How to use old hard drive in new model?

[fairluvwar]

I had been using a Dell Inspiron 8200 for about 4.5 years which recently crapped out (ie. my hands ripped it apart), but I still have the hard drive which is fine and I have a lot of information I need off of it. I would just get it recovered and transferred but my main concern is all of my music that I have recorded (352 cds) for my Sony digital music player, and with the way Sony puts licensing info in recorded music, it will know if I just copy it to another hard drive and won't let me use it. So I would like to know how I know which newer model laptop, if any, I can choose and just use this hard drive for that. It is a hitachi hard drive. I am not sure what other specs would need to be known but it is 4200 rpm, model number is DK23EA-30. Like I said, I would like to be able to just purchase a newer model that I can just use this hard drive in so I don't have to transfer the data to another hard drive. Can I do this?

Matt

[WackyT]

All new Dell laptops use SATA hard drives, and your old one is an IDE. And also with hardware differences, even if you could boot a new laptop from it, you'll probably just get blue screens. If you copied your physical CDs to your hard drive, there shouldn't be any licensing attached to them. Get a USB 2.5" external drive enclosure and try copying them to another computer.

[fairluvwar]

All new Dell laptops use SATA hard drives, and your old one is an IDE. And also with hardware differences, even if you could boot a new laptop from it, you'll probably just get blue screens. If you copied your physical CDs to your hard drive, there shouldn't be any licensing attached to them. Get a USB 2.5" external drive enclosure and try copying them to another computer.

I'm not sure you understand what I mean by licensing. Sony puts this information in the music files when you record it from the CDs. I need to at least be able to back it up with the software to another drive, but still means I need to somehow use the drive I have. So I just need to purchase an old model then?

Matt

[K3NNY]

I understand what you are talking about Sony only let's u put your music on one place and that's it just like installing windows vista it can only be installed to one harddrive at a time, Sony did this to protect the music DRm rights or somethin like that. I actually just came to this thread because my hands have recently ripped my laptop apart as well :dance2:

[fairluvwar]

So do you think I am pretty much screwed? I will have to call Sony and see if they have any way for the music to be retrieved and still allow me to transfer it.

Matt

[Hops2188]

why not just slap that hard drive in an external usb/firewire 2.5" enclosure? then just plug it in to another computer and you should be able to access all of your files

[fairluvwar]

why not just slap that hard drive in an external usb/firewire 2.5" enclosure? then just plug it in to another computer and you should be able to access all of your files

That's interesting. I didn't know I could do that. Where would I get one of these and how much would one cost? Would I be able to use it with any computer, including a desktop?

Matt

[Hops2188]

yep, any computer you plug that thing into will work. I would check newegg. They have lots of choices on there, with prices ranging from 10$ shipped to over 40$ shipped, just check the reviews, and buy one. since your hard drive is from an older computer, make sure the case is for an IDE hard drive

[fairluvwar]

So does it matter which one I get? As long as it is for IDE does it matter if I get the cheapest one? There aren't any other specifications I need to buy for are there? Newegg has usb enclosures as cheap as $7-8 and 4.99 for shipping which would be great. I'd rather spend next to nothing for this because I have to buy a new laptop as it is.

Matt

[Hops2188]

it should work, some of them have additional fans or what not, i would just get whatever has good ratings

[Yoob@NBF]

Yeah the cheaper ones can fail quite easily so look to spend about 15+ dollars on one and you should be able to use it for as long as the drive will last. 4.5Years is quite a while hope it had a good run.

[K3NNY]

why not just slap that hard drive in an external usb/firewire 2.5" enclosure? then just plug it in to another computer and you should be able to access all of your files

Hey Hops2188 I bought this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817145329 external hard drive enclosure for my old XPS IDE hardrive and my hard drive can't connect to it it!!! Dell like modified it soo all the pins have been elongated and flatened into one row of connectors it's kind of hard to explain do you know of an enclosure that will be compatible with my freak IDE drive??? PLEASE HELPPPPPP

[Yoob@NBF]

haha.. that connector you speak actually comes right off its used in the older dell lineup to most likey ensure proper contact with the systems IDE board and to cause less damage from bent pins. Try to slowly remove it to see what I mean.

[K3NNY]

Yea I removed it before I saw your response and I bent some of the pins in the process whoops :banana:!! But now I can't access my files from my old do I need to delete the windows file, I mean the hard drive was literally ripped right out of my laptop and just thrown in the drive and when I try to access my old files it says acess denied I am sure this has something to do with windows xp

[Yoob@NBF]

Can you see the drive in windows? I assume you mean you have placed the old drive in a harddrive enclosure and your plugging the enclosure into the notebook. Also ensure the pins on the harddrive has made full contact with the enclosure when your doing this even if its slightly out you can corrupt files and such.

[K3NNY]

Can you see the drive in windows? I assume you mean you have placed the old drive in a harddrive enclosure and your plugging the enclosure into the notebook. Also ensure the pins on the harddrive has made full contact with the enclosure when your doing this even if its slightly out you can corrupt files and such.

I got it working. . .sorta my friend has a laptop similar to mine soo it will open on his laptop and only his laptop, but luckily we are friends :thumbup: