Plugging in a old hard drive though usb that may have a virus

[draynestonewall]

Is there a way to protect my new laptop from a virus that may be on my old laptop's hard drive (I don't know if it was a virus, or that my system files got corrupted) if i plug it in through a usb connector

 

[USAFRet]

Is there a way to protect my new laptop from a virus that may be on my old laptop's hard drive (I don't know if it was a virus, or that my system files got corrupted) if i plug it in through a usb connector

1. Don't connect it until after the system is booted up from your normal drive.

2. What are you wanting to do with this drive?

3 Or...boot up a Linux Live USB or CD, and no Windows virus worries.

 

[draynestonewall]

I want to recover some files, and maybe use the drive as a backup

 

[USAFRet]

I want to recover some files, and maybe use the drive as a backup

Don't connect it until after the OS is actually running on the main drive.
Lessens, but not 100% removes, the possibility of infecting the actual system.

"recover some files"?
Are you 100% sure those files are not the source of the original virus infection?

Hence, the suggestion for doing this in Linux.

 

[ohiou_grad_2006]

If you boot the new drive into windows, you might scan the old drive before working much with it.