Save a Hard Drive from a Dead PC

Posted: January 05, 2016

[caption id="attachment_12553" align="alignright" width="361"] Image from pcworld.com[/caption] There's nothing quite like the feeling of panic when a computer just won't boot and start up. However, there may be a way to recover the files that were on the computer - even if you haven't backed them up. Following these steps might enable recovery of files from the hard drive of a dead PC. Lincoln Spector, writer for PC World, shares how to save a hard drive from a dead computer.

Your PC's dead, but you may still be able to save its hard drive

The right adapter might let you recover your files, but there’s no guarantee. A lot of it depends on the physical condition of the drive and the way your files are stored on it. But first, a reprimand. If you backed up your files daily, you wouldn’t have this problem. You could just restore the files from your backup. It really isn’t difficult. Okay, let’s get on with your problem. A SATA/USB adapter temporarily turns an internal drive into an external one. You remove the drive from the computer, plug the SATA end of the adapter into your drive, then plug the USB end into another computer. Windows—or whatever operating system the computer uses—should treat it like a flash drive or an external hard drive, allowing you to access the files and copy them elsewhere. Unless your drive is the part of your PC that died. (You can test this beforehand by booting a live version of Linux and seeing if you can access your files.) If your files remain inaccessible, you’ll have to send the drive to a data recovery service. Read the entire article Your PC's Dead, but You May Still be Able to Save its Hard Drive on PC World.