Recovering data off an old pc

If Both are sata you can put drive into new computer as a second drive or as renegade600 says boot from linux no install needed

renegade600 said:

if you can boot to a live linux usb drive, then you can a look at the files to see if any is worth saving. I would suggest linux mint.

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I have no experience with Linux. Don't have it on my pc. One of these days when I get brave I'll try installing it for instances such as this.

PeterOz said:

If Both are sata you can put drive into new computer as a second drive or as renegade600 says boot from linux no install needed

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I was going to try that but I'm afraid the old drive is damaged and it might do something to my current pc.

airforceone said:

I was going to try that but I'm afraid the old drive is damaged and it might do something to my current pc.

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No it is separate to the new drive the only it can affect it is if it has a virus.

airforceone said:

I have no experience with Linux. Don't have it on my pc

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Do not need any experience. Do no need it on your pc
All you need is a spare usb stick with no data on it. You create a bootable usb or if your computer cannot boot from usb you make a bootable DVD and boot from that. It will let you see your files without having to install.
Check in the bios if it can boot from usb
https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows#1-overview

Remember NO INSTALL needed

Have you pressed F12 on startup and run the diagnostic for hdd?

Your computer can boot from usb or dvd so you can use ubuntu to check your files.
File attached

airforceone said:

I have no experience with Linux. Don't have it on my pc. One of these days when I get brave I'll try installing it for instances such as this.

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It works just like windows so no experience is necessary, just some common sense. and you do not need it on your computer, you can download it, put it on a dvd or usb drive and boot from it.

flavallee said:

You have THIS Dell XPS 630i Desktop PC which was purchased in March 2009 in the United States.

It appears it came with Windows XP 32-bit or Windows Vista 32/64-bit.

What's the exact Windows version on its Certificate-Of-Authenticity sticker?

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I must have missed this one. The OS is Vista Ultimate OEM.

Did you try Ubuntu?

PeterOz said:

If Both are sata you can put drive into new computer as a second drive or as renegade600 says boot from linux no install needed

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I finally looked at the hard drives (there are two) using the docking station I just got. I was surprised at how fast it was getting in and out of the folders. For me to be able to access stuff on it like my old Outlook email I will need a working copy of Vista won't I? Or will that method you suggest booting from linux - will that work?

PeterOz said:

Did you try Ubuntu?

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No sir not yet but I'm about to.

renegade600 said:

It works just like windows so no experience is necessary, just some common sense. and you do not need it on your computer, you can download it, put it on a dvd or usb drive and boot from it.

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I wasn't aware you could use it off of a dvd or usb drive. I'll be doing this either tonight or tomorrow afternoon. Thanks for your help.

PeterOz said:

Have you pressed F12 on startup and run the diagnostic for hdd?

Your computer can boot from usb or dvd so you can use ubuntu to check your files.
File attached

Click to expand...

I haven't made a bootable usb yet with linux on it. I thought I'd be able to see everything I needed using a docking station but when I try to access one of the drives the computer freezes. But the other hard drive is fine. No problems getting in it at all.