Windows 10: Trying to transfer data files from salvaged HDD Cant find AppData

My 5 year old old laptop broke and I have salvaged its HDD with the folders. ( pictured below.)

The HDD showed a recovery partition which was empty, and a Data Partition containing 7 folders
The AppData and Contacts folders on the salvaged HDD are empty

I am planning to transfer the data to the new W10 laptop which should be straight forward, but am confused as to to how my old laptops personal settings and preferences, contacts and bookmarks will be transferred. I thought such info was in the AppData or users files, but those files are empty.

I do not have access to the old laptop's OS. Are the preferences, settings and email contacts lost, or am I missing something?? Thanks for your help!







:)

 

Shortcuts copied to %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs don't show up on the Start Menu

Sorry for the lack of context.

The new machine has been installed from scratch (no HDD xfer) and I'm transferring data / settings manually from the old machine.

Some of the things I'm trying to migrate is the tiles/shortcuts I had on the old machine, by copying the shortcut files from the old machine's %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs folder to the new machine's %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
folder

 

Bootmgr corrupt

Thanks, am outside now so cant try. This means i cant make it bootable again? Can only salvage the data, format and reinstall windows on same ssd or another ssd

 

I'd like to see your Disk Management

• Download dmDskmgr-vg.zip (contains dmDskmgr-vg.mmc)
  
  
• Open the compressed folder, dmDskmgr-vg.zip
  Double click dmDskmgr-vg.mmc to launch it
  Press the Open button if prompted Do you want to open this file?
  Answer yes to the User Account Control prompt
  
• Press Alt+PrtScn to grab a snapshot of just the Disk Management window
  Open Paint and Ctrl+V to paste it, then save the image
  
  
• Attach the image to a new post

Thanks

 

Thanks for your quick reply! Im a little confused

The salvaged HDD was removed from the old broken laptop

If I download and open that program on my working desktop PC the disk manager software will not be able to access the HDD from the old laptop.

 

You pulled the HDD form the old machine.
Is it connected to the new machine via USB?

How did you post the image in post# 1?
How were you planning to move the data?

If you can access the HDD to post a screenshot - then dmDskmgr-vg.mmc will also see it.

I'm confused !!!! We're both confused ?

 

The drive removed from the old laptop has been put in an enclosure for 2.5" drives.
It was then connected to my desktop PC with a cable.
I accessed it on 'My Computer' and took a screenshot of the data partition.
The C partition from the old laptop had all my software programs and the Windows 7 OS on it.
When I tried to view the contents of the C partition it only showed the below 2mb file
"Dell Recovery Partition Warning
This area of your hard drive contains files used for Datasafe Recovery Process
Do not delete or alter these files. Any change to this partition could prevent any recovery later"
The Data partition appears to include all my pics, videos, and document files

Thanks for your help

 

Ok, I thought that's what you did. Good

Now with the old drive connected to your computer, please complete post# 2

 

The disk mgt program was opened bu would only show me the four partitions on my Desktop drive
How do I make the app show the connected HDD from my old laptop??

 

I've done a number of data recoveries from one HDD to another and have to go to Folder Options of the drive in question to change to Show hidden files to get AppData to show up. It is a Hidden Folder until the change is made.
On an External drive it has to be done on that drive and then navigate to x:\Users\logon name to find it.
I never transfer from a Folder directly to the same Folder on the C: drive, always Copy to a separate Folder named UserTemp [any name works] then with the external drive disconnected move the stored data around as needed, helps prevent errors I can't recover from.

 

The problem as I see it is I cant access the users file as its in the Windows 7 OS and which was on the C Drive of the salvaged HDD Other than the Data Partition

It displays
the Recovery Partition (I) which when clicked shows only the 2mb warning message I mentioned previously.
the Data Files partition(H)

 

I thought that too, except AppData shows in post 1





I'm not sure what's available, if data is where provlima thinks it is - that's why I wanted to see the disk management

But now ... disk management doesn't show the external drive *Sad

Ok, try a different approach to disk management

Launch Command Prompt (Admin)

Method Screen Shot
Quick Access menu
Right click the Windows menu (logo) on the Taskbar

Select Command Prompt (Admin)
and yes to the UAC prompt



Enter the following commands

diskpart
lis dis
lis par
lis vol
exit
Post a screen shot of the Command Prompt window
then you can exit Command Prompt

 

What's on F:
If that's the old HDD, then that's where I would expect your User files to live (including AppData)

You might have to tuen on hidden files, as Berton suggested, to see that Appdata.

 

I'm sorry if I haven't made myself more clear........

So the 1st image was the Data Files folder contents
The 2d image was of the Disk Drives showing up on my working desktop PC to which I have attached the hdd I removed from the old laptop. When I open to view the contents of the AppData folder on the screenshot it is empty.

The lis vol screen shot is below

 

Sorry, my mistake - you can't lis par unless you have a disk selected.

Thanks for the lis vol screen shot.

Please post a Disk Management Screen shot - what ever it shows.
Diskpart is a command line equivalent of Disk Management
Diskpart sees the volumes, so should Disk Management

Humor me, ok