hard drive! The computer is STILL FULLY OPERATIONAL – with Windows 98!
This computer served his business needs for 12 years and is STILL RUNNING.
For various reasons, though, it was time to upgrde. How should I transfer the data from his old PC to his new one?
- I could use the network, but with it being Win98 I would have to add an account to my server, blah, blah.
- Could use USB but Win98 is only so-so, and often no-go with current USB devices.
- Could install the hard drive in the new Dell, but I don’t think it even supports IDE. Too much trouble.
- Vantec USB Hard Drive Adapter. Fast, simple, effective.
The Vantec adapter was just to fast and easy of an option to pass up. So I took the old drive out of the old PC, set it on top of the Dell (my bench is a bit cluttered right now), and hook it up.
Literally within seconds the entire contents of the old drive was in a directory (C:\Old-Win98-Hard-Drive) on the new Dell; barely taking up any space at all. I copied his actual documents to the appropriate directories on the new drive and left the old machine’s contents in that directory I created just in case.
Are You Looking To Recover Data?
Don’t argue with me about whether this is data recovery or not (you will lose). The point is, there is data on a drive that is not readily accessible and this Vantec USB adapter makes it accessible – fast & easy.
- It can be because Windows won’t run – for a variety of reasons
- Maybe the drive is infected and you don’t want to boot the machine or run Windows on that drive
- Maybe the drive is starting to fail; with patience and this adapter you can likely “recover” data that sits on undamaged areas of the drive
- Perhaps the PC has failed (bad power supply, bad motherboard or video card), often a laptop, and you want the data off the drive because – whoops – you had no current backup (or no backup at all!) and there is nothing wrong with the drive.
- Maybe and external drive’s enclosure has failed (bad power supply, broken circuitry) but the drive is just fine.
The Vantec USB hard drive adapter is an inexpensive tool to have around when you need it; or when it’s just too convenient.
Here Is A Video Demonstration Of The Vantec Adapter
Here is the Vantec USB HDD Adapter in action:
Please note that many people will buy a cheaper adapter and then want me to help trouble shoot why it won’t work.
The Vantec Adapter works, and there is support on their website for issues you may encounter.
Pick up the Vantec USB Hard Drive Adapter at Amazon.com
Some More Photos Of My Recent Data Recovery Project
The Asus P3V4X computer that served my brother’s small business for 12 years (and still works):
Your videos and website information is outstanding! Thank you so much! A quick question, though. I opened up my old Compac desktop, and removed the TWO ide hard drives…noting one is the “master”, and the other is the “slave”. Are there any special considerations to data recovery in this situation (I’m planning on buying the Vantec USB to IDE 3.5 pkg.
My recollection (boy, it’s been a few years!) is that it doesn’t matter. If it does, set the drive to master before powering up on the adapter.