Any computer guru's on at the moment able to help

10/07/2011 08:53:44 PM · #1

My motherboard has died. That style of motherboard no longer available to new computer needed. Don't want to go down that track at the moment as I have an i5 laptop and figure I might see how that works with an added screen.

The tech was supposed to move information to a 1.5t portable hard drive but has not copied all the information.

Work has just updated a few machine so I grabbed an old one (it is quite old) just to connect my hard drive to get the information of it.
Opened up the box unplugged the harddrive and then plugged my hard drive in thinking that that was all I would have to do but it was a network machine and I think there is more to it than that. When I put in the drive it said it had changed some setting and I accepted that but then it asked about DIMMs and spreading them evenly. Had no idea what any of that meant so turned it off. Figured it wouldn't hurt to turn it on again and try my luck. Well, it boots into the hard drive and I can see the screen with my password but I cannot get the usb port to work and see the keyboard and mouse (gather this is what the DIMM has something to do with)

Anyone able to guide me through getting this thing working just so I can get the info off the hard drive. Would be appreciated.

If this is too big a project - just let me know that also and I'll have to figure something else out.

Thanks

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

10/07/2011 08:55:27 PM · #2

Can you get an old fashioned plug-in keyboard and mouse? I suspect the old networked box may not support the USB ported variety. If you can get the old style peripherals, you may be able to do what you need.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

10/07/2011 09:02:51 PM · #3

I have a keyboard (USB) plugin but it won't recognise it. Really thinking those DIMMS have something to do with it. Good thing is that the hard drive is reading so I know if I can get the USB's to work I will be able to copy the info.

adigitalromance

Nikon D750

10/07/2011 09:31:32 PM · #4

DIMM is memory which might have mismatched sizes but it doesn't matter if you are booting into windows and shouldn't affect usb. Old motherboards need drivers to get usb keyboard and mouse to work. Try to find an adapter or ps/2 kb and mouse.

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

10/07/2011 09:36:14 PM · #5

What's going on is that the copy of windows and the boot information of the old hard drive are configured for the hardware they used to be on. This started with Windows XP. Prior to that, I was able to simply move a hard drive to a new computer and it would bootup and work. Now things are configured at a lower level.

You don't need to boot from your old drive just to get the files off of it, however. As long as the other computer will boot. You can simply connect the old hard disk as an additional drive to copy the files off. Do you know if it is an IDE or a SATA drive? IDE has a 2" wide ribbon cable to connect, and a white conenctor for power. SATA has two smaller connectors for data and power with narrower cables, usually red or black.

One thing I have that is quite convenient is a USB to hard disk adapter. It is basically an external drive casing without the casing. Useful for temporarily hooking up a drive to test it or access it. If there is a computer store near you, they are not expensive. IN US $ they run $20-25

DCNUTTER

Canon EOS-7D

10/07/2011 09:55:55 PM · #6

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

One thing I have that is quite convenient is a USB to hard disk adapter. It is basically an external drive casing without the casing. Useful for temporarily hooking up a drive to test it or access it. If there is a computer store near you, they are not expensive. IN US $ they run $20-25

I will second this. I have a a bunch of older drives from machines I've built over many years. I have 4 or 5 IDE/SATA to USB cases that I use to swap in drives and they are worth their weight in gold.

Dave

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

10/07/2011 10:19:58 PM · #7

Ill third that, my five or six old computers now live as external hard drives on a shelf in my office, like a little mausoleum of dead computers.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

10/07/2011 10:20:23 PM · #8

Thanks Steve and others. All good now. Copying across information. Looks like it will take some time. Just check the computer and it specs are: Pentium 4 CPU 3.00GHz, 2.99 GHz, 1.99 GB of RAM

I don't know whether to bother getting a new computer just yet. Thought I would work with the laptop and see how that goes. It's faster than my desktop was.

I have 4 SATA hard drives. Three were in the computer - all 250gb. And one that had been replaced was sitting on a shelf - 500gb. Is it worth purchasing a caddy (seeing 1 and 2 tb drives are now so cheap) and holding on to them (maybe the 500gb). Hmmm. Could they be used in a new machine when I get one down the track?

Anyone gone from a PC to an iMac 27". My kids keep telling me to go that way. What are everyone's thoughts in regard to this.

Thanks

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

10/07/2011 10:28:04 PM · #9

Swapping from PC to Mac is a bit like switching from Canon to Nikon. The cost of switching over is pretty much related to how much you have to spend again on peripherals. In our house we have some Apple, some PC and what gets used on what all depends on what software we own for which.

10/07/2011 10:30:32 PM · #10

Instead of a caddy, get one of these hard drive docks for the extra drives.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

10/07/2011 10:48:24 PM · #11

Yes, that's what I want. If I can pick one up cheap here somewhere I will get one and hold onto the drives. 250gb is enough to back up all my music onto and pop in the cupboard. Sometimes small drives are handy.

bergiekat

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

10/07/2011 11:26:46 PM · #12

...just go buy a Mac! :P I got nuttin'...sorry! All I know is DIMM is memory and there is some of that in my super old machine (under some stuff in the study, lol!) Good luck!

10/07/2011 11:33:26 PM · #13

Originally posted by RamblinR:

Anyone gone from a PC to an iMac 27".

I bought a 27" iMac about a week ago. It's freakin' awesome (although I've been Mac-based since about 1986). I had to deal with a PC laptop yesterday and even the simplest tasks were downright painful by comparison. The issue you're having with drivers is a good example of something Mac users rarely have to worry about.

If you do go that route, I strongly recommend the base model and an extra 8Gb of RAM from a third party (Apple overcharges for memory) unless you have some unusual needs like advanced gaming, 3D or video. The difference in Photoshop speed is fairly trivial, and the low end 2.7GHHz i5 model with 12GB of RAM will outrun the top 3.4GHz core i7 model with 8GB.

10/07/2011 11:38:52 PM · #14

Originally posted by scalvert:

The issue you're having with drivers is a good example of something Mac users rarely have to worry about.

But we wont talk about all the problems Macs had when Apple changed how print drivers worked going from 10.5 to 10.6. Oh, and the switch from SAMBA to Apple's in house SMB stack in 10.7 has caused some devices to no longer work. We won't talk about that either. These are not rare exceptions.

10/07/2011 11:40:12 PM · #15

Originally posted by RamblinR:

Yes, that's what I want. If I can pick one up cheap here somewhere I will get one and hold onto the drives

Here ya go- $20 shipped.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

10/07/2011 11:50:42 PM · #16

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

But we wont talk about all the problems Macs had when Apple changed how print drivers worked going from 10.5 to 10.6.

I haven't heard of that, and didn't experience any problems with print drivers personally or at any of the offices I support. Fairly current printers from major manufacturers should work fine, although temporary issues with some models wouldn't surprise me after a major OS release. I did have a problem with the scanner function on a Kodak AIO printer, although that was Kodak's botched software update rather than Snow Leopard. My 10 year old Umax Astra scanner still works fine. I've never dealt with SAMBA, and doubt most consumers ever will.

bergiekat

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

10/08/2011 12:06:59 AM · #17

Still running 10.6 and have no issues!

10/08/2011 12:31:20 AM · #18

Originally posted by scalvert:

I've never dealt with SAMBA, and doubt most consumers ever will.

Do you ever share folders and printers with or from a Windows machine? Then you have dealt with it. It's not something consumers pay attention to, but it makes a difference even if they don't know what it is. It is a real issue for IT departments and folks like me that get called for answers on how to make stuff work after an OS upgrade screws up things that were working fine.

Apple was playing nice with Windows for a few years, and making things compatible with the rest of the world. Compliance with accepted standards helped adoption of the Mac over the last few years. It seems to me that they now feel they are now big enough to implement their own standards.

Message edited by author 2011-10-08 00:36:27.

10/08/2011 12:33:30 AM · #19

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Do you ever share folders and printers with or from a Windows machine?

Nope. Email and flash drives suffice for that purpose.

Sony SAL-16105 DT 16-105mm

10/08/2011 12:37:39 AM · #20

Originally posted by scalvert:

Nope. Email and flash drives suffice for that purpose.

Unfortunately, email and sneakernet do not suffice for all.

Anyway, my point is that the Mac has it's fair share of problems and grief.

Message edited by author 2011-10-08 00:38:32.

LandzEnca

Samsung TL500

10/08/2011 12:57:38 AM · #21

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by scalvert:
I've never dealt with SAMBA, and doubt most consumers ever will.

Do you ever share folders and printers with or from a Windows machine? Then you have dealt with it. It's not something consumers pay attention to, but it makes a difference even if they don't know what it is. It is a real issue for IT departments and folks like me that get called for answers on how to make stuff work after an OS upgrade screws up things that were working fine.

Apple was playing nice with Windows for a few years, and making things compatible with the rest of the world. Compliance with accepted standards helped adoption of the Mac over the last few years. It seems to me that they now feel they are now big enough to implement their own standards.

My NAS, as well as most that i know of, runs its file sharing on classic samba. I use it for backup over local networks, as well as repository for files i share with my family overseas.

Im looking into getting a mac. Im a windows user since 1994. I have put food on the table via the business softwares i developed on windows, with microsoft dev tools.

Now trying to expand my skill set, im looking into xcode. First requirement is to get a mac. But part of my workflow is to store backups and versions on a NAS running samba. So for those with enough experience on macs, how does it work with standard samba?