if a laptop cant read

[shashgo]

data from another hard drive that is plugged in via a usb adapter, does it mean the external hard drive is damaged?

[Dusty]

Any error message

[foggs]

What OS is it?  What File system is on the laptop system drive?  The Ext HD? does it "see" the ext HD?  is it listed in MyComputer when attached? Can you navigate to the Ext HD? What data file type exactly, is it you are trying to see/read/copy/execute?

How can anyone assist if you leave pertinent info out when asking?

[JJ 3000]

Have you tried to plug it into another computer?

[shashgo]

Its a NTFS file system on the ext drive that had Win XP on it.  It is being connected to a laptop that is winXP, NTFS file system.
There is no error message or anything, the icon in the status bar shows up indicating a USB device has been plugged in and that noise is heard of a device being plugged in.  After that the disk starts spinning, or at least it sounds like it is, but nothing is visible in my computer. 
Im trying to copy all the files over minus the OS system files, because I want to do a fresh install of the OS.
I dont see the Disk drive when I hook it up to another computer either, so is this an indication the disk drive is kaput?  If it were though, then why would it make noises like its spinning.

[JJ 3000]

Could be the jumper.

What happens when you put the hard drive back into the original machine?

You're using an enclosure, right?