My seven-year old Sony Vaio finally gave up the ghost. Firstly, it seemed to have video hardware problem preventing the machine from booting normally, and then a couple of days later the power transformer packed up making the machine as dead as a dodo. It is too old to repair, but I would like to get my files off of the hard disk.

Are there any businesses in Bangkok where I could take my hard disk and get the contents transferred to DVD's or thumbdrives, etc? Any idea of the cost?

Cheers

Why don't you open the Vaio and take out the hard disk and put it in an external HD case (buy at panthip). Then you can access it from your other computer .. and you'll also have an external hard disk to use.

Why don't you open the Vaio and take out the hard disk and put it in an external HD case (buy at panthip). Then you can access it from your other computer .. and you'll also have an external hard disk to use.

That is the best solution. You could go to panthip and ask to have them transferred onto a terrabyte but they will charge you 1500-2000 baht for the tb and the file transfer.

you will need to know if the harddrive is 'ide' or 'sata' if buying an enclosure, if you buy this it will do both - http://thesystem.co.th/products/preview.php?code=A0016954

Why don't you open the Vaio and take out the hard disk and put it in an external HD case (buy at panthip). Then you can access it from your other computer .. and you'll also have an external hard disk to use.

That is the best solution. You could go to panthip and ask to have them transferred onto a terrabyte but they will charge you 1500-2000 baht for the tb and the file transfer.

An external casing for the hard drive will cost perhaps 200 baht. At which point the OP can transfer the files to a new laptop/PC himself.

Thanks so much for your replies, I'll go down to Pantip next week

Easier still, if you already have a portable exHDD inside a casing, just open it up, take out the drive that is is there, then (try to) put the drive from your dead computer into the casing.

Some casings require a small Philips-head screw driver, some just finger pressure, to separate.

Then removing the actual drive from the casing/connection is a simple matter of (gently) pulling them apart. No need to cut anything etc.

If uncertain about this, you could google for youtubes, but it is easier than changing a lightbulb. Good luck, AA