Hey /g/, I have a question to ask.
> Dad's 10+ year old computer suddenly stopped working
> Power it on, LED lamps glow on computer case, but hear no sound from motherboard and nothing shows on screen, not even BIOS (meaning POST has probably failed somewhere)
> Monitor works with other computers
> CPU fan is spinning as well, which means 99% it's not a PWU problem
> Notice that bunch of capacitors on motherboard are bulged and really wonky
> HDD works on the other computers, but I can't access it since his PC was old stock PC with Windows XP installed.
He has very important work related files on there and his last backup was 2 months ago, so I can't format it or reinstall Windows. I thought about reinstalling Windows, but I'm p sure it will ask me to at least overwrite some partition (if not format it) and he can't afford losing either partitions.
So I came up with another idea, I googled up his stock computer and I found it available on some ads. It's identical to his current PC (apart from RAM, but that's irrelevant) and it's like 20 bucks. Could I hook up this HDD that worked on his same old stock PC to the same new one? Would it work? I think it should work since OS is usually bound to motherboard and CPU, but I'm not 100% positive.
Pic related, it's the PC shown in ad which is identical to mine.
>>52038132
>HDD works on the other computers, but I can't access it since his PC was old stock PC with Windows XP installed.
I don't get it. Why would you not be able to access it?
Rip apart that old piece of shit and hook up the hard drive to your own pc
>>52038210
>>52038224
I already tried using it on the other computer (and I put that old HDD on number one slot, the biggest priority). As soon as BIOS and partition table is shown, the PC just restarts instantly, and it continues this process over and over again. That computer has WIN7 installed.
Oh, and I can't test it on this one I'm on now because this one doesn't have IDE port on motherboard.
>>52038258
Ignore the partition table part, I meant as soon as BIOS was done it's job and it was OS' turn to boot up computer (as in, in the moment it's supposed to show Windows XP loading logo it just restarts instantly).
>>52038258
>(and I put that old HDD on number one slot, the biggest priority)
How about not doing that?
>Oh, and I can't test it on this one I'm on now because this one doesn't have IDE port on motherboard.
IDE to SATA adapters are like 10 bucks, so that's worth a thought if your dad has so much valuable information on it.
>>52038300
3 bucks on AliExpress
>>52038258
Why are you not just pulling everything from the old drive while in windows? Just drag the documents and settings folder over onto your desktop duh.
>>52038294
Why would you even want to boot an XP installation that is not meant for that computer?
Just boot Win7 from the normal HDD and access it from there.
>>52038258
Don't put it in the number 1 slot, boot in your main OS and you'll be able to see the files.
>>52038315
Ah ok.
Last time I checked was like 3 years ago when I built my new rig and had to get them for my old HDDs.
>>52038132
I'm pretty sure you can access the files by using any linux live cd (ubuntu for instance)
>>52038322
>>52038325
I tried that as well, there was nothing in My Computer on Win7.
>>52038315
Yeah but I need to wait months for that shit to arrive here, I want to finish this thing by like tomorrow.
Put it in another pc as secondary drive (not boot).
Live boot some linux on usb.
>>52038370
>I tried that as well, there was nothing in My Computer on Win7.
Are they on the same IDE channel? Have you set it to slave?
Dat banner doe...
OP is kill?
>that one guy who just uploaded a pic of some MSI motherboard and then deleted it again when he found out it wasn't a motherboard thread
I saw you :^)
>>52038645
Sorry, just too tired atm to remember about this thread.
>>52038425
I'm fairly sure I did it right, the one in the middle of the IDE cable is a slave.
>>52038378
I assume any GUI Linux would work then and that I would be able to write files on USB drives?
Thanks for the help guys, I'm too tired to fiddle with it now and the PC is in the workshop. I'll try some of the stuff from here out tomorrow before I decide on buying that old PC. The thing is tho that he used that old PC for job and the newer one for browsing Internet (watching streams and shit), so I just might get him that old PC regardless.
>>52038945
Well gn8 m8. Hope you get it figured out
