Copying HDD data

  • Thread starter Thread starter Andy Laycock
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Andy Laycock

My old computer has just died (about 2yrs old) but the hard disk is still ok
with all my data on. I have bought a new computer but would like to copy
data from my old hard drive across to the new one.

If I buy one of these external USB drives where you install a 3.5" hard
drive could I just plug it in and copy the data across or would it need
formating (hence losing all my data!)

I have also thought about installing the hard disk as a slave in my computer
but the Dell website says the 3.5" bays are for SATA only HDD's. What does
that mean.

Hope this is making sense.

Thank you very much

Andrew
 
Andy Laycock said:
My old computer has just died (about 2yrs old) but the hard disk is still
ok
with all my data on. I have bought a new computer but would like to copy
data from my old hard drive across to the new one.

If I buy one of these external USB drives where you install a 3.5" hard
drive could I just plug it in and copy the data across or would it need
formating (hence losing all my data!)
Click to expand...

No problem, but only for data. Programs need reinstalling. But with Norton
Ghost, You might even make an entire copy of it. But not in Your new
computer, because that obviously only supports SATA.
I have also thought about installing the hard disk as a slave in my
computer
but the Dell website says the 3.5" bays are for SATA only HDD's. What does
that mean.
Click to expand...

SATA= Serial ATA = the sequel to ATA, which is parallel. It is another
interface between the bus on the motherboard and the drive itself (You may
compare it to a printer with parallel interface and a USB-printer). You
cannot connect Your old drive to this interface. So if You want to make a
complete copy with ghost, You will need the help of somenone else's
computer. If You just want data, like photo's, letters, etc..., the USB-case
will be a good solution.
There are adapters from SATA to old-fashioned ATA like Your old drive. With
one of those interfaces, You'ld still be able to build the old harddisk into
the new computer. Perhaps that'll be cheaper, but having a portable harddisk
(with USB) can be very handy.

Enjoy Your new computer and good luck with Your old drive.

Yours sincerely,
Rene
 
I think that it should be ATA connector on MB for CD or DVD. The old HD
could hang on the cable while data transfer (Copy - Paste). Or you could by
a disk enclosure for USB. But it is to slow.

Boba Vancouver BC
 
Boba & Ilinka said:
I think that it should be ATA connector on MB for CD or DVD.
Click to expand...

You may very well be right here.

The old HD
could hang on the cable while data transfer (Copy - Paste). Or you could
by a disk enclosure for USB. But it is to slow.
Click to expand...

Don't agree at all. I guess that You believe the manufacturers when they say
that an ATA133 drive will give You a data rate of 133 MB/s (or You presume
that when OP said USB, he meant USB1.1; in that case, You're right, that
_is_ very slow). That is only true when the data is in the drive cache. If
it is not, the mechanical properties of any hard drive hugely limit this
speed, and USB2.0 is fast enough, especially when reading many not-so-big
files. Though I would not recommend to put Your swap file on it ;-). And
besides, if You want to have a very reliable operation of the drive, You
should get firewire which is superior to USB2.0 (in reliability, speed won't
differ much). But I have a casing with USB2.0 and an ATA100 drive inside,
and when copying my files, I don't notice much difference between my
so-called lightning fast SATA150 drive and this one. And it is very handy.

Greetings,
Rene
 
Boba & Ilinka said:
I think that it should be ATA connector on MB for CD or DVD. The old HD
could hang on the cable while data transfer (Copy - Paste). Or you could by
a disk enclosure for USB. But it is to slow.

Boba Vancouver BC
Click to expand...


I will be using the external case on a USB2 connector so I'm hoping it
should be fast enough to copy my data across (about 50GB worth). If the
worst comes to the worst I might just have to go to the pub while I wait!

Cheers

Andrew
 
Thanks for all your help

Cheers

Andrew

Rene said:
You may very well be right here.

The old HD

Don't agree at all. I guess that You believe the manufacturers when they say
that an ATA133 drive will give You a data rate of 133 MB/s (or You presume
that when OP said USB, he meant USB1.1; in that case, You're right, that
_is_ very slow). That is only true when the data is in the drive cache. If
it is not, the mechanical properties of any hard drive hugely limit this
speed, and USB2.0 is fast enough, especially when reading many not-so-big
files. Though I would not recommend to put Your swap file on it ;-). And
besides, if You want to have a very reliable operation of the drive, You
should get firewire which is superior to USB2.0 (in reliability, speed won't
differ much). But I have a casing with USB2.0 and an ATA100 drive inside,
and when copying my files, I don't notice much difference between my
so-called lightning fast SATA150 drive and this one. And it is very handy.

Greetings,
Rene
Click to expand...
 
Andy Laycock said:
I will be using the external case on a USB2 connector so I'm hoping it
should be fast enough to copy my data across (about 50GB worth). If the
worst comes to the worst I might just have to go to the pub while I wait!
Click to expand...

Let's hope You won't be forced to do that ;-).

Good luck!
Greetings,
Rene
 
Your old drive will fit in the 3.5" bay. If your new drive is parallel ATA you can make your old drive slave. If your new drive is SATA your motherboard should have an empty IDE port you can plug your old drive into. The BIOS must be configured to boot from SATA (it might be listed as SCSI) before IDE.
 
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