How do I get data off of my old computer harddrive?

The PC is old! It doesn't even have USB ports!


It has a serial port, it has a parallel port. I can use floppy disks!


However, I would love to be able to just take the drive out and install it into a newer computer, or just get the data dumped someway. I would like to do it for free, but if it is not easy, then I guess I could pay someone.How do I get data off of my old computer harddrive?
Well, if you can get your hands on another working desktop, go ahead and open that puppy up, because what I'm about to cover is pretty easy to do. Your hard drive will require power via molex or HDD or sata power connections on that computer's power supply and a connection to the motherboard through an IDE, PATA or SATA data cable, which it should already be attached to your motherboard with. It's pretty easy to tell where the IDE, PATA and SATA cables install in, as only one slot on the motherboard and hard drive will fit them. Then, once the hard drive is all plugged in, start the computer up and the hard drive partition should now be showing under My Computer. You're free to drag and drop files to your heart's content.How do I get data off of my old computer harddrive?
How big exactly is the harddrive if the computer is THAT old... I can't see it being worth it. There is parallel-to-USB converter cables out there, but is it really worth it?..





In my opinion, if you really HAVE to, you should just network the computer and send the files over the network to your newer computer. You can even do this locally using MSN if other things are too complicated... Assuming you know how to transfer files on MSN!
You could use Laplink with a serial or parallel cable (depends which type of conenctor your new PC has)... it was designed to allow data to be copied between machines over the serial or printer ports. The cables cost about 拢/$ 15-20 and the software is probably available free (it was given away on lots of magazine disks and may even be built in to XP now)





You could take the disk out and put it in an external drive box... then your disk is available as a 'usb external' drive... and then it's easy. That costs somewhere from $/拢 5-100 depending on the quality of box you buy and where you get it. Remember to get one for the correct size disk and correct interface (and for a desktop drive, it will need a power supply)





If they are both desktops and both have IDE interfaces for the disks you could *just* put the old drive in as a second drive on the new computer and copy the data over.
If you are getting a new computer, it'll have USB ports. You can buy a cheap gadget that lets you install your old drive in a small box, and then provides a USB connection to the new computer. You take the old drive, put it in this box, plug the USB cord into your new computer, and you'll see the old drive as a removable drive in Windows. You can then copy whatever you want from the old drive. Several manufacturers make these gadgets and you can find them easily at any good computer store. They are pretty cheap ($30 or so).
If your computer has a CD-R drive just take some of those and burn them to the Drive.


If not then take your old hard drive and make is a slave to your newer one and boot it up as a secondary and transfer that way.





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http://www.dtidata.com/resourcecenter/20鈥?/a>