Need help with Transferring Data from a SCSI Drive

[MULTIZ321]

A staffer from the Geek Squad came today to set up our new computer (4G Ram, 620G Harddrive) - so I think I now have enough memory for awhile.

He took the hard-drive out of the old Dell computer with the intent of transferring our data files onto the new computer. He discovered it was a SCSI hard-drive which is old technology & told us he didn't have the equipment to be able to do the transfer. If it had been a newer drive, he would have been able to do it.

So does anyone know where or how to transfer data files from a SCSI drive
to a DVD or a USB Memory stick so I can transfer them to our new computer?

David - I think the jury is still out to whether I'm totally toast on this.

Thanks for any help.

Richard

 

[pjrose]

I think I have an old standalone SCSI zip drive somewhere.... could that be cabled to the old computer to transfer your files from the hard drive onto Zip disks? I have a standalone USB zip drive that would complete the process.

If the old computer is on the net, can't you just upload the files to somewhere online?

 

[MULTIZ321]

I think I have an old standalone SCSI zip drive somewhere.... could that be cabled to the old computer to transfer your files from the hard drive onto Zip disks? I have a standalone USB zip drive that would complete the process.

If the old computer is on the net, can't you just upload the files to somewhere online?

The Geek Sqaud guy removed the drive from the computer chassis - he was going to hook it up to his equipment to transfer the files - that's when he discovered it was an obsolete SCSI drive that he couldn't connect to his equipment.

Plus the old computer wouldn't boot - so I wouldn't be able to access anything, including anything online for an upload.

Thanks for your generous offer.

I was given the name of a Data Recovery Company - DataLab- that I'm going to try to contact tomorrow (Monday).


Richard

 

[pjrose]

There are various SCSI to USB converters that show up on Google - though I guess that won't help if the drive has been orphaned from its CPU.

I'm sure there's a solution; I've often converted from X to Y when I was told it couldn't be done

 

[Makai Guy]

Your old computer must have had a SCSI drive controller card to control the SCSI drive. This could probably be removed and installed, along with the drive, in your present computer. You might need to install a driver for the SCSI card, which you probably had on a floppy or CD.

Once you have this installed and working, you could either continue to use the old SCSI drive as an additional drive, or just xfer whatever data you wanted to save to the new drive then remove the old SCSI drive and controller.

 

[Talent312]

Your old computer must have had a SCSI drive controller card to control the SCSI drive. This could probably be removed and installed, along with the drive, in your present computer. You might need to install a driver for the SCSI card, which you probably had on a floppy or CD.

This makes sense. If the OP has problems moving the controller card, a driver and card can prob'ly be ordered off the net for much less than a data-recovery outfit would charge. I suggest that the OP check the drive-manufacturer's website to see if there's a driver and other instructions available.

 

[Icarus]

They make usb to scsi controllers, but they are expensive.

I would try Doug's suggestion first, I think, you don't even necessarily need a drive bay for the drive, because I assume your aim is to just copy off all the files to another drive, maybe an external usb drive, for example? In that case, you would just open up your pc, add the scsi card (assuming you can find the drivers for that card) and use one of the power connectors from the pc power supply to the hard drive, and connect the data cable from the controller card to the drive. The drive probably has a molex connector for the power (you can look that up to see what it looks like) and every PC has extra molex power cables.

Anyway, are you sure that it's really a scsi drive? Consumer PCs have never been sold with scsi drives. I suppose it could be, especially if it was an old corporate PC you salvaged. Anyway, if it is, my guess is that it's some form of parallel scsi. We just have no idea what speed and width the drive is. We might be able to tell from the info printed on the drive. If you need a new controller (either the other one doesn't work, or you can't find drivers for it), we'll need that info to tell you what to buy.

-David

 

[MULTIZ321]

Before the Dell computer was disassembled I wrote down what the screen said
during the intial boot up stage before it froze up.

First the Blue & White planet earth would fill the monitor with the Dell logo superimposed.

Then the next screen said:
Adaptec AHA-2940U2 OEM SCSI Bios v2.20.0S2 (c) 1999 Adaptec Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Press Control A for SCSISelect(TM) Utility

SCSI ID:0 Quantum Atlas 10k 18WLS Fast/Ultra SE

Then the next screen would be the 4 or 5 choices of starting the computer in various modes (including 3 Safe Modes) and to use the up and down arrow keys to highlight the choice (full description in previous post). None of the choices worked - they would all start the boot up process again and then hang up at the same page where I started with the 4 or 5 choices.

I'm not clear if buying the equipment that has been suggested and trying to find the proper drivers will still enable me to download the data files I'm trying to retrieve.

Dave, you're right - I'm only trying to retrieve data files from the drive.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

Richard

 

[timeos2]

Before the Dell computer was disassembled I wrote down what the screen said
during the intial boot up stage before it froze up.

First the Blue & White planet earth would fill the monitor with the Dell logo superimposed.

Then the next screen said:
Adaptec AHA-2940U2 OEM SCSI Bios v2.20.0S2 (c) 1999 Adaptec Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Press Control A for SCSISelect(TM) Utility

SCSI ID:0 Quantum Atlas 10k 18WLS Fast/Ultra SE

Then the next screen would be the 4 or 5 choices of starting the computer in various modes (including 3 Safe Modes) and to use the up and down arrow keys to highlight the choice (full description in previous post). None of the choices worked - they would all start the boot up process again and then hang up at the same page where I started with the 4 or 5 choices.

I'm not clear if buying the equipment that has been suggested and trying to find the proper drivers will still enable me to download the data files I'm trying to retrieve.

Dave, you're right - I'm only trying to retrieve data files from the drive.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

Richard

The idea of pulling the Adaptec SCSI PCI card & temporarily mounting it in the new PC is the best IF it's a separate card. Many Dell's (and other PC's ) of that vintage had SCSI on the motherboard - thus you cannot remove it. If its a card its simple. If not a data recovery service (or a geek with a few old SCSI cards on his shelf like I have!) may be the easiest way to do it.

 

[Icarus]

that was a very common scsi controller. You can get the driver from here:

http://www.adaptec.com/en-US/support/scsi/ultra2/AHA-2940U2W/

or here:

http://download.cnet.com/Adaptec-AHA-2940U2-U2W-PCI-SCSI-Controller/3000-18492_4-67707.html

If it's not a separate card you can buy an Adaptec AHA2940U2 pci card on ebay for $20 or less. You will use the scsi cable from your existing system.

-David

 

[Ken555]

You've experienced a very common problem with Geek Squad in that they have difficulty with older technology. I could go on... but I'll simply say that I recommend working with an independent before any of the chain tech support firms (which tend to pay their staff $14-19/hour, and likely don't have college degrees...unlike the independent who charges about the same as GS). Of course, I'm biased.

Assuming the SCSI drive itself is working (you didn't say what was wrong with your old computer), you should be able to have it installed in the new system, though I never recommend that. It's always best, in the long run, to simply get the data copied to your new computer rather than try to continue using such old equipment. Did you have a backup of your data? What media is that on? Typically it's easier to simply recover from a backup to a new computer in these situations rather than trying to get the old drive functional in the new computer. Keep in mind you'll want to erase the SCSI drive before disposing of it, assuming you have personal/confidential info on it.

That said, your Quantum Atlas 10k SCSI drive is considered FAST. When you bought that computer I'm sure you spent extra for that drive, since that is not a stock drive. What Dell model computer did you have?

Be sure you're backing up your data on the new computer, too!

 

[MULTIZ321]

You've experienced a very common problem with Geek Squad in that they have difficulty with older technology. I could go on... but I'll simply say that I recommend working with an independent before any of the chain tech support firms (which tend to pay their staff $14-19/hour, and likely don't have college degrees...unlike the independent who charges about the same as GS). Of course, I'm biased.

Assuming the SCSI drive itself is working (you didn't say what was wrong with your old computer), you should be able to have it installed in the new system, though I never recommend that. It's always best, in the long run, to simply get the data copied to your new computer rather than try to continue using such old equipment. Did you have a backup of your data? What media is that on? Typically it's easier to simply recover from a backup to a new computer in these situations rather than trying to get the old drive functional in the new computer. Keep in mind you'll want to erase the SCSI drive before disposing of it, assuming you have personal/confidential info on it.

That said, your Quantum Atlas 10k SCSI drive is considered FAST. When you bought that computer I'm sure you spent extra for that drive, since that is not a stock drive. What Dell model computer did you have?

Be sure you're backing up your data on the new computer, too!

Ken,

It was on a Dell Dimension XPS desktop that was about 10 years old. You're right I did pay extra for it at the time - I was looking for the extra speed.

The computer was working fine with the XP Pro operating system with the exception that I was running low on memory. I was running a free duplicate file removal utility program from PCmag.com when the computer froze up.
I turned it off and rebooted and only got partially through the initialization process when the computer hung up at the page offering the choices with the Start up in Safe mode or in regular mode. All the choices ended hanging up at the same page.

Most of the Data files are not backed up (I've learned my lesson and my wife's wrath). Thanks for the reminder of having the drive erased before I dispose of it.

I received some quotes today for data retrieval ranging from $600 to $1500.
I have a few more places to call tomorrow before I consider going the route Doug suggested of trying to install the drive in my new system.

Thanks again.

Richard