Old HDD?

Just going through about 4 or 5 HDD's I have around the house and trying to sort through them but two have caught me. I'm testing them all as Slaves in my current desktop by booting to Windows on my current HDD then just browsing them through Explorer.

1) Fujitsu MPF3102AT (10.2GB 5400RPM)

When I first switched on the computer with this connected Windows loaded fine and the drive appeared next to my other drive under My Computer, but it didn't display a size and free space like my other drive. As Windows detected it as a HDD, then a Fujitsu and finally a 'Volume' it has now moved down to Other in the My Computer list. It's called Local Disc ( D: ) but has a red question mark by the side and it won't let me access it at all.

Although the data isn't vital and I certainly don't have the funds to pay for specialist recovery I have a feeling the HDD was out of a recently deceased's computer and may contain pictures that my family would like to see. Any ideas?

2) Seagate ST320014A (20GB)

When this is attached my computer won't boot past the ADVENT and Pentium 4 HT logo screen that appears when I first switch on the machine. Before I can even access the BIOS. This happens when the drive is connected as a slave or even on it's own. Again I think there are pictures of the drive that I'd like to have a look at. Any ideas as I can't seem to find a way to get past this pre-POST screen with the drive connected.

Ta,

For the first drive I would try
Start/right click on "my computer" and select manage/under storage go to disk management/right click on the drive and tell windows to import foreign disk


If the jumpers are set right on the second disk it sound like it has failed and it is no longer usable.

for the 2nd one. you can try booting to windows with the ide cable unplugged. then plug it in and go to Device Manager and have it scan for new hardware. if your system freezes or it doesnt recognize the drive, its no good.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SingaBoiy

for the 2nd one. you can try booting to windows with the ide cable unplugged. then plug it in and go to Device Manager and have it scan for new hardware. if your system freezes or it doesnt recognize the drive, its no good.

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Possible, if it's SATA it should be hot-swappable.
However, if it's PATA and you try that it'll either cause a lockup or nothing at all. No PATA drive is hot-swappable.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Broken

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SingaBoiy

for the 2nd one. you can try booting to windows with the ide cable unplugged. then plug it in and go to Device Manager and have it scan for new hardware. if your system freezes or it doesnt recognize the drive, its no good.

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Possible, if it's SATA it should be hot-swappable.
However, if it's PATA and you try that it'll either cause a lockup or nothing at all. No PATA drive is hot-swappable.

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That is incorrect. I did it all the time with the original xbox harddrives.

Will try what you've all susgested, thanks.

They are all standard IDE hard drives, most are 20GB and only 5400RPM so it's only the data on them I'm after.

Ta