How to get data off old fried laptop onto new one

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Guest

Help - my wife's laptop got fried somehow and I tried everything and finally
pronounced it dead. It won't boot up now - it's a Dell Inspiron 600M running
Windows XP Pro. Or it did atleast. So to get the data off it I bought an
enclosure to mount the laptop drive on it and plug into the USB of another
computer to see it.

Okay all - hopefully you can help. I had posted about my wife's Inspiron
600M which I believe the board got fried. We decided to buy a new laptop as
it cost too much to fix this old laptop. However we had to get the info.
Since the laptop won't boot, I bought an enclosure for the laptop drive. I
was able to get it to work and seen as a USB drive on another computer.

What are the steps and which files do I need to pull off it so that when I
get the new one I can transfer the data over. Obviously I need DOCUMENTS &
SETTINGS which has all the user data for apps too right? Maybe Program files
directories too?

We are most concerned with:
1) Outlook data (where is this saved?) (and I assume I just put it in the
same path again on the new computer)
2) Microsoft Money data (where is this saved?)
3) All other saved documents (this one is easy - it's a straight search)

Or can I use a function of XP that transfers data from one computer to
another when you upgrade or get new equipment?

Sorry if this is not posted in the right place - maybe the moderator can
move it to the right place. There are so many groups!

Thanks guys!
WorksInTheory
 
Works In Theory said:
Help - my wife's laptop got fried somehow and I tried everything and finally
pronounced it dead. It won't boot up now - it's a Dell Inspiron 600M running
Windows XP Pro. Or it did atleast. So to get the data off it I bought an
enclosure to mount the laptop drive on it and plug into the USB of another
computer to see it.

Okay all - hopefully you can help. I had posted about my wife's Inspiron
600M which I believe the board got fried. We decided to buy a new laptop as
it cost too much to fix this old laptop. However we had to get the info.
Since the laptop won't boot, I bought an enclosure for the laptop drive. I
was able to get it to work and seen as a USB drive on another computer.

What are the steps and which files do I need to pull off it so that when I
get the new one I can transfer the data over. Obviously I need DOCUMENTS &
SETTINGS which has all the user data for apps too right? Maybe Program files
directories too?

We are most concerned with:
1) Outlook data (where is this saved?) (and I assume I just put it in the
same path again on the new computer)
2) Microsoft Money data (where is this saved?)
3) All other saved documents (this one is easy - it's a straight search)

Or can I use a function of XP that transfers data from one computer to
another when you upgrade or get new equipment?

Sorry if this is not posted in the right place - maybe the moderator can
move it to the right place. There are so many groups!

Thanks guys!
WorksInTheory
Click to expand...

The best place to ask about Outlook data is to post your
question in the right newsgroup. Is it Outlook? Or Outlook
Express? Both have excellent dedicated newsgroups.

The same applies to Microsoft Money.

When finished transferring your data, review your backup
method. It seems you don't have any in place right now.
Living dangerously . . . Since you now have a USB case
and a disk, use it to back up your important files frequently,
e.g. once a week.
 
Thanks for the tip Pegasus. I guess I was wondering if there was a utility
under XP for automatically transferring all the files. Also I already
belonged to this forum so I thought maybe people had this experience already
vs me signing up and managing two other forums. Thanks!
 
Works said:
Help - my wife's laptop got fried somehow and I tried everything and finally
pronounced it dead. It won't boot up now - it's a Dell Inspiron 600M running
Windows XP Pro. Or it did atleast. So to get the data off it I bought an
enclosure to mount the laptop drive on it and plug into the USB of another
computer to see it.

Okay all - hopefully you can help. I had posted about my wife's Inspiron
600M which I believe the board got fried. We decided to buy a new laptop as
it cost too much to fix this old laptop. However we had to get the info.
Since the laptop won't boot, I bought an enclosure for the laptop drive. I
was able to get it to work and seen as a USB drive on another computer.

What are the steps and which files do I need to pull off it so that when I
get the new one I can transfer the data over. Obviously I need DOCUMENTS &
SETTINGS which has all the user data for apps too right? Maybe Program files
directories too?

We are most concerned with:
1) Outlook data (where is this saved?) (and I assume I just put it in the
same path again on the new computer)
2) Microsoft Money data (where is this saved?)
3) All other saved documents (this one is easy - it's a straight search)

Or can I use a function of XP that transfers data from one computer to
another when you upgrade or get new equipment?

Sorry if this is not posted in the right place - maybe the moderator can
move it to the right place. There are so many groups!

Thanks guys!
WorksInTheory
Click to expand...

Contact me for detailed information. I do that a lot.
mailto:[email protected]?subject=PC Computer help
information
 
pop said:
Contact me for detailed information. I do that a lot.
mailto:[email protected]?subject=PC Computer help
information
Click to expand...

This is a news forum, with the emphasis on forum. If you have
good advice about the OP's question then you should post it here
for the benefit of other posters and to submit it for peer review.
If you keep it to yourself then we immediately begin to wonder
why you don't want to share it. Are you perhaps trying to flog
some product? Or are you a troll, attempting to mislead the OP?
 
Pegasus said:
This is a news forum, with the emphasis on forum. If you have
good advice about the OP's question then you should post it here
for the benefit of other posters and to submit it for peer review.
If you keep it to yourself then we immediately begin to wonder
why you don't want to share it. Are you perhaps trying to flog
some product? Or are you a troll, attempting to mislead the OP?
Click to expand...

Yes, forums save my life... and I hate the web based discussion groups. Newsgroups are wonderful.

Okay, What I should have put there... but I prefer to ask the user for information, first. Thats why i responded like I
did. Situations vary.

In General....
First,
let me warn ALL that if you have Norton Works installed with "Norton GoBack", you have my prayers. Otherwise:

For Outlook:
This is a ROUGH template. Often I need more information to be specific. It is a copy of a note I sent to another
desperate crash victim.
QUOTE:
1. Create the Outlook Express mailbox / ID.
2. Locate the folder in which the inbox.dbx is located (It is a hidden folder You have to enable view of hidden folders.)

It will be the destination to which you will later copy the files of interest, by file-name.
C:\Documents and Settings\[user ID]\Local Settings\Application
Data\Identities\{964A0E6A-566B-4728-B997-xxxxxxxxxxx}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\Inbox.dbx

3. Pick the ***.dbx file you want to copy and use only the filename for the "New Folder" step

4. Start Outlook Express.

Some folders may already exist. (E.G. Inbox.dbx)

* If folder already exists, you do not create a New Folder.
* Otherwise create a new Local Folder using the name of the file you want to copy. (E.G. Appalachian Cherokee)
* Click once on the new folder. This causes Outlook to create the *.dbx empty folder.

5. Copy the example Appalachian Cherokee.dbx file to the Outlook Express folder that holds inbox.dbx.. You will be
asked if you want to replace the old folder. Answer YES.

6 Start Outlook. It will now uses the new folder you copied over.
UNQUOTE:

For Hard drive general recovery, it's a variable. If the standard "mounting a slave: (USB or IDE) doesn't go well, I
have suggestions respective of individual results. If anything can go wrong... it does.

pop
 
: Pegasus (MVP) wrote:
: > : >> Works In Theory wrote:
: >>> Help - my wife's laptop got fried somehow and I tried everything and
: > finally
: >>> pronounced it dead. It won't boot up now - it's a Dell Inspiron 600M
: > running
: >>> Windows XP Pro. Or it did atleast. So to get the data off it I bought
an
: >>> enclosure to mount the laptop drive on it and plug into the USB of
: > another
: >>> computer to see it.
: >>>
: >>> Okay all - hopefully you can help. I had posted about my wife's
Inspiron
: >>> 600M which I believe the board got fried. We decided to buy a new
laptop
: > as
: >>> it cost too much to fix this old laptop. However we had to get the
info.
: >>> Since the laptop won't boot, I bought an enclosure for the laptop
drive.
: > I
: >>> was able to get it to work and seen as a USB drive on another
computer.
: >>>
: >>> What are the steps and which files do I need to pull off it so that
when
: > I
: >>> get the new one I can transfer the data over. Obviously I need
DOCUMENTS
: > &
: >>> SETTINGS which has all the user data for apps too right? Maybe Program
: > files
: >>> directories too?
: >>>
: >>> We are most concerned with:
: >>> 1) Outlook data (where is this saved?) (and I assume I just put it in
: > the
: >>> same path again on the new computer)
: >>> 2) Microsoft Money data (where is this saved?)
: >>> 3) All other saved documents (this one is easy - it's a straight
search)
: >>>
: >>> Or can I use a function of XP that transfers data from one computer to
: >>> another when you upgrade or get new equipment?
: >>>
: >>> Sorry if this is not posted in the right place - maybe the moderator
can
: >>> move it to the right place. There are so many groups!
: >>>
: >>> Thanks guys!
: >>> WorksInTheory
: >> Contact me for detailed information. I do that a lot.
: >> mailto:[email protected]?subject=PC Computer help
: >> information
: >
: > This is a news forum, with the emphasis on forum. If you have
: > good advice about the OP's question then you should post it here
: > for the benefit of other posters and to submit it for peer review.
: > If you keep it to yourself then we immediately begin to wonder
: > why you don't want to share it. Are you perhaps trying to flog
: > some product? Or are you a troll, attempting to mislead the OP?
: >
: >
:
: Yes, forums save my life... and I hate the web based discussion groups.
Newsgroups are wonderful.
:
: Okay, What I should have put there... but I prefer to ask the user for
information, first. Thats why i responded like I
: did. Situations vary.
:
: In General....
: First,
: let me warn ALL that if you have Norton Works installed with "Norton
GoBack", you have my prayers. Otherwise:
:
: For Outlook:
: This is a ROUGH template. Often I need more information to be specific.
It is a copy of a note I sent to another
: desperate crash victim.
: QUOTE:
: 1. Create the Outlook Express mailbox / ID.
: 2. Locate the folder in which the inbox.dbx is located (It is a hidden
folder You have to enable view of hidden folders.)
:
: It will be the destination to which you will later copy the files of
interest, by file-name.
: C:\Documents and Settings\[user ID]\Local Settings\Application
: Data\Identities\{964A0E6A-566B-4728-B997-xxxxxxxxxxx}\Microsoft\Outlook
Express\Inbox.dbx
:
: 3. Pick the ***.dbx file you want to copy and use only the filename for
the "New Folder" step
:
: 4. Start Outlook Express.
:
: Some folders may already exist. (E.G. Inbox.dbx)
:
: * If folder already exists, you do not create a New Folder.
: * Otherwise create a new Local Folder using the name of the file
you want to copy. (E.G. Appalachian Cherokee)
: * Click once on the new folder. This causes Outlook to create the
*.dbx empty folder.
:
: 5. Copy the example Appalachian Cherokee.dbx file to the Outlook Express
folder that holds inbox.dbx.. You will be
: asked if you want to replace the old folder. Answer YES.
:
: 6 Start Outlook. It will now uses the new folder you copied over.
: UNQUOTE:
:
: For Hard drive general recovery, it's a variable. If the standard
"mounting a slave: (USB or IDE) doesn't go well, I
: have suggestions respective of individual results. If anything can go
wrong... it does.
:
: pop

Yes, that is rough.
You use Outlook and Outlook Express interchangeably. They are not the same
program.
You are giving directions on saving individual files. Importing the whole
message store should be tried first.
What does "1. Create the Outlook Express mailbox / ID." mean?
 
We are most concerned with:
1) Outlook data (where is this saved?) (and I assume I just put it in the
same path again on the new computer)
Click to expand...

Here's part of a procedure that I used recently to move my Outlook Express
messages from one machine to another. The old machine was Windows98, the new
one WindowsXP. The actual file movement, in my case, was done via a USB
flash drive since the old computer was still working...

MOVING EMAIL

Outlook Express data (the Inbox, Outbox, Sent Mail, Deleted Items, etc
folders) are moved by locating their .DBX files on the source machine and
copying these to a *different* temporary location on the target machine.
Then, the IMPORT function of Outlook Express on the new machine is used to
pull the messages from these moved files into the application. Move the
following files, which I located under C:\WINDOWS\APPLICATION
DATA\IDENTITIES\...\MICROSOFT\OUTLOOKEXPRESS.

INBOX.DBX
OUTBOX.DBX
SENT ITEMS.DBX
DELETED ITEMS.DBX
DRAFTS.DBX
FOLDERS.DBX (contains an index to the other folders, *this seems to be
NEEDED*)

To restore your mail folders, open Outlook Express and click File| Import|
Messages| OE6| Message| "Store directory", then browse to the folder
containing your old messages. Do not copy the backup files into the current
OE message store or the import will fail. None of the copied *.dbx files
should be marked as "read only", or the import will fail.

Also, find the following .WAB Windows Address Book file in
C:\WINDOWS\APPLICATION DATA\IDENTITIES\...\MICROSOFT\ADDRESSBOOK.

username.WAB

You import the backup by opening OutlookExpress and clicking File| Import|
Address Book.

HTH

Tim
 
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