You can not mount ntfs so that permissions are disabled, I suppose (I am even in doubt that this was possible in Win XP).
But you can bypass file permissions as Administrator, or any other account possessing backup privilege. You can even mount ntfs volume readonly (to be sure you did not accidentally change anything on the volume while you copied files) and still be able to bypass the volume permissions.
backup privilege doesn't allow a generic use of files, like text editing, but allows to copy files, and that's what you want.
However, a typical application that you might want to use to copy files, e.g. Windows Explorer, has not been learned to use the backup privilege, because this privilege has been designed for ... backup 8-O , so you need a workaround(s).
First of, when you know the source directory location, you may just
C:\> robocopy /e /r:0 /b SRC DST
/b makes robocopy to use backup privilege for copying and bypassing permissions. But take care, even Windows 10 robocopy doesn't handle hardlinks, and handles directory junctions wrong. Windows 8 robocopy additionally doesn't handle symbolic links. You may need to recreate links manually.
Second of, when you need to the browse the source before copying.
To be more specific, let's assume you are using Windows Explorer. Run EnableSeBackupPrivilege from Explorer, this will enable backup privilege for Explorer. Then magic happens: Explorer begins to enter any previously inaccessible directory, including attached drive, [System Volume Information] on any drive, etc...
Explorer will still not be able to read from files, copy them, but filesystems become completely transparent. When you have done with browsing you can copy necessary files with robocopy.
You may try what effect the enabled backup privilege have on other applications.
E.g. dism correctly handles hard-, sym-links and directory junctions, and able to "capture" files if the backup privilege has been enabled for dism. You can migrate files from the source to the destination reliably, however, at the price of intermediate wim file.
UPD 21 Feb 2021: btw, Windows PE has backup/restore privilege enabled by default, that's why you can browse "guest" ntfs disks freely in WinPE.
Best Answer
Interface (connectors):
laptop PATA vs SATA http://www.laptopparts101.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/sata-ide-laptop-hard-drive.jpg
Parallel ATA a.k.a. IDE, ATA, ATAPI, UDMA and PATA — legacy, wide 40-pin connector for disks produced few years ago. In case of notebook drives pins are smaller, and there is also power supply in the same plug.
Serial ATA (SATA) — modern connector. Most modern laptops use it. 6 data pins and 15 pins including power supply.
Sizes of laptop disks:
Rotation speed:
Take in account, that 5400RPM HDD with bigger capacity actually might have faster transfer rates, than smaller capacity 7200RPM. Rotation speed does however directly affect seek times.
HDD vs. SSD:
Modern alternative to mechanical HDDs are Solid State Drives, based on flash memory. They have almost instantaneous seek times, incredible read speeds and very low power consumption. As of now they are still much lower capacity than similarly priced HDDs. However, with the effects of Thailand floods and sharp drop in SSD prices in recent years, there are no longer excessively expensive. SSD can come in 2.5" SATA form factor, thus be interchangeable with 2.5" HDD. Another form factor, unique to SSDs is Mini-SATA (mSATA), intended mostly for use with netbooks (and some ultraportables). Below mSATA drive on top of 2.5" SATA HDD for size comparison:
Note, that ultrabooks use neither of these formats. In ultrabooks SSDs are soldered permanently onto motherboard, thus cannot be removed nor upgraded.