Need help saving files from broken pc

Here is the situation. My 5 yrs old Dell Dimension 8400 is pretty much dead. Its having some internal power problems and keeps shutting down/powering down every 1-5minutes from turning it on. I need to copy my files out of its hard drive. Is there any way to do it without taking the computer apart (as I am not a technically savvy). Its still has Windows XP I have another desktop in another room (windows 7) with wireless router connection and I have a laptop with Windows 7. I need to copy my email info plus my internet browsers links in favorite and hopefully at least 1-2 GB of old files I kept on my old computer. Is there any way to transfer those files while my old computer is shut down (powered down) 1) Remotely thru another desktop in another room? 2) By USB or to other wire connection to laptop? Finally, if all thats impossible, and I have to physically take hard drive out of my computer, any way to transfer files without taking another computer apart and putting that hard drive in or buying additional expensive gadgets? (I already had a huge expense of buying replacement computer!) If there is any way, please let me know how with step-by-step detailed instructions if possible.

If the system will not stay powered on then none of the suggestions you gave will work anyway.
The best way to get to your files is to use a Linux Live cd to boot the system. The problem again is if the system is shutting down even this won't help out.
Here is my instructions for Puppy Linux and how to get your files.
Get Puppy Linux from HERE…Get puppy-2.16-seamonkey-fulldrivers.iso download it and burn it to cd
..
if you don't have a burning program that will burn .ISO files get Burncdcc from my signature…it is a small FAST no frills iso burning program…

NOTE…do not put a blank cd in until burncdcc opens the tray for you
1. Start BurnCDCC
2. Browse to the ISO file you want to burn on cd/dvd ….in this case its puppy-2.16-seamonkey-fulldrivers.iso
3. Select the ISO file
4. click on Start

make sure in the bios the cd drive is the first boot device….

put the cd in the cd drive..boot your computer….puppy will boot and run totally in ram…if your hardware is is good working order you will know…
after you get it running and your at the desktop…you take the puppy linux cd out and then you can use the burner to copy all your data to cd/dvds
you can also use it to backup your data to a external usb harddrive..just have it hooked to the computer when you boot up with puppy…

==========================
quick guide for saving data…music..files on a system that will not boot using puppy Linux..


after you get to puppy desktop..
click on the drives icon…looks like a flash drive…top row..it will list all the drives connected to

your computer…

click on the red icon for the drive you want to mount…in this case its a flash drive …puppy will

mount the drive..the drive icon turns green when its mounted…
minimize the drives mounter window..you will need it again in a few minutes..
drag the right edge of it sideways to shrink it to its narrowest size…about half the width of the screen…then drag the window to the right edge of the screen…

now click on the icon that looks like a filing cabinet (kind of yellow) on the main drive…it should
already be green..
you will see a list of all the folders on the main drive Usually your C: drive..shrink that window to
the narrowest you can..about half the width of the screen…drag that window to the left side of the screen…
at this point you should have 2 windows open on your desktop..the flash drive on the right side..
go back to the folders on the C: drive…click on the documents and settings folder…then your user
name or all users..find the folders that has your data..
drag and drop the folder with the data you want to make copies of to the flash drive window…

your options are to move ..copy ect…JUST COPY..if its to big you will have to open the folder and
drag and drop individual files until the flash drive is full…(I have a 120 GB external USB drive for
big data recovery jobs and a 4 GB flash drive for the smaller jobs)..after you get the files copied to
the flash drive…
Click on the drives mounter you minimized earlier
UNMOUNT THE FLASH DRIVE by clicking on the green icon..you will once in awhile get error messages when
unmouting the drive..ignore them..when the flash drive icon turns red again its safe to remove the
flash drive..trot on over (stroll if you want to look cool) to another computer and plug in the flash

drive and copy all the data files ( I drag and drop) to the other computer..
make sure the other computer can read them…

now delete the data on the flash drive…take it back to the misbehaving computer and plug it in

again..click on the drives icon again and repeat until you have all your data transferred to the working
system..

Thanks to happyrock

probably this option won't work. my computer has no problem with booting (if it stays on for more than 2 min) the problem is power keeps shutting down

Masha,

1. If what Rshaffer61 instructions he gave does not help, or if the machine will not run long enough to follow through with his plan, then there is another option you can try to copy the data if you want to go this route.

Go here and look at this kit, it will allow you to use that drive as a USB drive if the hd is not dead or causing the shut down problems, this will allow you to copy the files you need or want to save.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=2020&cat=CBL

2. Here are some links of copying your favorites from XP to Win 7.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums…97-bbf0fe6bbb89

http://www.howtofixcomputers.com/forums/wi…7-a-266002.html

3. To copy and I take it you are asking about the E-Mail contacts and address book, here are the links to that info.

http://tips4pc.com/Articles/Computer%20Tro…d_computer_.htm

http://www.webdevelopersnotes.com/tips/win…s-live-mail.php

Hope this helps.

Jimbo

probably this option won't work. my computer has no problem with booting (if it stays on for more than 2 min) the problem is power keeps shutting down

This is the main issue. Since the system will not remain powered on the only other option is to remove the hd and either slave it to a working system using a external HD enclosure.
This will allow you to backup the data you want.
I would suggest starting with the PSU as your main culprit for the power issue.

Got it. Pretty much need hard drive enclosure. I have LaCie Grand Desktop exernal hard drive, can I somehow open it up and rig it to use it as hard drive enclosure for this procedure and then put it back together?

I wouldn't suggest opening it up.
External enclosures have come way down in price like these HERE at TigerDirect.
You only have to make sure if you have a PATA or IDE or a SATA hd.
Then using a USB connection you can do everything from the working system you mentioned.

I think I have SATA (Serial ATA), do I need to check specific versions, dimensions, etc or just SATA, PETA, or IDE? Also, what is the quicky way (within 1-2 min) to check specific drive version on computer itself?

SATA with USB connection to your other system. Inside will be a SATA HD connector. To check drive type just go into bios and see if it is using IDE or SATA controller on your hd

Last question. Will I be able to hook up my Hard Drive from Dimension 8400 to new Dell inspiron computer? My old computer - is a regular width tower, while Inspiron is slim tower? I mean put it into computer without external HD enclosure.

You could hook it up as a slave drive if that is what you are referring to. You can't use it as the main drive since the drivers loaded on the 8400 will be different then the drivers for the Inspirion. This will cause conflicts possibly to the point of the system not booting at all. Hooking it up as a slave drive will work to backup the data off the 8400 drive.

thank you. hopefully i'll be able to avoid splurging more money on this - already bought new computer, ext hd for backup and only this 1 week.

If you decide to do the slave instructions is the new system under warranty? It may be a issue adding in a second drive so let me know. You may want to call Dell and ask them if opening the system and istalling a second drive would void your warranty. If it will your only option will be to purchase the external enclosure I'm afraid.

Masha, To follow up in your first post and once you decide of how you're going to access the old hard drive, take a look at the links in my previous post for directions on what and how to copy the data you said you wanted to save of that drive. Hope this helps and if you are in need of anything else, please ask and may you have a good day. Jimbo1