MacBook to PC Rescue

[Pexy13]

Greetings. Today my mom dropped her Macbook pro 2010. it's stuck in the logging screen and she can't login. It displays this error "logging in to the account failed because an error occurred"

we can't get it to service untill 3 days from now and she has some important work documents on it. 

So is it possible to view files from her hard drive on a PC trough external hard drive case? with something like HFSExplorer?

Also if there's nothing wrong with the drive itself could it be inserted into a lenovo x220 laptop (instead of it's hard drive currently running windows 10,) so that it runs Mac os from her hard drive, 

as it can be done with windows PC's?

Any alternative?

Thanks

[Electronics Wizardy]

Yep you can put the drive in a pc and a use a hfs program(assuming you haven't switched to apfs).

 

Yep its a normal 2.5 drive, it works in any pc.

[KarathKasun]

With a linux live USB stick or CD/DVD you can natively read the HDD.  HFS explorer should also probably work if the HDD isn't totally trashed.

 

No, it will not boot OS X on a non Apple laptop.

[TechyBen]

I have used the free version of Paragon Software for drive backup before. Never used their HFS+ software though, and no idea on the limitations: https://www.paragon-software.com/home/hfs-windows/

 

It says you have 10 days to try it. It may let to backup/take the files off to at least save documents and photos for example to a USB or CD/DVD-R. Your should be able to get to the files fine. I have no idea why Apple/MS never ever ever did cross compatibility with files systems... not even removable/external drives. They are worse than Google vs Apple, when it comes to hair brained zero support.

 

As for making a Hackintosh, it can be done, but I've no experience with that.

 

PS, if Windows asks to "format drive", say "NO!"

[Sauron]

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Yep you can put the drive in a pc and a use a hfs program(assuming you haven't switched to apfs).

 

Yep its a normal 2.5 drive, it works in any pc.

 

1 minute ago, KarathKasun said:

With a linux live USB stick or CD/DVD you can natively read the HDD.  HFS explorer should also probably work if the HDD isn't totally trashed.

 

No, it will not boot OS X on a non Apple laptop.

 

1 minute ago, TechyBen said:

I have used the free version of Paragon Software for drive backup before. Never used their HFS+ software though, and no idea on the limitations: https://www.paragon-software.com/home/hfs-windows/

 

It says you have 10 days to try it. It may let to backup/take the files off to at least save documents and photos for example to a USB or CD/DVD-R. Your should be able to get to the files fine. I have no idea why Apple/MS never ever ever did cross compatibility with files systems... not even removable/external drives. They are worse than Google vs Apple, when it comes to hair brained zero support.

 

As for making a Hackintosh, it can be done, but I've no experience with that.

This is all assuming the drive is not encrypted, which is a possibility with a work computer. If it isn't this should work though.

7 minutes ago, Pexy13 said:

Also if there's nothing wrong with the drive itself could it be inserted into a lenovo x220 laptop (instead of it's hard drive currently running windows 10,) so that it runs Mac os from her hard drive, 

as it can be done with windows PC's?

The x220 can be hackintoshed but it's not as easy as just popping in a mac's drive, it requires a modded firmware and you'd have to install mac os from the start with the correct drivers - hardly what you're looking for. I suggest you try what the others said to pull the data off the drive if possible.

[Pexy13]

10 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Yep you can put the drive in a pc and a use a hfs program(assuming you haven't switched to apfs).

 

Yep its a normal 2.5 drive, it works in any pc.

 

10 minutes ago, KarathKasun said:

With a linux live USB stick or CD/DVD you can natively read the HDD.  HFS explorer should also probably work if the HDD isn't totally trashed.

 

No, it will not boot OS X on a non Apple laptop.

 

10 minutes ago, TechyBen said:

I have used the free version of Paragon Software for drive backup before. Never used their HFS+ software though, and no idea on the limitations: https://www.paragon-software.com/home/hfs-windows/

 

It says you have 10 days to try it. It may let to backup/take the files off to at least save documents and photos for example to a USB or CD/DVD-R. Your should be able to get to the files fine. I have no idea why Apple/MS never ever ever did cross compatibility with files systems... not even removable/external drives. They are worse than Google vs Apple, when it comes to hair brained zero support.

 

As for making a Hackintosh, it can be done, but I've no experience with that.

 

PS, if Windows asks to "format drive", say "NO!"

Thank you. I will try the 1st version of the plan an scrap the hackintosh part, Cheers.

[Pexy13]

1 hour ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Yep you can put the drive in a pc and a use a hfs program(assuming you haven't switched to apfs).

 

Yep its a normal 2.5 drive, it works in any pc.

I have a problem the HFS programs both HFS Explorer and HFS+ don't work/see the drive

[RamC]

I am not an expert, But something similar happened with my Macbook pro (University sponsored). But I couldn't read my files off the 2.5 ssd, since its encrypted. If your hard disk in

encrypted, you need to work around another mac. 

[Electronics Wizardy]

3 hours ago, Pexy13 said:

I have a problem the HFS programs both HFS Explorer and HFS+ don't work/see the drive

Could easily be a corrupted drive then. Try it on anouther mac if you have one, otherwise id send it to a datarecovery service if you need the data, esp after a drop.

[Pexy13]

15 hours ago, RamC said:

I am not an expert, But something similar happened with my Macbook pro (University sponsored). But I couldn't read my files off the 2.5 ssd, since its encrypted. If your hard disk in

encrypted, you need to work around another mac. 

 

13 hours ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Could easily be a corrupted drive then. Try it on anouther mac if you have one, otherwise id send it to a datarecovery service if you need the data, esp after a drop.

OK thanks. I will try reading the files on another mac.