# Computer hard drive saved



## ameliasaws (May 1, 2020)

Dell graphic went out at 8 years. I junked the computer but saved the hard drive and put it into an enclosed case. It is all there but greek to me. It is the C drive.
How do I get thru it to save photos and documents? I have never been into this type of thing before. Maybe a hard question or maybe silly.
Thanks


----------



## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

You need to go through the directories to find what you want.
It was a C: drive then you should have the windows operating system on it.
Look in the 'documents and setting", "downloads", and "users" directories for them. They should not be in the "windows", "program files", "program files(x86)" directories.
Some programs create there own directories for files, often under the users directory.


----------



## SW Dweller (Jan 6, 2021)

Do you have a power supply and space so you can add it to your computer? 

they make adapters which are USB HDD adapters.
also made external HDD enclosure.

You need to power up the drive. then you need to have some communication with it. 
The Comm side is all relative to what your using now.


----------



## stick\shift (Mar 23, 2015)

What do you mean by 'enclosed case?' If this is another PC, it might think it's the boot drive. If it's a HD enclosure hooked up to another PC, it is likely no longer your C drive - more likely E or F or something similar.


----------



## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

stick\shift said:


> What do you mean by 'enclosed case?


I take this to mean an external hard drive case that plugs into USB.


----------



## icerabbit (8 mo ago)

Correct. 
The person added the old hard drive to an external case and is now viewing it as a drive D: E: F: ... who knows. 
On that external drive, look for USERS, then "your name", then you will find folders for desktop, documents, downloads, etc that you can go through and copy your old files from ... onto your new drive, a usb thumb drive, etc.


----------



## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

If you have access to the old C: drive, you should be able to find your documents easily in the *X:\windows\users\YOURUSERNAME\documents* (or *\pictures *or *\music* etc.). (X is the drive letter assigned to your old drive.) It may show up in Windows Explorer as *C (D: )* or *C (E: )* or similar, depending what other drives you already have, where the *C* is the name it was called on the old computer (coulda been just *C*, or *SystemDrive*, or *OSDrive* or something else). Or perhaps it'll show up in Windows Explorer as *USB Drive*, assuming the enclosure is connected via USB.


----------



## GrayHair (Apr 9, 2015)

Was the "case" you put the old drive in a working computer with a hard drive? 
Does the system try to boot from the old drive and how far does it get?


----------



## diyorpay (Sep 21, 2010)

If you correctly inserted your old drive into an external enclosure, it likely looks like this:








ORICO Portable USB3.0 to SATA III 2.5" External Hard Drive Enclosure 5Gbps High-Speed for 7mm and 9.5mm 2.5 Inch SATA HDD/SSD Tool Free Support UASP Up to 2TB (2189U3) - Newegg.com


Buy ORICO Portable USB3.0 to SATA III 2.5" External Hard Drive Enclosure 5Gbps High-Speed for 7mm and 9.5mm 2.5 Inch SATA HDD/SSD Tool Free Support UASP Up to 2TB (2189U3) with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!




www.newegg.com





This assumes it is a SATA type drive. Much older drives need an IDE type enclosure to connect.

The USB end of the cord gets inserted into a USB port on the computer (usually on front is easiest) but AFTER COMPUTER HAS BOOTED UP.

Next open File Explorer. If you don't see it, use Search key and click on File Explorer.

As others have said, the assigned letters to a hard drive in a computer are temporary and help users distinguish amongst drives, partitions on drives and devices plugged into the computer.
The drive with the operating system typically gets the 'C' designation but it can be changed by users that want to be different than the convention.

So, the computer you now start with no issues is the one with a 'C' drive. When you plug in the old drive in its new enclosure, it will get a different assigned letter, since it is a 'visitor'.

With File Explorer open, you'll can click the arrow for each drive or partition to further expand its contents. You'll identify the one with a Windows directory (other than the current 'C' drive). That's the older drive.

IF...you had bad luck in earlier failed computer and it was the hard drive that failed, it can't be resurrected. BUT, if you hear it hum and it gets assigned a letter, it is readable.
Perhaps open File Explorer without plugging in external drive and write down the assigned letters you see. Staying on that File Explorer 'page', next plug in external drive. If all goes well, you'll see a new letter assigned, just as if you had plugged in a thumbdrive. That's the drive you're looking for says Obi Wan.


----------



## ameliasaws (May 1, 2020)

stick\shift said:


> What do you mean by 'enclosed case?' If this is another PC, it might think it's the boot drive. If it's a HD enclosure hooked up to another PC, it is likely no longer your C drive - more likely E or F or something similar.


You are right, it is "F" drive now. I am trying to retrive photos in a folder. This is not as easy as I thought. I get message that I don't have permission. Any advice would help me I'm sure
Amelia


----------



## ameliasaws (May 1, 2020)

GrayHair said:


> Was the "case" you put the old drive in a working computer with a hard drive?
> Does the system try to boot from the old drive and how far does it get?


I have the old hard drive encased and attached to my new computer by USB.I see a list of things and I thought this would be easy by clicking on. It is an "F" drive now. I am looking for docs and pictures in a folder on the desktop but when I click on it and try to open it, I get a message telling me that I don't have permission and then tried to explain but I don't follow. Any advice or direction. I thought I was there?
Amelia


----------



## diyorpay (Sep 21, 2010)

Try following this path:
F: --> Users --> [your user name directory] --> Desktop
also look in Documents and Downloads directories for other stuff?

Remember: Your new f drive used to be a c drive

If you never set up a separate administrator account, you might technically be the administrator.
If above does not work, and you are challenged, click 'continue'. When prompted for administrator's password on your new computer, enter it if you know it. If you never set one up, leave it blank and hit enter.

to select a certain file, left click once on it until blue background. then right click it, select 'copy'. It's now in memory.
go to where you want to put that file, click and select paste.


----------



## IvanSmo (6 mo ago)

If you have Windows installed on that drive, I would go with booting it, in safe mode and then copy everything that matters to another location. Other than that, what these guys tell you is one good way of dealing with it.

One hint: if there are any permissions to resolve, just boot Linux Live CD and take all you want from that drive.


----------



## bob22 (May 28, 2008)

Locate the folder with the pictures. Right click on the mouse, select Properties; go to Security, and try to edit Permissions to Read or Full Control. Then try to copy them or whatever you are doing.


----------

