Laptop Data Recovery?

Unhappy Camper asks: "I had a Presario 1800 laptop go bad. A couple of months out of the 1 yr warranty. The local Compaq approved repair shop blames a bad power connection at system board. Their proposed solution: $1500 replacement system board. I could replace the laptop for less. What are my options to recover data off of the functional hard drive? The computer works, but it doesn't get a charge from the battery or a wall outlet. Does anyone know of a $200 rig to allow me to connect it to a desktop IDE controller/USB slot/whatever?"

Comments

Just go buy an adapter

[Figaro]

I can only assume it's got a standard 2.5" IDE harddrive. Just go to a decent computer parts shop and buy an adapter, it'll cost like $20 bucks.

OTOH: If you want to spend $200, I've got one available.

How about $12.00 dollars...

[RadioheadKid]

Well I think this is what you are looking for. All its doing is supplying power to the 2.5" connector power pins from the desktop PSU and converting the form factor of the 2.5" to a 3.5" IDE connector...I've seen these things in other places too, you can probably get them even cheaper...

Re:How about $12.00 dollars...

[sigwinch]

Cablesonline has the electrical adapter by itself for $8. It'll work if you just need to hook the drive up for a few minutes to suck the data off. Just be carefult not to short out the exposed circuit board on the drive. FWIW, I ordered a buttload of IDE paraphenalia from them back in February and was pleased with the ordering process, merchandise quality, and delivery time. (Which I mention only because some of these online "stores" can't seem to find their asses with both hands, a map, an instructional video, and a 25 hour remedial course in applied ass-finding.) They also have all sorts of ribbon cable, IDC connectors, and gender changers for the 3.5" and 2.5" IDE standards.

Regarding the broken laptop system board, I'd see if somebody could repair it (somebody who actually knows how to use a soldering iron, not one of these swap-out-the-board-depot monkeys (no offense)). Unless the circuit board itself is broken, it's probably salvegable. (And even then, with a little bailing wire and luck.) If it was me, I'd already have the soldering iron warming up, but then I do have a rather hands on approach.

Another source

[pdawson]

Computergeeks.com has 2.5" to 3.5" IDE adapters for $3.65 +sh as well, which is what you want to use to plug your old drive into a standard desktop system.

http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtid=HD-1 08

Don't forget!

[clark625]

Most everyone and his brother is recommending that you use a simple IDE adapter. Do this.

Once that's done, SELL YOUR FRIGGIN' LAPTOP! I'm not kidding here. Put the thing on E-Bay for $50 to start; say what's wrong and don't offer any guarantee :) If you're not wanting to fix that laptop, I can bet that someone will. Please, for the rest of us that love to play with "dead" electronics, sell this baby to someone that could get some use out of it. Or, if you prefer, try and fix it yourself. I'm sure you could get some help from those of us here on /. :)