Using an external enclosure to browse the HDD from a dead desktop PC


  1. Efdy
    Posts : 137
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1
       New #1

    Using an external enclosure to browse the HDD from a dead desktop PC


    Hello,
    My desktop PC with Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit died. It had one HDD and no SSDs. The OS and all other data was on the one HDD. If the HDD still functions, and I put it in an external HDD enclosure that plugs in with a USB cable to my new desktop PC, what could happen?

    Do you think it will it try to start Windows 7 while I'm already using Windows on the new computer or something, or do you think it would just let me browse the contents of the HDD in the external enclosure that has Windows 7 installed on it?

    I wanted to ask in case someone knows what to expect before I plug it in to the USB port on my new desktop PC because I don't know if it could mess up something. I would like to retrieve some files that were created or modified since the last backup of that computer's data when it died.

    Thank you for reading this.
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  3. samuria
    Posts : 3,808
    win 8 32 bit
       New #2

    It won't boot 7 won't boot from USB by default. You should be able to browse the hd but a lot of folders the security will be owned by admin of the old system so to get data off you will have to take ownership first
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  4. Efdy
    Posts : 137
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    Okay. Thank you for helping me. I appreciate it.
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