Computer Question (OT)
 

I have an old desktop that will not startup. When I try to turn it on I get three beeps. Whatever. But there are a lot of files on its hard drive that I would love to get onto my new laptop.

Anyone know how I can make this transfer?

Re: Computer Question (OT)
 

What is the sequence of the beeps? Is is beeeeeep beep beep?

Open the case. Press the edge of the video card to try to reseat it. They can often become unseated after a year or two. If that doesn't work, then it's either a broken video card, or it's your memory. You can try making sure your memory is seater properly, but it's unlikely that it would have become unseated.

I'd bet money on it being video (if I was the gambling type)

Freakin

Re: Computer Question (OT)
 

I would put the drive in another desktop and set it as a slave, then network that desktop to your laptop. Do you have any friends who have built their own PCs?

Another option is something like this, which you just plug your hard drive into and hook up to a USB port. I don't have any experience with external drives but it should work.

This is all assuming your hard drive isn't dead. If you're unsure, I'd bet that any place that repairs computers could help you out pretty easily.

Re: Computer Question (OT)
 

You could open the case and reseat the video, memory and the cpu,

or,

take the hard drive out set it to slave and hook it up to a friends desktop PC and burn the data on to cd/s.

Re: Computer Question (OT)
 

[ QUOTE ]
Another option is something like this, which you just plug your hard drive into and hook up to a USB port. I don't have any experience with external drives but it should work.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is probably the easiest solution if you don't have another desktop and a network. I often move working hard drives from dead systems into slaves in new systems to suck off the data. Since you have a laptop, however, the external housing is probably the best idea.

If you aren't a techie, and don't mind spending a few bucks, take the laptop and the drive to a computer repair place and they can do it for you, provided of course, that the drive isn't dead.