External harddrive link to windows 7

Toast I'm afraid by the sounds of it. Your only hope is a data recovery expert if you really need the data, but they are not cheap

Not posting the model number of the Dell desktop computer, get's you generic information.

The model number can be found on the back of the computer, next to the Windows product key.

Moving on......


Suggest use an external enclosure.
Remove the harddrive from the computer, and install it in an external enclosure.

The external enclosure has a USB cable, and you just plug it into any available USB port, on a working computer.

Then go to My Computer, or Computer; depending on which Windows operating system the computer has; and double-click on the drive letter that corresponds with the external enclosure.

(WinXP: Start > My Computer
Win Visa / Win 7: Windows logo button > Computer )

Examples of drive letters;

C: Drive = Harddrive of the computer you are using

D: Drive = Separate partition on the harddrive for Restore files, or is for the optical drive (CD/DVD drive)

E: Drive = Optical drive generally, but may be the drive letter that corresponds to a Removable Device.
The external enclosure you plugged in, is a removable device.

None of the above is 'etched in stone', except the C:Drive
Things change from computer to computer, and the way you may have it set up.

Easy way to know?
Before plugging in external enclosure, open My Computer, or Computer.
Look at what each drive letter corresponds to.

Now when you plug the external enclosure in, you will see the change; and know which drive letter corresponds to the external enclosure you just plugged in.

Double-click on the name next to the drive letter, that corresponds to the external enclosure you plugged in.

Go into My Documents, or Documents.
Again, depends on which version of Windows you have.
Win XP = Start > My Documents
Win Vista / Win 7 = Windows logo button > Documents

Now open each folder, until you get the personal files you want to keep.
Photos, music, videos, documents you have created, or downloaded.

You cannot remove programs, or applications. Just your personal stuff.
(You can, but that is for a separate discussion)

Also open Downloads.
(WinXP = Click on Start > My Documents > DOUBLE-click on Downloads.

Win Vista / Win 7 = Click on the Windows logo button (Start), click on Documents, click on Downloads.

Harddrives are measured in Width.
2-1/2 inches across for a laptop harddrive. 2.5 inches.
3.5 inches for a desktop harddrive.

Don't know what Dell this is again, don't have the model number.

Cannot tell you if the harddrive is an IDE (PATA) unit, or a SATA unit.

So you will need either a 3.5 IDE (PATA) external enclosure,
OR,
a 3.5 SATA external enclosure.

There are external enclosures that are 3.5 and IDE/SATA, also.

Basic examples,

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1733195&CatId=2779

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2145406&CatId=2780

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3883498&CatId=2780

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_ATA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA


Easy way to identify what type technology is used, for the harddrive in your computer; IDE/PATA, or SATA;

Power cable for an IDE/PATA harddrive,

http://www.playtool.com/pages/psuconnectors/connectors.html#peripheral

Power cable for a SATA harddrive,

http://www.playtool.com/pages/psuconnectors/connectors.html#sata

For additional questions please post in a Comment.
Regards,
joecoolvette

save them onto your computer and then format the external harddrive using your computer then save them again in the hard drive

Forgot windows 7 password?

You can reset windows 7 password with windows 7 password reset disk, you can follow the steps below to reset Windows 7 password.
Step 1. Insert Windows 7 password reset disk in computer.

Step 2. Access the Reset password option after inputting an incorrect password in Windows logon screen. When you click on the Reset password link, a Password Reset Wizard will come up to lead you to finish resetting Windows password. Of course, this solution is only effective when you have created a password reset disk before you lost password.

right click on 'drive'
go to properties
click on security
click on your user name in the upper window
and in the lower window select all check box allow
click on apply button then ok
it will work definitely
plus
from explorer, right click the hard drive and properties, and in security tab, click full access for system & users
However if proper drivers are not available then download it from

http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&vgnextoid=1b0cfbbad0f89210VgnVCM1000001a48090aRCRD

Nope. you cannot access your files. even if you use a external hard dive to access the files.

i suggest you install windows 7 in your computer but do not reformat the hard disk . in that way your files will still be saved in your harddrive.
Once you have access to your files i suggest you save them in a flash drive or external hard drive if you have one. then reformat your computer and install a windows xp.

here is a tutorial on how to install windows 7 without reformatting your harddrive.

Goodluck. If you have any success using my solution please give me updates.. Thanks

looks like a drive letter conflict, go into disc management.. right click my computer (computer in vista or 7) / manage / disc management. righr click on your drive and choose change drive letter and paths

First make sure usb cable connected to harddrive is working fine.
try it in different usb ports.
Press windows key +R key so you can see run then type in run "devmgmt.msc" then press ok so you can see device manager uninstall all usb drivers then it automatic install usb drivers.
then check.
Also you need to change registry for that type in run "regedit" then press ok then you can see registry editor then locate below key.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11­CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
And remove upper filter and lower filter.Then restart computer then check.
If your harddrive still not recognized then you need to repair your harddrive.Try your harddrive in different computer if it is not recognized on another computer then your harddrive has internal issue.

Let me know if you need further assistance.
Thanks for using FixYa

problem during copy mp4 file to mobile memory media through data cable error 0x80070057 the parameter is incorrect

I had a similar issue with windows 2008 and windows 7. the drive lost all its info and had to be reinitialized under both of those O.S.'s..
You can try that as long as it doesn't have any data you need.. Once you do that the drive will work and you can start using it. The file system under vista and above is slightly different than xp.