Question

Recover data from an old laptop HDD

Asked by: Tech_20

I have a 48 pin laptop HDD from a 2003 Sony Vaio. Windows XP. It has a virus locking out the user. Windows recovery CD and Linux (BT3) CDs using chntpw won't override the password. Also tried a standard IDE (44 pin) laptop to USB adapter and Windows XP & Vista will recognize the drive but not the data (recognizes RAW format) and will only allow formatting the drive.

48 pin cables, adapters are virtually non-existent on the internet. I need a way to get the data off successfully.

Our best chance looks like an updated utility CD to boot from the laptop and override the locks from the virus.

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Asked On
2009-08-20 at 05:22:18ID24667833
Tags

hardware

,

information recovery

,

data

,

utility CD

Topics

Anti-Virus

,

Miscellaneous Hardware

,

Disaster Recovery

Participating Experts
4
Points
500
Comments
9

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Answers

 

by: MasterofmathPosted on 2009-08-20 at 05:50:16ID: 25141781

Have you tried loading with an XP Live disc?

 

by: lostasusualPosted on 2009-08-20 at 06:01:41ID: 25141922

Tech_20,

I usually use BartPe's password reset utility.  Never had any problems with SSID's being hosed after a password reset.

Download the client here:
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Install the program on an XP machine, run the PE Builder.  Browse to the Windows Directory for the source.  Click Build, then burn that ISO onto a CD.  Boot the laptop with the CD.  After it's booted, click Go, then Password Reset.

 

by: CallandorPosted on 2009-08-20 at 06:09:50ID: 25142004

48 pin laptop HDD?  I seriously doubt that, as hard drives are very standardized now.  Can you take a picture of the connectors and post it?  Laptop connectors have 44 pins, and IDE connectors have 40 pins (the extra 4 pins are power on the laptop connector).  A simple 44-pin to 40-pin adapter http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat_id=906&sku=17705 should let you connect to a desktop as a slave.

 

by: noxchoPosted on 2009-08-20 at 08:19:31ID: 25143638

Looks like the problem is on file system level if Windows XP won't recognize it. You need to download tools like Recuva or GetDataBack and scan the drive with them.

 

by: Tech_20Posted on 2009-08-20 at 11:51:02ID: 25145850

Tried the XP live disk & we could not get the password prompt. Will try BartPE, thanks. As far as the 48 pins, the laptop drive pins had two sections: one set of pins fit perfectly in the 44 pin female connector and 4 extra pins which were just exposed when I connected it to the adapter (sorry no pic available).

 

by: CallandorPosted on 2009-08-20 at 12:25:11ID: 25146116

Ah, you didn't say they were in two sections before.  The extra 4 pins may be for master/slave/cable select options, in which case you can connect it to an empty IDE channel with the adapter I linked to.

 

by: Tech_20Posted on 2009-08-22 at 10:38:44ID: 25159517

The BartPE disc (version 3.1.10) shows no option to reset a password when I click GO.

I checked out my options with the command line:

* It didn't allow me to even access the list of users in the native C drive on the laptop I'm using (that eliminates the option of using the actual password-shot laptop drive)

* It also didn't allow me to make the laptop or the native C drive the current directory. It went back to the e:\i386\system32> prompt (e is the BartPE CD)

* I also typed in d:\WINDOWS\system32>net user (d drive is the laptop drive) and it gave me "Access is denied".



Any other options with BartPE on resetting the password?

 

by: noxchoPosted on 2009-08-22 at 10:56:33ID: 25159589

Try this tool to clean the password: http://www.paragon-software.com/business/rk-professional/screenshots.html
Note, it works non domain user accounts only. In other words it cleans up the password for non domain account.

 

by: Tech_20Posted on 2009-09-04 at 05:07:02ID: 31618092

Callandor's answer provided insight on the 44 pin laptop HDD issue.

Noxcho's answer makes it clear a more expensive 3rd party tool is necessary to resolve the critical PC issues.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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