I have a very old Hewlet Packard Pavillion (over 7 years old) DESK top computer.  About 2 years ago a friend upgraded the computer and software and installed Windows XP. 

I moved to a new apartment and was plugging the computer in and there was a SURGE....the surge protector didn't seem to work and now the computer won't turn on.  My question is can I recover the data on the computer.  If not is it safe to recycle w/information still on the hard drive. 

Thanks!If you have another Desktop Computer (laptop will work too), you can plug the hard drive into the good computer as a SLAVE Drive and access the data as if you were reading a Flash Drive (usb drive)Thanks! I do have a laptop but I am not sure how to use it to access the harddrive on my old computer.  Do I need to purchase anything to link the two computers?You will have to purchase something to connect the hard drive to the laptop, not for the Desktop though.

So you're going to use your laptop?I was planning on using my laptop because I don't have another hardrive.  Do I need to purchase a laptop to IDE adaptor to access the hardrive on my laptop?  Or is it another cable I need to purchase?

This is a link of what I thought I needed

http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat_id=906&sku=17705

Thanks!Let's start again because i for one am confused...
Which machine is dead ? ?
Which HDD do you need to retrieve the data from ? ?
If it's the laptop that's dead that connector is the correct one...it allows you to hook up a 2.5" laptop HDD to any desktop with an IDE connection free.The desk top is the one that had the power surge and will not turn on so I was trying to get the data off that computer.  I only have a laptop to use to access the harddrive on the desktop.  I was trying to figure out what type of connection I needed to do that.  Is it a different connector if I am trying to get information off the desktop?When rescuing data from a drive i for one don't use or trust a USB connection...i find them flaky at best.
This would be one way to use the laptop to do it but i'll suggest something else:
If you know someone else close by that has a desktop machine in good working order with a burner i would hook it up as a slave drive internally and copy all the data you need to a folder.
Then burn it to CD/DVD and disconnect it and you're done.
No special connectors needed at all.

Now i'm sure you will now hear varied ideas on how it can be done with the laptop etc etc. and this is because there are more than one way to skin a cat.

So i'll qualify the above saying this is only opinion and it would be my preferred method of retrieving the data...

BTW The ADAPTER you listed would be what to use if it was the laptop drive that would not boot.