DV6000 Laptop issues - How to retrieve stuff off HDD?

Dorkman

Apparantly according to research done on the internet, the HP Pavillion DV6000 series laptop has some issues

See here -> http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?admit=109447626+1263945540370+28353475&threadId=1147659

The misses now has a dead computer in her final year of her Masters of Social Work, and there are papers stranded in what can only now be described as a brick. If there is a way to revive the laptop for even a short period of time to retrieve what we can would be great...but according to what I have been reading that is almost a lost cause.

So that leads us to our second thought. How is it possible to access the HDD to retrieve what we can without requiring the laptop to boot. Is there anyway? Are there long nights ahead? Any help would be tubular.

MindLib

You could simply pop it out and hook it up to a PC. Just crack the side of a PC case open and float it, the mobo you're hooking it up to must have SATA, which most do this day n' age. Should be able to access the files as an alternate drive letter in windows explorer once you've booted up. Upload the files to the desktop/burn to a disc.

Richard M. Nixon

Failing that, you can borrow an external harddrive from a friend or work or somebody and just swap it out for the time that you need to access it, then put theirs back in and give it back.

Dorkman

Thanks peeps. I haven't the slightest clue about computers, but this sounds doable. Just need to figure out what this SATA thingamajig is and what not and hopefully make this work. There was certainly a major freak out last night.

MindLib

Here's a pic of what it will look like on a board:

http://www.hardwarezone.com/img/data/articles/2007/2387/p6ngm_sata.jpg

Here's the cord you'll need:

http://www.xiertekusa.com/images/products/SATA18RA1.large.jpg

The mobo you'll be hooking it up to should be using it for at least a DVD/ROM drive and a HD. Just disconnect it from the DVD/ROM drive and hook it into your laptop HD. Failing that, they're pretty cheap.

Failing THAT, IE you can't get to a MOBO outfitted with SATA, converters do exist:

http://www.priceco.eu/price_co/pictures/IDE_TO_SATA_Converter/IDE_TO_SATA_Converter_2.jpg

That will plug into a regular IDE slot (basically the same thing as SATA but old) that looks like this:

http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~chsmith/Clunk/MOBO_IDE.JPG

One more word of advice. Be careful rooting around the insides of a PC, especially if it isn't yours. Make sure you're GROUNDED before you touch a piece of hardware. Take a peek at this before you crack into it:

http://www.wikihow.com/Ground-Yourself-to-Avoid-Destroying-a-Computer-with-Electrostatic-Discharge
GL!

Dunadan019

here's a how to for removing the hard drive as well:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=3245620&rule=14777&lang=en&docname=c00816391

TheGreat2nd

Nothing to offer but that sucks.
I have a DV6500, and mine "broke" too.
I followed one of the suggestions on that post.

1. Take the battery out and unplug the charger
2. With the computer lights OFF, press and hold down the power button for 15 seconds
3. Plug the charger back in and start-up the computer

Just in case you haven't tried it out yet.
Mine wouldn't start up out of the blue.
Managed to revive it with that trick.
Stupid HP laptop...

Dorkman

Again, thanks to everyone.

I think she ended up bringing the computer to the campus free tech support to be diagnosed. Not really sure what they can do. However she did leave a message at work for me and said to call her about the computer. And she sounded somber.

Here's hoping we can fix this issue.

Dorkman

Sorry about the double post.

It seem what was recommended to the girlfriend is a Vi On 2.5 Inch HDD Enclosure. Now this seems like a fantastic idea, however I believe I am absolutely retarded as I cannot seem to get it to work.

Picture of equipment in question.

Now it seems easily enough, slide it in, click together connectors and power it up. But apparantly I cannot even seem to get the HDD to connect. At all.

Now I can only assume that this is an SATA connection? If not, then I guess that solves my problem.

If that is, when I try to slide it in, it seems that either the plastic kit from the HDD or the plastic kit from the enclosure are getting in the way of each other and I can't seem to push it in without forcing to the point of breakage

As you can see from the pic below, plastic be clashing

That is the only way the connectors line up as well. See below for the connectors of the enclosure

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/CrazyCanuk/Warhammer/Picture194.jpg

So yeah. I need help. This seem to be a relatively easy fix and apparantly all reviews I have read state that the HDD slides right in. This just doesnt seem to be the case.

Any further advice would be great. I got a girl on my hands that is one punted puppy away from total breakdown.

Dunadan019

that is not a SATA connection.

does that connector with the exposed fins pull off the hard drive?

Dorkman

Well..that solves that.

What is it?

Dunadan019

its an adapter that should stay with the laptop.

pull it off.



it should pull off straight.

then you can plug in the hard drive.

Dorkman

Excelsior good sir! That was the ticket.

Many thanks for the quick response and dealing with my technical ineptitude.

John Matrix

I love this forum.