USB Travel 1GB HD Problems

4 High · #1 04-22-2007, 09:51 PM

So my wife managed to break her Travel Drive, or at least the part that connects to the computer itself, i guess the USB part. The base part of the drive seems fine and i doubt the HD itself was damaged. The question now is, how do 2 computer newbs get all of her Graduate School work off of it? Do i need to bring it to a Best Buy or Compusa or is there an easier way?

pvn · #2 04-22-2007, 11:49 PM

This is an actual hard drive? 3.5"? If so, you can probably get the disk itself out of the enclosure with nothing more than a screwdriver and your fingers. Then you can install it into a desktop computer or an empty external enclosure, which you can get for around $20 at compusa, IIRC.

4 High · #3 04-23-2007, 12:22 AM

Im not sure if HD is the correct term. Its like a little stick. About the size of a key. It holds 1 GB on it.

pvn · #4 04-23-2007, 12:48 AM

Ah, a flash drive. Hmm. It's probably possible to repair, just a matter of $$$.

kerowo · #5 04-23-2007, 12:53 AM

If she is still in school she might be able to find a geek in the computer science dept that can fix the connection between the USB plug and the flash memory in the drive.

LuckyTxGuy · #6 04-23-2007, 12:54 AM

Hmm, that is an interesting situation. I haven't heard of this one but I can definitely see how it might happen. I seriously doubt that Best Buy or the like can help you much. Honestly, contacting the manufacturer might be your best bet. Give them a call and see what they say. Explain how important the data on the drive is. However, you are right, the data is probably just fine on the drive.....

Good luck and sorry I can't offer much help.

pvn · #7 04-23-2007, 01:12 AM

To get a little more specific, but not too specific since I haven't seen the actual drive, you *might* be able to salvage the data by (perhaps) soldering a new connection onto the drive. Then again, it could be more complex.

There are companies out there that specialize in data recovery. they can get stuff off of gear that is a lot more fubard than what you have, but they are pretty expensive. Then again, they might be somewhat reasonable if your particular piece of gear is fairly easy to repair. But it will probably be hard to get an estimate without actually seeing it.

SamIAm · #8 04-23-2007, 09:44 AM

[ QUOTE ]
If she is still in school she might be able to find a geek in the computer science dept that can fix the connection between the USB plug and the flash memory in the drive.

[/ QUOTE ]
I just wanted to say, as a computer scientist, that many computer scientists don't know squat about fixing computers. My advisor has 2 computers on her desk; you'd think she was a real power-user. In actual fact, on one she's able to print, and on the other she's able to read attachments. (This makes printing attachments especially difficult...)

Dijkstra, a bad-ass computer scientist, said "Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes."

kerowo · #9 04-23-2007, 09:51 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If she is still in school she might be able to find a geek in the computer science dept that can fix the connection between the USB plug and the flash memory in the drive.

[/ QUOTE ]
I just wanted to say, as a computer scientist, that many computer scientists don't know squat about fixing computers. My advisor has 2 computers on her desk; you'd think she was a real power-user. In actual fact, on one she's able to print, and on the other she's able to read attachments. (This makes printing attachments especially difficult...)

Dijkstra, a bad-ass computer scientist, said "Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes."

[/ QUOTE ]

Yea, it was late and I couldn't think of the place in a college where the hardware geeks hang out. Probably the Engineering Dept more than the CS dept.

LeapFrog · #10 04-23-2007, 05:20 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If she is still in school she might be able to find a geek in the computer science dept that can fix the connection between the USB plug and the flash memory in the drive.

[/ QUOTE ]
I just wanted to say, as a computer scientist, that many computer scientists don't know squat about fixing computers. My advisor has 2 computers on her desk; you'd think she was a real power-user. In actual fact, on one she's able to print, and on the other she's able to read attachments. (This makes printing attachments especially difficult...)

Dijkstra, a bad-ass computer scientist, said "Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes."

[/ QUOTE ]

Yea, it was late and I couldn't think of the place in a college where the hardware geeks hang out. Probably the Engineering Dept more than the CS dept.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would guess that most CS departments offer a digital logic course. This problem is right up that alley. Back in the day a typical digital logic project would be to build x device and control it using an ancient pc connected via the parallel port. Whoever is in/teaches that class would be a good starting point and might be the most sympathetic to your cause.