Anyone got a spare SATA hard drive I can have/borrow please?

Off-topic
1

Windows has finally decided that it doesn’t like my Windows 7 / Vista dual boot, and has killed both OSs. I am pretty certain that the hard drive is still intact, but I have a whole load of data on it that I need to get off, so I cannot wipe the drive and start again. I now that long term I want to get a new 2TB drive, but that’s £80 that my wife won’t let me spend. So, in the meantime, does anyone have a drive going spare that I can load a new Windows 7 OS on so that I can get at the data on my old primary drive? I don’t mind paying for the postage, I don’t mind if its small (just big enough to take a Windows 7 OS), I don’t mind if its only a loan, just does anyone have anything like this going spare please?

Thanks.

2

you can use a usb stick to load win7 on, or use the spare space on the existing drive and install win7 again onto it

3

TEKKERS

4

I’d need a 32Gb USB stick for that, and I don’t have anything that big.

5

eh?

6

Can I install Win 7 on a drive that already has data on it without losing that data?

7

I’ve got a spare 80 gig drive but it’s IDE. If it’s of any use to you you could possibly use that, if you’re really desperate, but I’d need to find the time to do a quick reinstall on my PC to wipe the data. I wouldn’t be able to do it until the weekend sometime.

8

Actually, yes I can use an IDE one - just looked at the specs of my motherboard, and it does give me a single IDE connection. Whereabouts are you/where do you work? Can I borrow that please?

Thanks

Andy

9

I might also have a spare IDE drive if I juggle some things about. Hadn’t really thought about the possibility of using an IDE drive. Thanks for the suggest.

10

If you find you still want to use mine then drop me a pm :wink:

11

Will do, thanks.

12

you can use the same drive though, as long as it isnt formatted. just install windows 7 onto it again

13

Might also be able to do what I need using Linux and an SD card.

14

hmpf, you can run Linux for that from a small USB stick (2-4GB should be fine enough) or a live CD, if all you want is to move your data elsewhere.

15

As long as you have a way to back up your stuff your welcome to come and pick up a copy of Linux on CD which you will be able to use to recover your files. Much easier than taking drive out etc.