Had big time smoky crash with lot's of downloaded FS files aboard. I imagine warrantee repair people will reformat drives (2).Question...What's the best way (after I pull the two drives) to recover data before sending in machine. I have Windows XP machine listed below to work with.TIA !Me --> :-hangBob (Lecanto, Fl)AMD, Athlon XP, 1800+MSI, K7T266 XP ProPC 2100 DDR, 1024 MBXP, Home Edition Elsa GLadiac 920, GF3/64Mb andPNY, Verto nVidia TNT 2-M64/32WD, 100 MB, 7200, Ultra 100Sound Blaster, Audigy MP3+CH Prod, VPP Yoke - Sound CardCH Prod, Pedals - Sound Card

The best recovery tool I have found is located at http://www.ontrack.com. Click on the Software tab and go down to "free software". They have a trial version of EasyRecovery Professional edition available (31meg download). Hope this helps!Jim

I was thinking more along the line of a simple hardware approach.These drives are on a machine with Windows 98 SE. Can I remove the drives, one at a time, and connect them up to the working machine with Windows XP (one drive now), as a second hard drive "slave".Will it recognize them and assign a drive letter for me to copy with.I know where the connector cables are (on the working machine), and I know how to get into my bios and make changes, but that is about it.Bob (Lecanto, Fl)AMD, Athlon XP, 1800+MSI, K7T266 XP ProPC 2100 DDR, 1024 MBXP, Home Edition Elsa GLadiac 920, GF3/64Mb andPNY, Verto nVidia TNT 2-M64/32WD, 100 MB, 7200, Ultra 100Sound Blaster, Audigy MP3+CH Prod, VPP Yoke - Sound CardCH Prod, Pedals - Sound Card

Hi Bob,I believe that I know what you intend to do. I assume that you have space on the primary drive of the "sarogate" machine for the files or some other storage medium for the files that your trying to save. I have done transplants like this a couple of times with W98. I don't know XP at all but would be surprised if it did'nt recognize the files as such on your imported disk. 98 would certainly recognize the "new" drive and assign it. Possibly someone with XP experience will help. Failing this, If it were me, I'd give it a try. I can't see what you have to lose (famous last words!!).Good Luck.