UPDATE:

After much well-deserved nagging from Mrs. P., I finally got ’round to trying to get her files off the laptop that I destroyed, via stupidity.

Stopped by a couple of office supply stores; but they only offered the enclosure online, but for twice the price they’d do it for me.

Best Buy had two choices: a simple cable and an enclosure. They were about the same price, so I chose the enclosure.

So I get home and pull the old laptop out of the box o’ rice it has convalescing in for the last few weeks (to no effect), yank the hard drive out, slap it into the enclosure, tighten the screws, and plug the USB into my desktop.

Nothing.

I wait.

Windows installing software…

Windows failed to install software.

I sigh; and hang my head in shame.

I open the enclosure, contemplating how much drywall repair I’ll need to do if I hurl the cursed thing at the wall, when I decide to plug it back in without the enclosure and make sure the handshake is good.

Bingo! Everything is there. And now, it is all on another drive as well. Phew.

I haven’t told her yet. Already added her contacts and favorites to her new laptop. She’ll be back soon. How long do I wait to tell her?

Thanks gang, for your input.

PS: Insignia USB 3.0 Laptop Hard Disk Drive Enclosure