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Model A1174 with 2 GHz Core Duo or Model A1207 with 2.16 or 2.33 GHz Core 2 Duo

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Need to rescue data after logic board died!

I recently discovered that the logic board on my 2006 2.16MHz iMac got fried. I have a Macbook and can't afford to do anything but attempt a logic board replacement or try to save the data from my dead Mac.

I was using two external drives: one for all my images and music and another for Time Machine. (One Firewire and one USB.)

Is it realistic to think that I can easily retrieve all my data? Would I need to get something like a Mac Mini or can I simply pull all three drives and plug them in with the Universal Drive Adapter (Universal Drive Adapter) or some weird combination of the above??

If this is realistic, what would be the best resource for a step-by-step tutorial?

Thank you so much! This site has saved me so much time and money already. I'm so grateful for any help you can give me.

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Universal Drive Adapter

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Stripping out your HD's from your old system is a smart way to recover what they have (assuming they didn't get damaged when your system died). The trick here is what options fit your current needs and can inter-connect with your replacement system when you decide to get it.

Your drives are SATA so you can use a SATA to USB adapter (Universal Drive Adapter) so you can retrieve your data. But that only helps if you are going to toss the drive out once you have recovered the data.

The other choice here would be to get an HD enclosure to house the HD's so they can be used without risk of damage. Here you could go for a FireWire or even a Thunder Bolt case which would offer faster I/O. In any case each drive would have its own case.

You talk about going with a Mac Mini is that your plan? Then your expansion options internally are very limited (your older drives would not fit). So that leads us back to either fixing your current system or maybe locating a used newer iMac model maybe a '09 or '10.

Just food for thought here. There is no right answer and you'll need to look at what your needs are and what your piggy bank has in it and what you need to save to get to were you want to be.

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7 Comments:

That's very helpful. I'm sure I don't want to just transfer data and toss the HD. For one thing, my MacBook is too small to hold it all. Would it be realistic to turn the old drive into an external drive along with the other two drives and just plug them in when I need them, like regular external storage?

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Yes, but you may have limits as the apps may not play well being on the external. Don't forget USB2 is very slooowww.

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Do I have a choice about USB?

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Your stuck on what your system has, the newest models have USB3. In any case a USB3 housing can still work with USB2 systems (just not running at full speed). You might be able to get your hands on a PC-Card USB3 interface for your MacBook Pro. Just make sure you get one that supports Mac OS-X. Or, lastly get a FireWire case. The Newest iMac's and MacBook Pros have Thunder Bolt which is the screamer of all of these choices. But, it's the most expensive option. I Would focus on the USB3 or FireWire options.

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