Windows 7 Transfering Data From Old Computer Hard Drive

[MrSteve]

Hey there,

I have a newer computer (HP Pavilion Slimline) with Windows 7 and 64bit system. My old hard drive is out of a dead (won't power up) HP Pavilion Slimline Vista 32bit. I pulled the old drive and connected it through a harness and the USB on the new computer. When I open the devices and printers program the old drive is there but when I open the icon all I get is the properties etc. but no way to access any data on the old drive. Do I need a program or is the drive dead? It powers and runs and when it is connected and I open the properties I'm told the old drive is working properly. Any options?

Steve

 

[Mike]

Welcome to the forums,

Icons or shortcuts to programs on the old drive will not work if the program was installed through the registry. Do not be surprised about this since your computer, using a new drive, now has an entirely new hard drive and is accounting for your programs in a new fashion. Further, to get into certain parts of the drive, you may need to take ownership of all or part of the drive.

To get your documents, you want to go to each individual profile folder and copy these to the new drive. The ability to run the programs on the drive itself no longer exists, unless the program can operate without registry entries. Very few programs are still written this way.

 

[MrSteve]

Thanks for the reply Mike. I do understand that the old drive has to have the old system to operate but I am having difficulty even seeing any of the files at all. I can open the device and see the properties but none of the files. I know I can move them once I can see the old files but I cannot see any of the contents of the old drive. Once I can actually see and scroll the files I'll be ok, but so far I have no access to the files and don't understand why or how to do so.

Steve

 

[Adamsappleone]

Hello Steve,

I would remove the side panel from the newer PC and connect the old drive as you would if you were adding a drive.
Then see if you can view/access the files you want.
Are you getting any "Access Denied" messages through the current hookup?

Don

 

[MrSteve]

Hi Don, I tried to do the internal hookup but got nervous. I don't have any slots for the drive itself and I am not versed in knowing which harness or connector would go where or even if any are available.

I am not being denied access but certainly do not have access or am not doing things right.

Maybe I should repair the power supply on the old computer and then do an interface. I think the old computer's problem is the power supply. It just quit and would not power or light up at all.

Steve