Windows crash due to SATA cable use..

[Johnny121]

Hi all.
I'm hoping to find a computer wiz in here.

It started when my daughter wanted pictures off my Compaq laptop running windows 7 that doesnt start up. Caps and numbers lock repeatedly flash on a black screen and I get nothing.

Since then I've purchased a Dell Latitude on windows 10.

I read I could use a SATA cable to remove the old hdd and plug it into my new laptop.
I chose to boot from usb in the startup settings (f12) which said there was an issue that could be fixed. I allowed this and it asked if I wanted to make a backup first. I thought this would be the correct thing to do and from the options it presented I chose the drive with the most space and waited.

It then told me there wasnt enough room so I continued and all of a sudden it started loading as though I was on the old laptop. I admittedly got excited but then...

After the windows 7 logo disappeared it brought a dos box up (pics added).

They say that files already exist and if I'd like to overwrite.. after saying no twice the laptop restarts and does it all over again.

I cant get back to my usual windows 10 and fear I've not only lost all the info I had on the old laptop but also all the pictures etc off my new one too.

I'm literally distraught over this and I'm praying someone can help or give me a price to help me repair it.

Please help...?

 

[Grizzly]

Why the heck are you booting from the external drive anyway? The Win7 install that is on that, when booted from, now has to deal with the new hardware from your new laptop. It is correct that you can access the drive via a USBtoSATA cable, something like this:

Robot Check

With a cable like that you can access the folders on the old drive and transfer anything you still need. However, you might need to change the permissions on the folders you are about to save as they have only permissions from Windows 7 and not Windows 10.

 

[Bighorn]

Rather than working with cables I would [and do] use a box to put the needed drive in that connects to another computer via a USB cable. Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=sr_1_6?crid=112SQVDDQ1KH7&dchild=1&keywords=hard+drive+box&qid=1587051441&sprefix=drive+box%2Caps%2C220&sr=8-6

It mentions USB 3 but generally that should be backward compatible to USB 2. Others available and also at www.newegg.com and probably www.cyberguys.com. [Similar boxes are available as complete units such as the WD My Passport, work the same way for portability.]

 

[Bighorn]

Grizzly and I had good thoughts.

 

[Johnny121]

Look.. I tried to be big man in front of the mrs cos "I had a windows 95 PC when I was younger" crap and it backfired hands up..

It was the standard sabrent cable (pic included)

What can I do guys? Bit down about it.
Can I save it or.....?

Really appreciate your time by the way.

 

[Johnny121]

here it is..

 

[Grizzly]

Boot your new laptop in Windows 10 then plug with that cable the old drive in your new laptop and transfer the files that you want (Do NOT boot from it though). just go into the User folder and look for the files under the users name. You are going to find several folders there including the "documents", Pictures, music, Videos etc.
All you have to do is copy the files onto your new Windows 10 laptop (might want to put all in a separate folder until you decide which ones to keep and which ones to toss)

 

[Johnny121]

Boot your new laptop in Windows 10 then plug with that cable the old drive in your new laptop and transfer the files that you want (Do NOT boot from it though). just go into the User folder and look for the files under the users name. You are going to find several folders there including the "documents", Pictures, music, Videos etc.
All you have to do is copy the files onto your new Windows 10 laptop (might want to put all in a separate folder until you decide which ones to keep and which ones to toss)

I've gone way past that now as explained in the opening thread.

What you've explained is what I should of stayed with. I did do as you say above but it wouldnt open due to there being a password on the drive.

I knew the password but was given nowhere to enter it.

 

[Clintlgm]

An F12 Boot on your Dell, select your SSD/Hard drive to boot from, do not have your SATA to USB connected. that should get you back into your Windows 10 Install on your Dell. Now plug in your SATA to USB
As post previously after in Windows 10 the drag and drop files from SATA USB to somewhere on your Dell I would create a folder for this, once all files are transferred disconnect SATA to USB.

 

[Johnny121]

An F12 Boot on your Dell, select your SSD/Hard drive to boot from, do not have your SATA to USB connected. that should get you back into your Windows 10 Install on your Dell. Now plug in your SATA to USB
As post previously after in Windows 10 the drag and drop files from SATA USB to somewhere on your Dell I would create a folder for this, once all files are transferred disconnect SATA to USB.

Hi thanks for your reply.

I have already done this but for some reason it continues to boot up the windows 7.

 

[Clintlgm]

It can't boot to that Win 7 OS if it's not in there Remove that hard drive. you can deal with it using your SATA to USB later on after you get your New with Win 10 SSD/Hard Drive booting.

 

[Johnny121]

I have. I removed the cable with the hdd on straight away and yet it's still booting up as windows 7

 

[Wolfie]

Grab yourself a bootable version of Windows 10 (USB stick or DVD) and go into advanced options and repair it from there:

Advanced Startup Options

If you run in to serious problems with Windows 10, you may need to access the advanced startup options to begin troubleshooting your issue. Many of our other articles will refer to this page as an initial step, to avoid duplication. From this...

www.windows10forums.com

Read from "If you can't boot Windows 10".

THIS IS WORKING ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT WINDOWS 10 IS INDEED INSTALLED ON THE HARD DRIVE IN QUESTION!.

 

[Johnny121]

Ok I'll give it a go.

Thanks.

 

[Snuffy]

At this time it would seem to me that You should try a RESET to Original and keep your Programs and files...
go to settings - update an Security - Recovery - Reset this PC - Keep my Files -

Another reason i prefer Win10XPE is that also lets me see ever HHD/SSD attached to the Computer, USB and all, that way I can save all the clients "Documents, Pictures, and other possible Files, .cilx, .bak ." which I can then move to a new USB.

 

[Johnny121]

At this time it would seem to me that You should try a RESET to Original and keep your Programs and files...
go to settings - update an Security - Recovery - Reset this PC - Keep my Files -
View attachment 11613
Another reason i prefer Win10XPE is that also lets me see ever HHD/SSD attached to the Computer, USB and all, that way I can save all the clients "Documents, Pictures, and other possible Files, .cilx, .bak ." which I can then move to a new USB.

Thanks for your reply. When you say go into the settings.. do I need to have windows open to do that or do you mean like an f12 at startup? If you mean in windows then I cant do that as it doesnt let me get that far. Once it shows me the dos boxes (shown in opening post) I reply no to them and the laptop restarts itself.

 

[Snuffy]

setting is from start logo lower left corner, left click and menu opens, scrown down to settings.

left click settings, open

next open Recovery

then select RESET this PC. it will keep all your programs and setting while it will reinstall Windows 10

 

[Johnny121]

setting is from start logo lower left corner, left click and menu opens, scrown down to settings.
View attachment 11626
left click settings, open View attachment 11627
next open Recovery View attachment 11628then select RESET this PC. it will keep all your programs and setting while it will reinstall Windows 10
View attachment 11629

Snuffy you gone to alot of trouble there and although its greatly appreciated I cant get that far into windows to open the start menu.

 

[Snuffy]

OK that is very handy, so you have one super corrupted Install at this time.... it would have been nice if i knew how far you could get.
so i have to assume you can not get menu to show... that also means you can not get windows command to show,
Ok next best is take you latest iso for your System. if you can extract it to Download folder, then click setup so that it can do a REPAIR INSTALL. let me know if you can or cannot do this...and then can you post what you can do....
since you can not Download anything, any external program that is available is out of reach... (why because you can not download anything and save it on your computer.)
PS: not much trouble, since I do almost the same thing for many clients.

 

[Johnny121]

I'm going to say that I can follow instructions quite well... I dont know if that helps snuffy