[Susan9700]

hi wannbe1,

i'm back from all my excersions.

in the process of purchasing the cable i needed at Best Buy, i was advised to speek to the people at The Geek Squad to make sure i had the correct cable...which is usb to usb, it's called a Crossover Cable to connect from computer to computer...did i buy the right thing?

i spoke with two of the Geek guys and they had absolutely no idea what i was talking about. they said that if the laptop didn't have XP installed (since we couldn't find the OS, only that choice of C:\WINDOWS) they didn't know how the laptop would even recognize the cable as hardward. they wanted me to bring it into them to fix for about $150....said, no thanks, i got a good guy helping me out and i'm learning alot too!

then i met this nice gentleman, who overheard me talking with these Geek guys and he talked to me for quite a while and suggested something even better. he said to purchase an external hard drive, hook it up to my computer with the cable i bought, my computer would recognize it as some weird Z or W drive, install XP on the external drive and then get my daughters stuff off her hard drive. he did understand what was going on with the laptop, he said as long as it said WINDOWS, then indeed it was installed on her laptop, and i could recover her data and then reinstall XP after recovery onto external drive. plus, after all this, i'd have an external drive for my own computer and i can move most of my "crap" onto the external drive, freeing up my CPU. does this make sense to you? or is just transfering her data to my computer easier. either way i got an external 120G drive for $59! for some reason they were marked wrong, 60, 80 & 120G were all marked $59, so i bought the largest one!

i'm here and ready to go, whenever you are. i just need you to walk me thru in more english language than computer language, as i don't understand most of it, but i'm learning!

thanks.

susan

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hi wannbe1,

i'm back from all my excersions.

in the process of purchasing the cable i needed at Best Buy, i was advised to speek to the people at The Geek Squad to make sure i had the correct cable...which is usb to usb, it's called a Crossover Cable to connect from computer to computer...did i buy the right thing?

i spoke with two of the Geek guys and they had absolutely no idea what i was talking about. they said that if the laptop didn't have XP installed (since we couldn't find the OS, only that choice of C:\WINDOWS) they didn't know how the laptop would even recognize the cable as hardward. they wanted me to bring it into them to fix for about $150....said, no thanks, i got a good guy helping me out and i'm learning alot too!

then i met this nice gentleman, who overheard me talking with these Geek guys and he talked to me for quite a while and suggested something even better. he said to purchase an external hard drive, hook it up to my computer with the cable i bought, my computer would recognize it as some weird Z or W drive, install XP on the external drive and then get my daughters stuff off her hard drive. he did understand what was going on with the laptop, he said as long as it said WINDOWS, then indeed it was installed on her laptop, and i could recover her data and then reinstall XP after recovery onto external drive. plus, after all this, i'd have an external drive for my own computer and i can move most of my "crap" onto the external drive, freeing up my CPU. does this make sense to you? or is just transfering her data to my computer easier. either way i got an external 120G drive for $59! for some reason they were marked wrong, 60, 80 & 120G were all marked $59, so i bought the largest one!

i'm here and ready to go, whenever you are. i just need you to walk me thru in more english language than computer language, as i don't understand most of it, but i'm learning!

thanks.

susan

sorry, it's not usb to usb...it's either ethernet or regular/telephone connectors...exact wording is:

your geek square network crossover cable uses and RJ45 connections allowing you to connect between similar type of equiptment without the use of a HUB; one PC to another PC, for example. if you like i can take a picture of it and enclose it, to see if it's useable, before i open it (so if it's wrong, i can return it) but they said it would work....i'll go with what you say.

[Susan9700]

hi wannbe1,

i'm back from all my excersions.

in the process of purchasing the cable i needed at Best Buy, i was advised to speek to the people at The Geek Squad to make sure i had the correct cable...which is usb to usb, it's called a Crossover Cable to connect from computer to computer...did i buy the right thing?

i spoke with two of the Geek guys and they had absolutely no idea what i was talking about. they said that if the laptop didn't have XP installed (since we couldn't find the OS, only that choice of C:\WINDOWS) they didn't know how the laptop would even recognize the cable as hardward. they wanted me to bring it into them to fix for about $150....said, no thanks, i got a good guy helping me out and i'm learning alot too!

then i met this nice gentleman, who overheard me talking with these Geek guys and he talked to me for quite a while and suggested something even better. he said to purchase an external hard drive, hook it up to my computer with the cable i bought, my computer would recognize it as some weird Z or W drive, install XP on the external drive and then get my daughters stuff off her hard drive. he did understand what was going on with the laptop, he said as long as it said WINDOWS, then indeed it was installed on her laptop, and i could recover her data and then reinstall XP after recovery onto external drive. plus, after all this, i'd have an external drive for my own computer and i can move most of my "crap" onto the external drive, freeing up my CPU. does this make sense to you? or is just transfering her data to my computer easier. either way i got an external 120G drive for $59! for some reason they were marked wrong, 60, 80 & 120G were all marked $59, so i bought the largest one!

i'm here and ready to go, whenever you are. i just need you to walk me thru in more english language than computer language, as i don't understand most of it, but i'm learning!

thanks.

susan

sorry, it's not usb to usb...it's either ethernet or regular/telephone connectors...exact wording is:

your geek square network crossover cable uses and RJ45 connections allowing you to connect between similar type of equiptment without the use of a HUB; one PC to another PC, for example. if you like i can take a picture of it and enclose it, to see if it's useable, before i open it (so if it's wrong, i can return it) but they said it would work....i'll go with what you say.

[wannabe1]

Wrong cable .

Let me explain where we're at with your machine and what we need to do...that should make it easier for you to get the correct cable. Ideally, we want to adapt a 2.5" laptop HDD (IDE) to usb. Best Buy may have an actual enclosure for this purpose. Tell them this: "I need to connect a 2.5" laptop HDD to another machine using usb ports. IDE to USB."

Right now your machine still contains all the files that were on the machine earlier. However, the file system has become corrupt and is no longer recognized as an installed operating system. To try to recover the system from this point may very likely damage the files you want to recover. No matter what means we use to recover from this point is going to want to format the drive in order to straighten out the unrecognized file system.

That being said, a good operating system (your machine) will most likely still be able to see the folders and, with a little coaxing, they can be copied to your hard drive for safe keeping. Or they can be transfered to removable media such as CD or DVD...flash drives are very handy for this.

What we will be doing to accomplish this is this: We will remove the HDD from the laptop machine. This will then be connected to the cable you need to get. Then the cable will connect to your machine via a usb port, which should install it the same way it would install your new external HDD.

The new external drive won't work for this for a couple reasons. 1) The laptop can't install any new devices as Windows won't start. and 2) The laptop did not have the option to boot using a usb device in the Boot Priority list, so even with an operating system aboard, the laptop wouldn't see it as a boot device.

Hang on the the external HDD...at $59, you stole it...

[Susan9700]

[size=2]
wow, i actually understood everything you said this time! great job!

my only hesitation is that I[u] have to take the hard drive out of the laptop!!!! yikes, i'm ok with the CPU, but never did it to a laptop before, but i'm sure you be guiding me every step of the way (hint, hint)!

ok, i gotcha now....now i understand why that picture you showed me of the 2.5 cable was so short. after this transfer of data, do i reinstall the laptop HD and then reinstall XP and all of her programs?...which is stupid to ask, since i can't reach her and she originally said she had no CD's that came with the computer!

i don't believe they had them at Best Buy, because i had the picture of the one you suggested in my head...i knew one end was USB and other end was pins, but they kinda pushed this cable on me...and even told them that i didn't think the cable they gave me was the right one.

however, since, indeed i plan on keeping the $59!!! external 120G HD, are the cables i bought ok to use to hook up external HD to my computer to clear out my computer and put stuff on external....or do they need to be returned do i need special ones again? can they be used for transferring fixed laptop data and my CPU data? is that what they were initially made for?

i'll call Best Buy before going, but i don't think they have them for sale, perhaps the Geek Squad has the proper cables, but not for me....do you think Radio Shack might carry them...i'm just trying to think where to go locally, rather than buying online, since i'm in a time crunch...

thank you, thank you, thank you...will do some calling around.

susan

[wannabe1]

They have them on the Radioshack Website...you might try them if you have a local store.

And yes, I'll walk you through the whole thing.

[Susan9700]

[size=2]
i just got off the phone with Radio Shack wehre they told me it was a web item only, but the gentleman, suggested Office Max and Staples...so i'll try them.

also, i called Best Buy back, they do not have the cable, per say, they do, however have an external HDD enclosure (tin box) with USB to connect to my computer. idea of the box is that you skip the 2.5" end of it, you put the laptop HDD into the box which already permantently has the 2.5" adapter end with USB at other end...for $35......does this sound OK

while i wait for rvsp...i'll try the other stores, as they are all grouped together nearby.

can or should i keep the crossover cable for the external HDD (my steal of the century since a 1G flash stick was $49!) to use on my computer...is this the correct cable for external hard drives??? only asking because since i'll be running out again to purchase what i need, i might as well return what i don't need!

thanks again.

susan

[wannabe1]

The enclosure from Best Buy will work just dandy.

Your external HDD should have come with a cable to connect it via USB...have a look at what's in the box with it. A crossover cable is more for networking two machines together, so if you plan on connecting the laptop to the desktop later on...keep it.

[Susan9700]

well i've called alot of places, even cable repair...who'll let me borrow the cable, but i have to do the transfer inhouse...for no charge, which is nice of them, but i need you more than i need them!

since the cable is going to have to be bought via interweb for $59.99 plus S&H....i think i'll go back to Best Buy and purchase the box thingy for $35.00...right? no waiting for delivery, etc....

i didn't even look at the 120G drive...didn't want to open in case of returning. it's called a Portable Storage Drive,120G HDD, includes: USB 2.0 SimpleDrive Portable, USB 2.0 Cable, StorageSync Software (Windows only), Quick Installation Guide and a 3 yr Warranty.........so the cable is included...but before i return the crossover cable, one more stupid question, as i mentioned earlier, my daughter just purchased a new G5 Mac...i'm guessing you can't transfer XP info (once i retrieve her data) to a Mac........that's the only reason i'd hold on to these wonderful $39.00 crossover cables! RETURN THEM, SUSAN <- right?

susan

[wannabe1]

The box thingy will do the trick and you can take the cable back when you go to get it...

[Susan9700]

i knew it...just thought i'd ask the profession first!

i'll be on my way to Best Buy now. are you going to be around tonight or is this going to be a long process that should wait until tomorrow?

i'm lovin' the portable hard drive, opened the box too, so tiny! is this something i can keep connected to my computer that will show up at some weird lettered drive? it's just great!

many thanks.

susan

[Susan9700]

hi wannbe1,

i'm back. i have an Adaptec 2.5" USB 2.0 Hard Drive Enclosure Kit. finally found some with some computer knowledge at Best Buy, so i'm sure this is what i need.

do we start the process now or wait until tomorrow...entirely up to you. if you are busy with other things, that's fine, if you want to start tonight, that's fine too. let me know.

susan

[wannabe1]

We can at least get started tonight.

Shut off and unplug the laptop machine. Place it on a table, closed up...top down, with the rear of the machine closest to you. You should see 3 access panels...we're concerned with the ones on the lower left and upper right.

Open the upper right access panel...you should see the battery. Remove the battery.

Now open the lower left panel...this is the HDD. Carefully remove the HDD and fit it into the box thingy from Best Buy...follow the instructions that came with the enclosure for this.

You should then be able to connect the USB cable from the enclosure to a USB port on your machine and Windows should detect and install it as a removable drive and give it a drive letter.

Once Windows has installed it, open My Computer, and double click on the new drive you find there. Can you see the files this drive contains?

[Susan9700]

i'm sorry to bother you...but before i begin, can i install the external catch of the day! and put the whole laptop onto that, as opposed to putting it on my machine? only asking because i'm not sure what she wants saved (cellphone thing again!)

susan

[wannabe1]

It would be better to move the files to your HDD first...you can then move them to the "catch of the day" drive if you so desire.

USB ports only supply so much power...let's let it run one external drive at a time for now.

[Susan9700]

We can at least get started tonight.

Shut off and unplug the laptop machine. Place it on a table, closed up...top down, with the rear of the machine closest to you. You should see 3 access panels...we're concerned with the ones on the lower left and upper right.

Open the upper right access panel...you should see the battery. Remove the battery.

Now open the lower left panel...this is the HDD. Carefully remove the HDD and fit it into the box thingy from Best Buy...follow the instructions that came with the enclosure for this.

You should then be able to connect the USB cable from the enclosure to a USB port on your machine and Windows should detect and install it as a removable drive and give it a drive letter.

Once Windows has installed it, open My Computer, and double click on the new drive you find there. Can you see the files this drive contains?

there are actually 5 access panels on the back. i removed the upper right and it was the battery because it says Contains: Nickel- Cadmium, Nicket-Metal Hydride, and/or Lithium Ion Battery.

however, lower left appears to be a fan, some copper wiring cover with perhaps aluminum X shaped screwed in hold down thingy. is the hard drive under that X thingy...or is it located in another compartment?