[SOLVED] How do I recover the data on my SSD?

[christopherlam]

So due to a set of very unfortunate circumstances I had to replace both my mobo and CPU - both of the old ones are effectively nonfunctional. I installed windows 10 on my SSD, which is still working - and I don't exactly know how to go about setting up my system again without losing the data on my SSD.

Can anyone help or know what to do? Thanks in advance!

 

[thx1138v2]

Unless both the mobo and CPU are exactly the same as what you are replacing you will need to reload Windows anyway because the current installation won't have the correct drivers installed. So it would be best to install your SSD in a friend's machine and copy the data to another drive. Then install Windows again and copy the data back to your SSD.

 

[christopherlam]

Would it work if I bought a new SSD, installed windows on that and then copied the data from the old one to the new?

 

[Third-Eye]

Would it work if I bought a new SSD, installed windows on that and then copied the data from the old one to the new?

Recovering the data depends on what it was to begin with. If it was just videos, pictures and documents/files they will be sitting there waiting for you to plug the drive in. Otherwise If it's programs, you will have to reinstall everything.

What I personally would do is just put the drive on the new motherboard and boot up and see if it will work. If it does work, you very likely have to reinitialize the product key which could either require just an internet connection and a button click or a call to Microsoft, assuming you have the original product key. There is a chance you might have to buy a new product key if Microsoft won't reactivate your current key.

 

[USAFRet]

Do NOT try to just slap this drive in to a whole new system, and expect it to 'just work'.

What data are you trying to recover from this SSD?

 

[christopherlam]

The SSD was the drive I had installed windows onto, and other programs (games, Word, etc). I also have my work documents and other stuff on it.

I gather that it's not just a plug and play situation - but if I do a fresh install on a new SSD, and then plug in my old SSD so I can transfer is that something I can actually do?

 

[USAFRet]

The SSD was the drive I had installed windows onto, and other programs (games, Word, etc). I also have my work documents and other stuff on it.

I would absolutely not count on the OS and applications on it just working with all new hardware.

Your docs can almost certainly be recovered.

Install an OS on a different drive, connect this one as a secondary drive.
Recover your personal files from it.

Then and only then might you try to use this to boot up in this new hardware.

 

[christopherlam]

Cool, thanks for clearing things up for me! I was just a little paranoid after the first big PC disaster I've had in three years, and wanted to check before I did anything rash.

 

[USAFRet]

Cool, thanks for clearing things up for me! I was just a little paranoid after the first big PC disaster I've had in three years, and wanted to check before I did anything rash.

Your data is the only thing irreplaceable.
OS and applications can be reinstalled.

Protect your data first.

 

[Third-Eye]

Cool, thanks for clearing things up for me! I was just a little paranoid after the first big PC disaster I've had in three years, and wanted to check before I did anything rash.

I'm just wonder. Was it a prebuilt system or did you build it yourself and install an OEM or retail license you bought? If it's prebuilt, what brand is it? Also was your data on a separate partition or the same as your OS?

Also just to clarify, I wasn't saying that YOU should install your OS drive on the new motherboard. Just that I would do that for my own hardware. I shouldn't have even said it honestly.