How to Backup Data From a Broken Computer to Another

The computer is dead. The data is on its hard drive. Can it be accessed by a mere mortal? Yes - sometimes! But there are LOTS of variables.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Operating computer with matching hard drive interface - set to boot off CD drive
• Linux Live CD such as PCLOS
• Recovery hard drive of equal or greater capacity sometimes needed - to be connected simultaneously, sometimes by USB port
• Tools to remove hard drive from computers

1. These procedures do NOT work if the hard drive has mechanically crashed. If the drive makes strange noises and the computer says "No Operating System Found" then the data is likely lost without REAL professional help that involves reconstructing that hard drive from very Identical parts - potentially for $1,000s.
   
   So either the computer won't turn on, or it turns on WITHOUT any unusual hard drive noise. This includes "no display" on a laptop, burned out power supply - and similar. Also, we are addressing common IDE rather than SCSI or other exotic types, not part of arrays etc. I also assume Windows was used on the dead machine. If Mac or Linux was the primary OS, overlook the Windows-specific references - particularly in Step FOUR.
2. Grab your diagnostic Live CD of Linux. BTW, this is how the professionals diagnose most computer problems. None in your tool kit? Buy one - or get it for free at http://getpclinuxos.com [see Resources below]. Download and burn the ISO image to a CD-R or 700MB CD-RW.
3. Remove the hard drive from the defective computer and install it in a similar one that works. We'll call it the WORKING computer. Plug it where the working machine's primary hard drive normally connects - unless the bad drive is a secondary hard drive, in which case it must be installed in the working computer as the slave. Plug in the power connector also.
   
   If you don't know how to remove the drive and install it in another machine, you need someone who does. If you don't know how to tell a slave from a primary drive by looking at the jumpers, this HowTo may not be for you.
4. Turn on the WORKING computer and see what happens. [drum roll]
   
   For the primary drive:
   If it tries to boot - even with many complaints about missing drivers or hardware changes - the drive is intact. All you need is a new computer to slide it into - such as the WORKING computer. If not, go to next step.
   For the secondary drive - on a computer running Windows:
   Check to see if the drive D: [or other letter] shows up and you can see its contents. If so, perform a scan-disk and you've done what you can. If not, go to next step.
5. With the WORKING computer off, insert your PCLOS Live CD into the CD drive and power up. Log on as root/root [user/password].
   
   Double-click on My Computer, then Storage Media. Select Detailed View. Double click on the drives listed, to see if their contents will display - one display per partition, not one per hard drive. The primary drive's first partition will show up as /media/hda1 - and a slave drive's first partition will be /media/hdb1.
   
   If you can't access the drive at all, it has little chance of yielding its precious data - sorry. No need to go to Step SIX. Failure is the result.
   
   If you are able to see the files on the drive, the data is at least partially intact and can be recovered. Now it gets REALLY interesting. Since you are at this step, Windows couldn't read the drive but Linux did.
6. At least some of the data is readable, so we'll transfer it to our recovery drive. If it's a USB drive, plug it in now with Linux running. A window will open and we're ready to transfer. If the recovery drive is conventional, shut down and install it as the opposite type [slave if bad drive is master] then repeat Step 5 and jump to Step 7.
7. Using "My Computer", open one window displaying the bad drive's contents, shrink and move it to the left. Open another for the RECOVERY drive contents, shrink & move it to the right. Using the method you prefer, transfer from the bad drive to the recovery drive. Expect errors - tell the system to try again and/or continue anyway.
   
   A method familiar to Windows users:
   Click to activate the bad drive's window. Type CTRL-A to select all. Then click Edit on the top menu bar and select Copy.
   Click to activate the recovery drive's window. Click ITS Edit menu and select Paste.
   
   What transfers - is saved to the recovery drive and can be moved to a final new home later. What will not, isn't. Note where total failure occurs, then go to files "past" there to see if you can get more. Persistence, patience and Linux can do a lot.

Tips & Warnings

• The best approach to recovering data from uncooperative computers and hard drives depends heavily on what causes the problem. Therefore your case may not apply - or an easier way exists. This HowTo is an attempt to cover most non-hopeless cases in a general fashion.
• Give me particulars and I may expand this article to cover that case. Since I've been at it since the 1980s, it could be that I've been there and done that - maybe.
• Hard drives don't explode [see cartoon] - but some of the original free-standing ones could be programmed to bounce - well, vibrate - in desired directions by sneaky and bored night technicians.
• Disconnect the power and ground yourself to the computer case before removing - and especially before installing - computer equipment.