Motherboard crashed! Can I get into the HD

My motherboard just crashed and I need to get into the programs and files in the hard drive. I have read threads about making a slave drive to get into it, but, can I do this with a laptop? Or is there a better way to get into the programs and files of the hard drive? The broken computer is an HP and I Also have an XPS Dell and a Dell Laptop. If Possible, what would be the safest route to take.? I do not need to keep the hard drive as a slave drive, I just need to get in and get some info out and the then disconnect it again.

 

Hi wimmerscott welcome to windows BBS

You can buy an external case and attach the old HD via USB on your laptop but be aware this will only allow you to retrieve data. Any programs installed on the HD will in most cases be very difficult (if not impossible) to transfer.

If you can post the model number of the drive it would help to determine the type of case you need (eg SATA/PATA).

 

G'Day "wimmerscott ",

Or can you get a USB2.0 to IDE and SATA Adapter Kit for Large Capacity Drive - With Power Supply like this one - http://www.overclockersonline.net/?p...num=712&pnum=1
Should cost no more than USD$25 to $30.00

Better choice for now and future use, I think, and is universal for IDE, SATA drives Large Desktop and small Laptop types.

Take no notice of the price in the link, and shop around.

pcbugfixer

 

Here's a possible solution.
Laptops are notorious for not being easy to get at the physical components.

IF, you can take the hard drive out, you should be able to hook it up to a non laptop computer as a slave.

This will give you a way to get to the files and then you can, depending upon how much you actually have to retrieve, use a USB or other device to off load the files.

I used to have 60 - 70 hard drives (mostly older drives in the 1 -40 GB range) that i would put in my machine to store games, videos and stuff. They were my somewhat "external" hard drives. I never close the cover of my machine.

USB devices have now become the external drive of choice.

I still keep a 250GB drive around for data dumps.