Extracting files from a laptop

[pdV6]

I know this sounds dodgy, but it isn't - honest!

MrsV6 is off on maternity leave and her employer wants her laptop back. No problem there, but she wants to take all her personal stuff off the HD before handing it in. This comprises a couple of Outlook archives and a whole load of Word docs, totalling about 200-odd Mb.

Ordinarily this would pose no problem, but unfortunately the machine is locked down tighter than a gnat's chuff so I can't access the serial or parallel ports and the network settings are disabled so I can't connect to it via a CAT5 crossover cable either.

So far I've managed to get about 80Mb worth off by digging out an old copy of PKZip and using the 'span' option to create a load of 1.44Mb files, but transferring them to my PC meant sitting there for hours feeding floppies in.

I really don't relish the thought of doing the rest in the same way, so does anybody have a better suggestion?

Oh, its a Piii ThinkPad of some description, running W98 plus a load of management software that I can't disable without the admin password...

[Podie]

Has it got a USB port...?

Use a USB CD writer... or a USB key...

[pdV6]

Podie said:

a USB key...

Funnily enough, I thought of that this morning. Unfortnately I don't have one and don't really want to go out and buy one just to discover that the USB ports are similarly disabled!

Suppose I could always try to crack the admin password...

[Podie]

pdV6 said:

Podie said: a USB key... Funnily enough, I thought of that this morning. Unfortnately I don't have one and don't really want to go out and buy one just to discover that the USB ports are similarly disabled! Suppose I could always try to crack the admin password...

Hmm... if you're based Essex way then I'll let you borrow mine... but got a feeling you're not

You should be able to get one for £35...

[pdV6]

Nah - Bristol. Last time I lived in Essex was about 9 years ago!

I wonder if I could persuade my trusty old Sony Network Walkman to take zip files? Or my camera?

{edited to add:} Thanks for the offer though (how rude of me)

>> Edited by pdV6 on Wednesday 25th February 09:40

[Podie]

Hmm... might work... might screw it up.

If it's under warranty, give it a go!

[onedsla]

You should be able to use a USB camera with a memory card in exactly the same way as a pen drive.

You may need to enable USB in the bios.

An alternative is to get a 2.5" drive to USB reader cradle (quite cheap and very useful) - then remove the HDD, attach to home PC and you can read the info from it.

[pdV6]

Sounds like a bit of tinkering is in order.

thanks

[andyf007]

If Podie's USB recommendations fail, then you could get an IDE to Laptop HDD ribbon cable for a couple of quid. Take the HDD out of the laptop and connect it to your PC's secondary IDE as an additional drive and boot the PC, copy the stuff off via explorer.

Andy

[pdV6]

andyf007 said:

you could get an IDE to Laptop HDD ribbon cable

Cheers Andy, I had thought about that but assumed the appropriate cable probably didn't exist. I shall have a look for one if the cunning camera trick doesn't work.

[FourWheelDrift]

What about that old direct PC to PC direct connection thingymebob, by connecting both via an RS232.

I've never got it work but it's supposed to.

Would get around the security on the laptop?

[trooper1212]

FourWheelDrift said:

What about that old direct PC to PC direct connection thingymebob, by connecting both via an RS232. I've never got it work but it's supposed to. Would get around the security on the laptop?

I've done that before when all else failed, it takes an eternity to transfer anything though, obviously...

[pdV6]

Actually, that's where I started - having used it successfully several times in the past! Unfortunately the serial and parallel ports on this laptop have been disabled by a funky bit of software; physically they're ok but the nanny software seems to stop anything acessing them.

[stevieb]

CAnt you connect it to the computer at home to get the stuff off. Via network cable

[pdV6]

stevieb said:

CAnt you connect it to the computer at home to get the stuff off. Via network cable

pdV6 said:

Ordinarily this would pose no problem, but unfortunately the machine is locked down tighter than a gnat's chuff so I can't access the serial or parallel ports and the network settings are disabled so I can't connect to it via a CAT5 crossover cable either.

Unfortunately no

[stevieb]

pdV6 said:

stevieb said: CAnt you connect it to the computer at home to get the stuff off. Via network cable pdV6 said: Ordinarily this would pose no problem, but unfortunately the machine is locked down tighter than a gnat's chuff so I can't access the serial or parallel ports and the network settings are disabled so I can't connect to it via a CAT5 crossover cable either. Unfortunately no

PCMCIA Network adapter?

HAve you tried booting in safe mode to do the transfer as if there software is Initiated on bootup it maynot be when running safe mode.

Also CD writer?

Steve

[pdV6]

stevieb said:

PCMCIA Network adapter? not got one HAve you tried booting in safe mode to do the transfer as if there software is Initiated on bootup it maynot be when running safe mode. blimey! I can't believe I didn't already think of that - good call. Actually, I'm guessing all the nice bits (like networking) will be unavailable in safe mode, but there's no harm in trying! Also CD writer? not got one to fit the laptop Steve

[FourWheelDrift]

If "safe mode" doesn't work can you do Run/MSConfig find the software/services that run on startup to block the networking problem and disable them (note them down) and restart then do what you need to do, then enable them again and restart.

???????

[Mr E]

Can you boot off the CD?

If so, boot a real OS off CD, and then mount the drive. The real OS will allow access to all the ports....

Robert is your mothers brother.

[pdV6]

FourWheelDrift said:

If "safe mode" doesn't work can you do Run/MSConfig find the software/services that run on startup to block the networking problem and disable them (note them down) and restart then do what you need to do, then enable them again and restart. ???????

Eee, its dead tight, this laptop... Start/Run is also disabled.