How to Access a No Boot Hard Drive
This tutorial explains how to recover files from computer hard drives which no longer boot up. This is a power on/no boot situation where the user-account files are not password protected, ie; no sign-in password required. A virus may have corrupted the boot record, but all is not lost. Using a "host computer", and either a Drive Dock or a Drive Adapter, you can access and recover your files.
You'll Need:
* A Host computer (a bootable computer).
* SATA/IDE-to-USB Drive Adapter or 2.5"/3.5" SATA Drive Docking Station.
You'll Need:
* A Host computer (a bootable computer).
* SATA/IDE-to-USB Drive Adapter or 2.5"/3.5" SATA Drive Docking Station.
  Drive Adapter
  Docking Station
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1. Remove the non-bootable drive. This requires locating the correct access panel on the underside of a laptop or the sides of a desktop computer. You may need to release a catch or remove several screws to release the drive. Carefully, remove the power/data cables or ribbon, so as not to damage pins.
2. Attach the damaged hard drive to a SATA/IDE-to-USB Drive Adapter or 2.5"/3.5" SATA Drive Docking Station ("toaster") connected to a host computer. Power up and allow the BIOS to detect the "new hardware" and install applicable drivers. 3. Run a thorough antivirus scan of the non-bootable drive, before attempting to access it! In fact, if your antivirus software has a boot-time scan, schedule it before rebooting with the non-bootable drive connected. A computer virus may have corrupted the original boot record and you do not want to damage another one! 4. Access the non-bootable drive. When your computer boots up, it will assign a drive letter to the drive. Open My Computer, locate the drive and navigate to your libraries (Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos, Downloads), by clicking on your User account. |
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5. Copy or cut and paste your files from the non-bootable drive to your bootable drive or to another USB storage device. You could transfer entire libraries at once, instead of moving smaller blocks of files. USB port speeds of 2.0 or 3.0 are preferable, for faster transfer rate. 6. Use the Safely Remove Hardware (and eject media) wizard before disconnecting the USB Drive Adapter or Drive Docking Station via the icon in the notification area of the taskbar near the clock. Tips: * Desktop computers towers allow for two or more internal HD's, via data/power cables. * Wipe/Reformat the non-bootable drive, after you have recovered your files (see related articles). * Reprogram or save it as a secondary HDD. Windows 7+ automatically designates secondary HDD's as "slave." * Install it in a SATA-to-USB drive enclosure, for removable storage/backup. Warnings: * Files in password protected accounts/files will not be accessible. * Unplug the power supply/remove the battery, before opening your computer. * Discharge static electricity by grounding yourself to the (metal) case. Copyright 03/06/2015 All Rights Reserved. Questions? Comments? Contact Me Related Articles: How to add a second HDD (a Slave drive) to your PC How to Securely Wipe a Hard Disk Drive |
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