[SOLVED] Recovering Old Files Problems... (From Old Desktops and Laptops)

MarsColonist

Commendable
Jan 9, 2021
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I just built a new desktop PC. I have two other old desktop PCs with hard drives that have a lot of files on them I would like to transfer to the new PC, but the two old PCs are not in working order right now.

I was thinking it should just be as simple as connecting the old PC hard drives to the motherboard of the new PC just like I would do if I had bought the hard drives while they are brand new if I was building the PC with them, right?

The old hard drives, of course, have whatever old operating system I was using on the old PC stored on them... so I'm not sure if that causes a problem in accessing their files or not.

There's one other problem as well: I have another two old laptops that I want to do the same thing with. Also not in working order. Laptop hard drives probably could not be taken out and attached to the new desktop PC to recover the files, right?

One other thing is... one of the old hard drives had a functioning and legit copy of Windows 10 on it. Is there any way for me to use that Windows 10 license key on my new desktop PC I just built? I mean, it seems like a waste to buy a new Windows 10 key if I already have a legitimate copy on that old hard drive. Can't it just be transferred to the new PC somehow?
 
Solution
2.5" is the standard size format.
They can be either SSD or HDD.

That cable will work for either.
But that external dock will make things much easier. No worries about the system trying to boot from one of these old drives. And you don't have to power your system off to swap to a different drive.

USAFRet

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MarsColonist

Commendable
Jan 9, 2021
105
9
1,585
These are my two old SSDs from the old desktop.

https://www.newegg.com/samsung-840-series-120gb/p/N82E16820147188?Item=N82E16820147188

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009NB8WRU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Looks like I was using these SATA cables with the 256gb:
http://amazon.com/gp/product/B009GUXU52/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2.5" laptop drives... is that a typo? I thought 2.5" drives were this type of SSD I have linked to in those links above. You're telling me my laptops probably use the same thing?
 
Last edited:

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
2.5" is the standard size format.
They can be either SSD or HDD.

That cable will work for either.
But that external dock will make things much easier. No worries about the system trying to boot from one of these old drives. And you don't have to power your system off to swap to a different drive.
 
Solution