Extracting data from dead Toshiba

[realityhack]

A mate has a Toshiba lappy - not sure what model, and it's given up the ghost. She had it repaired a couple of times but this time it's out for good, apparently it's a mobo problem.

She wants to grab the data from the HDD - and my advice was to take the thing round to her local PC repair shop, ask them to back up the data onto an external HDD, and keep the laptop for spares or ebay/chuck it.

However, she's concerned that the (unencrypted) data could be seen/copied by said PC repair shop staff, and they could nick her identity and the like. Erm. Not sure what to say about that. Any suggestions? What would you do (assuming you haven't got the cables or the time to do it yourself)?

[ThomasSoerensen]

is there not an adapter from laptop HDD plug to usb?

If she get one of these then she can move all data to a different pc herself.

[Dante]

Assuming she has a new machine to copy the data to, she could buy an IDE/SATA to USB converter from Maplins and simply copy the data from the old disk to new...

If she wanted an exact clone of the old hard disk (doubtful as it wouldn't be bootable in her new machine) she could use a ghost boot disk to do a complete disk/partition copy using the same cable as above.

Failing that she can ask to stand next to the PC Repairman when he does the work (!) and make sure she takes everything wither when she leaves and ensures that the data isn't stored anywhere locally at the shop.

she'll more than likely lose the encryption during the copy process anyway depending on how they do it...

[blacjac]

I had exactly the same problem with my folks Toshiba laptop.

The hard drives are really easy to get out and I bought an external hard drive case from ebuyer for a fiver

[realityhack]

Cheers all - v helpful.

Is it likely to be a standard 2.5" drive, and will it effectively become a plug & play drive powered by the USB cable? I think that's the way to go if so.

[voodooflux]

Cheers all - v helpful.

Is it likely to be a standard 2.5" drive, and will it effectively become a plug & play drive powered by the USB cable? I think that's the way to go if so.

Aye, basically.

[blacjac]

Cheers all - v helpful.

Is it likely to be a standard 2.5" drive, and will it effectively become a plug & play drive powered by the USB cable? I think that's the way to go if so.

This is the one I got. Powered of USB ports on another laptop fine (takes up 2 ports on the lappy though).
Plug And play
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143545

[Dante]

The only thing to check is what type of interface the drive has - have a look at it to see whether it is IDE (loads of pins - well, 40) or SATA (a single 'L' shaped connector) - and buy the appropriate USB adaptor.

If it's an old Tosh - it's 90% likely to be IDE.

[realityhack]

I've said it's quite likely that this one will do the trick - but asked her to double-check and let me know what the drive is. Toshiba in question was, and I quote: "only about 2 years old, bought it in the States for about $2k, had speakers at the front either side of the trackpad".

[blacjac]

Will that one power it though?

Or is it just a USB adapter?

(at 2 year old I would guess SATA)