Need to recover data from old OS drives. Will SATA to USB adapter be enough?

[cocoblack]

I have two drives, both from old Macbook Pros. I tried installing them in a newer MBP to recover the data but the OS doesn't startup. Either a dim white screen shows up or the apple with the indicator underneath moving clockwise. Is it possible to just buy a SATA to USB adapter and connect it to either a PC or Mac to recover the files? If not, what would be an appropriate solution?

 

[pigoo3]

Get this:

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/U3NVSPATA/

...and you will be good to go.

- Nick

p.s. Thread moved to better area. Not an "OS X - Operating System" question.

 

[Slydude]

I assume that you mean the OS doesn't start up when you try t0o boot from the two drives. That could be because there is some directory corruption on the drives or the OS on it is old enough not to be able to boot the Mac the drive is connected to.

Assuming that the drives are both SATA drives I would try the following:
1. Find a Mac that is currently booting and connect the drive to it using a USB to SATA drive. Assuming the drive appears on the desktop you can attempt to copy the files.
2. If the drive does not appear on the desktop launch Disk Utility and attempt to repair the errors.

This will not work on a PC unless you have third-party software on the PC that can read Mac drives.

 

[cocoblack]

Get this:

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/U3NVSPATA/

...and you will be good to go.

- Nick

p.s. Thread moved to better area. Not an "OS X - Operating System" question.

Sorry about that. I put it in the OS X forum because I'm not sure if the fact that the OS is still on the drives will prevent the recovery of data. Will that adapter just look past the OS and allow recovery of the files? I just don't want to run into another hiccup.

 

[cocoblack]

I assume that you mean the OS doesn't start up when you try t0o boot from the two drives. That could be because there is some directory corruption on the drives or the OS on it is old enough not to be able to boot the Mac the drive is connected to.

Assuming that the drives are both SATA drives I would try the following:
1. Find a Mac that is currently booting and connect the drive to it using a USB to SATA drive. Assuming the drive appears on the desktop you can attempt to copy the files.
2. If the drive does not appear on the desktop launch Disk Utility and attempt to repair the errors.

This will not work on a PC unless you have third-party software on the PC that can read Mac drives.

Just saw your message after replying to pigoo3. Assuming that there's nothing wrong with the drives, will the data be recoverable or will the fact that the OS is on there present some difficulties?

 

[pigoo3]

Will that adapter just look past the OS and allow recovery of the files? I just don't want to run into another hiccup.

The adapter & cables product I linked should solve any physical connection issues which seemed to be part of the original post.

- Nick

 

[pigoo3]

I have two drives, both from old Macbook Pros. I tried installing them in a newer MBP to recover the data but the OS doesn't startup.

That's because the OS version on the HD's from the older MBP's may be an OS version not compatible with the newer MBP (OS version may be too old).

- Nick

 

[cocoblack]

The adapter & cables product I linked should solve any physical connection issues which seemed to be part of the original post.

- Nick

I'm referring to the non-physical issues, such as the access to the drives when connected to another computer. Sorry for the confusion!

 

[pigoo3]

Will that adapter just look past the OS and allow recovery of the files?

No. The adapter only solves any physical connection issues. As mentioned in my earlier post. The OS version on these HD's may be too old for the newer MBP.

And depending on how old these MBP's are that the HD's came from...or if you have no history of these old MBP's/HD's...maybe the HD's are dead/failed.

- Nick

 

[pigoo3]

I'm referring to the non-physical issues, such as the access to the drives when connected to another computer. Sorry for the confusion!

Yes...probably a bit of confusion.

- Nick

 

[cocoblack]

No. The adapter only solves any physical connection issues. As mentioned in my earlier post. The OS version on these HD's may be too old for the newer MBP.

And depending on how old these MBP's are that the HD's came from...or if you have no history of these old MBP's/HD's...maybe the HD's are dead/failed.

- Nick

Ok. I know the drives work so I'll have to see if connecting them through an adapter to the USB of a working Mac will display it as an external hard drive. Do you think it's worth the try or will I probably be throwing away $35?

 

[pigoo3]

Ok. I know the drives work so I'll have to see if connecting them through an adapter to the USB of a working Mac will display it as an external hard drive. Do you think it's worth the try or will I probably be throwing away $35?

- If you know the drives are good...then that narrows things down.
- If you tried to boot this newer MBP from these drives (boot from them as an external drive and it didn't work)...then the OS version on them may be too old.
- If you currently have the correct cable/cables to physically connect these HD's to the newer MBP...then yes...purchasing what I linked above would probably be unecessary.

Even if these drives have an OS version on them that may be too old for this newer MBP...they should still work fine as external HD's...and should be accessible. You should be booting the newer MBP from it's internal storage...and connecting these HD's from older MBP's as external HD's to access the files.

- Nick

 

[cocoblack]

- If you know the drives are good...then that narrows things down.
- If you tried to boot this newer MBP from these drives (boot from them as an external drive and it didn't work)...then the OS version on them may be too old.
- If you currently have the correct cable/cables to physically connect these HD's to the newer MBP...then yes...purchasing what I linked above would probably be unecessary.

Even if these drives have an OS version on them that may be too old for this newer MBP...they should still work fine as external HD's...and should be accessible. You should be booting the newer MBP from it's internal storage...and connecting these HD's from older MBP's as external HD's to access the files.

- Nick

Thank you very much Nick. I appreciate the help!

 

[pm-r]

Ok. I know the drives work so I'll have to see if connecting them through an adapter to the USB of a working Mac will display it as an external hard drive. Do you think it's worth the try or will I probably be throwing away $35?

If those drives are working as you say, that adapter will mount them and you can than salvage whatever files you want or need.

I've used such an adapter for years as well as their much more expensive Drive Dock.

You won't be throwing away any money as you can continue using the adapter for any backups or extra data storage. And stick to the Newer brand that was mentioned, as some of the cheaper knockoffs don't work with all Macs properly, just like some cheap Docks don't.




- Patrick
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