Can't boot to my partition where BTC client is located-how do I move my data to

[new_btc_user]

Hi,
I have this old computer 7+ years old, and I don't know why it's been doing this, but I can't boot from the partition where I installed my BTC client. It's got about 3-4 HDD, so I have about 4-5 partitions. I'm currently installing the client on the partition that the machine is booting from NOW (waiting for 180 weeks to download). I have about 21-22 BTC in the other client on the other partition. It's not a fortune, but it's a couple of thousand that  I can't afford to lose.  It's encrypted, but I still have the password of course.
How can I move the data from my client (and the partition I no longer can boot from) to my current client location?
I can see the folders daemon, src, bitcoin-qt, and then a couple of text files including 'copying', readme, and unistall. I assume that the wallet.dat is in one of the folders (I was reading https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=279962.0, where the guy is asking "Re: Transferring Wallet From One Machine To Another (Is Not That Easy?)"
Please somebody tell me that I can get access to my BTC, I hope?
I have the latest copy of the client downloading it's (136 weeks now) data, and my other copy of the client is only a couple of months old (the client with the money in it)

Assuming that in the future, I'll be able to access these BTC, what's a way to get 'redundancy' if/when computer problems happen?
Thanks
Richard

[elliwilli]

Well firstly, i hope this teaches you to create backups and secondly, try running some file-recovery on the drive to see if you can get the wallet.dat back. i hope this helps.

[jackjack]

Pywallet is the best way to recover them
The only thing you need is the keys inside your old wallet.dat, which is what pywallet will look for
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=34028.msg2794856#msg2794856

Edit: I thought the partition was formatted

[rolling]

You don't have to boot to that drive.  Just go to the "bitcoin data directory" which is not the same as the place it was installed.  It should on that partition at:

\Documents and Settings\YourUserName\Application data\Bitcoin (XP)

or

\Users\YourUserName\Appdata\Roaming\Bitcoin (Vista and 7)

Application Data and Appdata are hidden folders so you may not be able to see them if you try to navigate to them.

Once you get there, just grab your old wallet.dat file and put it in your new data directory which will be in the same location on the partition you are currently booted to.  If you have used the current wallet for anything, you will want to back it up/save it somewhere before copying the old one over or it will be overwritten.  And of course, you will need to make sure bitcoin is shut down before doing this.

[i3lome]

You don't have to boot to that drive.  Just go to the "bitcoin data directory" which is not the same as the place it was installed.  It should on that partition at:

\Documents and Settings\YourUserName\Application data\Bitcoin (XP)

or

\Users\YourUserName\Appdata\Roaming\Bitcoin (Vista and 7)

Application Data and Appdata are hidden folders so you may not be able to see them if you try to navigate to them.

Once you get there, just grab your old wallet.dat file and put it in your new data directory which will be in the same location on the partition you are currently booted to.  If you have used the current wallet for anything, you will want to back it up/save it somewhere before copying the old one over or it will be overwritten.  And of course, you will need to make sure bitcoin is shut down before doing this.

I agree with this. If you have trouble getting to your appdata folder, on Win 7 click start button and use the search option type in %appdata%. It will bring up your Roaming Folder.

Since you say the partition isnt bootable, you may have to navigate to the folder where your old data is stored.
"E:\Users\Toshi.Toshi-PC\AppData\Roaming"

Id say copy the whole Bitcoin folder to avoid redownloading the whole blockchain.

paste in the Bootable Windows Roaming folder

[new_btc_user]

Thanks for everybody's help! It seems to be working! I didn't copy the whole folder, so I'm waiting for it to download, but my coins have showed up, and it shows my transactions with btc.
I will read up on that pywallet or on what I can use to specifically back up my btc info. I'd like to have all the btc info separate from other back up info.
This happened several weeks ago but I've been avoiding finding out if I've lost the money, because I was afraid of the answer

[i3lome]

Glad your coins are safe.

[cp1]

Now you should backup your wallet.dat to a USB drive and print out your private keys, then put all that in a safe place.

[b!z]

Thanks for everybody's help! It seems to be working! I didn't copy the whole folder, so I'm waiting for it to download, but my coins have showed up, and it shows my transactions with btc.
I will read up on that pywallet or on what I can use to specifically back up my btc info. I'd like to have all the btc info separate from other back up info.
This happened several weeks ago but I've been avoiding finding out if I've lost the money, because I was afraid of the answer

Remember to move the BTC to a cold wallet off the hard drive immediately. You don't want to take chances and leave the BTC on the broken drive.