Can anyone help with external hard drive mystery?

[Jack Sprat]

I removed the hard drive from my old laptop (Windows XP) and placed it into a hard drive enclosure to have access to old screensaver pictures, music and documents from the old laptop. Supposedly, it didn't need to be formatted for my new laptop (Windows 7) since it wasn't a blank hard drive. The instructions said that the power light would come on the hard drive enclosure and assign it a drive letter. It appears in E drive, but when I click on it, all that it shows is my old files. When I click on the old files, I get a message that says Windows does not have program to open the file and to select a program to open them or search the web for a program. On some files, it says that I don't have the administrator access to the files.

I'm perplexed because it seems like I wasted my money trying to get my old files accessed from the hard drive enclosure and I haven't been able to get even one.

[canetoad]

1. Going step by step

1. No need to format as Win XP uses same file structure as Win 7 - NTFS

2. The external drive showed up as E: - you can see old files but not old XP installation files including screensavers? Doesn't surprise me. Try turning on Hidden Folders. Control Panel > Folder Options

3. When asked to chose a program to open files, go ahead and do so. Remember to click Browse if the program you select isn't in the list. Media files can generally be opened by an equivalent program, some other files have a specific format and can only be opened by the program that created them. Make sure that you have the necessary programs installed on your new lappie.

4. Administrator access. Could be half a zillion different reasons. I suggest you make a folder on the new machine called Old Machine Files or something then copy the files from your external drive to this folder on the new machine where you can work on them.

I'd strongly suggest downloading and using the free file copy utility 'Terra Copy'. It will tell you if there is something wrong with the file or it does not copy properly.

Before you copy a Windows installation folder, make sure you rename it to WindowsOld or similar. Last thing you want is two OS folders on your machine.

Given that you have carried out all the above, ie. show hidden folders, rename windows folder, installed copy utility - there SHOULD be no reason (barring disc space) that you can't copy all folders/files from your laptop drive.

Next should be a quick check of the file format of the old files you wish to open and follow the advice in 3.).

[Jack Sprat]

2. Thanks. I'm so aggravated tonight that

I'm going to bed hoping to tackle it anew tomorrow. I get so mad at this stuff that I wish I had never started a task. It never seems to cooperate with my intentions. Danged PCs.

[truedelphi]

3. I have the same concerns, but hadnt been able to

Figure out how to state the problem.

Glad you stepped forward with the problem, and glad canetoad could solve it.

Thanks to both of you!