11-17-2010, 01:01 PM

My sister's desktop has just quit working, probably the power supply, but I don't want to buy a new one only to find out it is something else. She just wants to get her files off of it (pictures and stuff).

What's the best way to do this? I heard WinXP can run from a USB drive, so I was thinking of buying an enclosure and running it through Bootcamp, but it's totally different hard, so I don't know if that will work. Could I just do the same thing, but pull the files off within OSX by browsing the drive?

Any other options or ideas would be appreciated.

11-17-2010, 01:16 PM

I would get a HDD enclosure to USB and take all the files off onto another computer. You can usually pick one up off ebay for like £5 ($10) ish

- Simon

11-17-2010, 01:48 PM

It may be easier and less expensive to replace the PS. Power supplies for most desktop PC computers are inexpensive and easy to change out. The exception is if she owns a Dell, Compaq, HP, or some other brand that uses proprietary components.

You can not use the hard drive with XP on it via USB in Boot Camp as it will not work. Using an external carrier as Buzzard suggests should work to remove the files from it.

11-17-2010, 02:20 PM

Since I'm not even sure if it's the PS, mobo, or something else, I think I'll just go with an enclosure for recovery. I just wasn't sure if simply sticking the computer's HDD in an enclosure and plugging it in would allow me to view/copy it's files from my Mac.

I wonder if I could even crack open and temporarily swap out the HDD in my Western Digital external drive. Then I wouldn't have to buy anything.

Thanks for the help!

11-17-2010, 02:39 PM

Yeah you could that, but of course that voids the WD warranty.