How can I extract data from dead laptop?

Clarifications

Yours is either a SATA or PATA interface hard drive; you need to buy the right type of enclosure.

Remove the hard drive from the laptop, install it in the USB enclosure, connect the drive to a working computer and copy the data.

You can do as suggested above which is the sensible way of doing things then use the HDD & Enclosure to Backup your Data. Just remember to safely Remove it when you have finished and do not leave it plugged in while starting or closing down the system.

Also these enclosures are not designed for Full Time Use so you should only plug it in when it's required and unplug it when you have finished.

The down side is if you have previously used any form of Encryption without the same OS that supports that type of Encryption and your Encryption Key you can not access your Data.

If you have used Encryption Previously and don't have a backup you only have 2 options buy another computer the same Make & Model as the one that Died and fit your HDD to that then backup from that or pay a Data Recovery Company who can break Encryption to recover the HDD.

The first is relatively expensive the second option is Horrendously Expensive.

Of course if you have a Backup of the Data recover from that. ;)

Col

There are USB hard drive connection kits that work for IDE or SATA laptop drives as well as the larger desktop drives. The kits cost about $25 and are more versatile than an enclosure where there can be incompatibility issues.

Depends on why it died. I managed to get data off a failed Lenovo laptop which got a corrupt MBR which wouldn't let it boot by booting from a CDROM with a live linux on it. It then let me see the drive and recover the data.

Unless the hard drive has crapped out, a USB enclosure is quick and painless. Copy everything you think you will need right away. Do not trash the old drive yet, you may need some information you forgot the first time.

BartPE http://theportmans.name/index.php/Alan-s-Presentations/-The-Bootable-USB-Drive-&-Other-Tools.html?Itemid=0 Can help you recover information from a corrupt hard drive.

http://unicornelex.com/search.aspx?find=sata+usb

It was very easy for me to copy all the data from my old dead laptop to the new one, just plug-and-go, then copy.

You can get a HDD Dock and connect it to another computer by USB. Both SATA or PATA and multiple sizes are supported by a number or them.

Remove the hard drive from the laptop, install it in the HDD Dock, connect the HDD Dock to a working computer and copy the data.

Keep the HDD Dock for later use they do come in handy.