[trill]

This might be a newbie question. I was wondering if I can take my old hard drive and connect it to my new computer. That way I can just avoid transferring files from old computer to new computer hard drive.

[mjd420nova]

There are many determining factors as to whether this would be possible. What type of drive is the old one and what type of interface does your new computer have. In an ideal situation, you could add the old drive as a slave or second drive in the new computer and have complete access to all those files.

[LiveBrianD]

What do you mean? If both machines are desktops, you probably can. Note: The new one must have a free SATA or IDE port, depending on what the old one used. IDE is a 40-pin connector that's long, and SATA is a short one. If it's a laptop one, you likely can't. Also, you CANNOT boot off a drive from a different computer, drivers and all - well, you can, but it's not the best idea. You can also buy a USB to IDE/SATA adapter and use that.

This post has been edited by LiveBrianD: 23 August 2011 - 04:00 PM

[trill]

Well what I wanted to do was assemble my new computer and add my current hard drive that has Windows XP and all my files and plug it in. It will be a new desktop with my old hard drive. My hard drive is SATA and both computers are desktops. I'm selling my current computer to my younger brother, and I thought I can keep my current hard drive and just buy him a new blank hard drive.
I guess I can try to do it. I will just back up all my files on disk incase it doesn't work out and my hard drive gets corrupted in the process somehow.

This post has been edited by trill: 23 August 2011 - 09:35 PM

[LincolnSpector]

trill, on 23 August 2011 - 09:34 PM, said:

Well what I wanted to do was assemble my new computer and add my current hard drive that has Windows XP and all my files and plug it in. It will be a new desktop with my old hard drive. My hard drive is SATA and both computers are desktops. I'm selling my current computer to my younger brother, and I thought I can keep my current hard drive and just buy him a new blank hard drive.
I guess I can try to do it. I will just back up all my files on disk incase it doesn't work out and my hard drive gets corrupted in the process somehow.

Hi, Trill. Moving a Windows installation from one computer to another is a massive pain. When you install Windows into a computer, it configures itself for the hardware. If you move the hard drive with that installation to another PC and boot from it, the OS suddenly finds itself in hardware it doesn't understand. It's as if you woke up one morning and found yourself in a strange house and had no idea why. Except that Windows isn't as smart as a human being; you'd find the bathroom, Windows would take the same steps and turns it does every morning and walk into a wall.

Then there's the licensing issue. Windows is copy-protected. It won't work on hardware too different from what it was installed on. If you have a retail version of XP, that won't be too much of a problem. You call a Microsoft 800 number, explain that it's no longer on the old computer, and they'll make it work again. But if XP came pre-installed on the old PC, that's the only PC that copy can ever run on.

Finally, if you buy your brother a new hard drive for the old PC, you'll have to buy him a copy of Windows, as well (unless he wants Linux).

You're better off buying the new hard drive and a copy of Windows 7 (it really is better than XP) for yourself. Then give your brother your old computer with only your own data removed.

btw, you could install the old hard drive as a non-booting slave drive in the new PC. It's a very fast and convenient way to move your data files over. Then you can remove it and put it back in the old PC before you give it away.

Lincoln

[trill]

LincolnSpector, on 24 August 2011 - 08:02 AM, said:

trill, on 23 August 2011 - 09:34 PM, said:

Well what I wanted to do was assemble my new computer and add my current hard drive that has Windows XP and all my files and plug it in. It will be a new desktop with my old hard drive. My hard drive is SATA and both computers are desktops. I'm selling my current computer to my younger brother, and I thought I can keep my current hard drive and just buy him a new blank hard drive.
I guess I can try to do it. I will just back up all my files on disk incase it doesn't work out and my hard drive gets corrupted in the process somehow.

Hi, Trill. Moving a Windows installation from one computer to another is a massive pain. When you install Windows into a computer, it configures itself for the hardware. If you move the hard drive with that installation to another PC and boot from it, the OS suddenly finds itself in hardware it doesn't understand. It's as if you woke up one morning and found yourself in a strange house and had no idea why. Except that Windows isn't as smart as a human being; you'd find the bathroom, Windows would take the same steps and turns it does every morning and walk into a wall.

Then there's the licensing issue. Windows is copy-protected. It won't work on hardware too different from what it was installed on. If you have a retail version of XP, that won't be too much of a problem. You call a Microsoft 800 number, explain that it's no longer on the old computer, and they'll make it work again. But if XP came pre-installed on the old PC, that's the only PC that copy can ever run on.

Finally, if you buy your brother a new hard drive for the old PC, you'll have to buy him a copy of Windows, as well (unless he wants Linux).

You're better off buying the new hard drive and a copy of Windows 7 (it really is better than XP) for yourself. Then give your brother your old computer with only your own data removed.

btw, you could install the old hard drive as a non-booting slave drive in the new PC. It's a very fast and convenient way to move your data files over. Then you can remove it and put it back in the old PC before you give it away.

Lincoln

Ok. That makes a lot of sense now. Thanks for you input.

[LiveBrianD]

Lincoln, you got it. Btw you can buy a hard drive enclosure or a SATA/IDE USB adapter to connect a HD externally to a PC. It's easier than connecting it internally.

[DocEsq]

Trill,

To answer the question, yes you can move your entire Hard Drive to a new computer while keeping XP.

This link has a good tutorial as to what you need to do. You should be aware that this works most of the time.

How to Move the Hard Drive and Keep XP

I have done this and it does work.

Good Luck

DocEsq

[coastie65]

LincolnSpector, on 24 August 2011 - 08:02 AM, said:

trill, on 23 August 2011 - 09:34 PM, said:

Well what I wanted to do was assemble my new computer and add my current hard drive that has Windows XP and all my files and plug it in. It will be a new desktop with my old hard drive. My hard drive is SATA and both computers are desktops. I'm selling my current computer to my younger brother, and I thought I can keep my current hard drive and just buy him a new blank hard drive.
I guess I can try to do it. I will just back up all my files on disk incase it doesn't work out and my hard drive gets corrupted in the process somehow.

Hi, Trill. Moving a Windows installation from one computer to another is a massive pain. When you install Windows into a computer, it configures itself for the hardware. If you move the hard drive with that installation to another PC and boot from it, the OS suddenly finds itself in hardware it doesn't understand. It's as if you woke up one morning and found yourself in a strange house and had no idea why. Except that Windows isn't as smart as a human being; you'd find the bathroom, Windows would take the same steps and turns it does every morning and walk into a wall.

Then there's the licensing issue. Windows is copy-protected. It won't work on hardware too different from what it was installed on. If you have a retail version of XP, that won't be too much of a problem. You call a Microsoft 800 number, explain that it's no longer on the old computer, and they'll make it work again. But if XP came pre-installed on the old PC, that's the only PC that copy can ever run on.

Finally, if you buy your brother a new hard drive for the old PC, you'll have to buy him a copy of Windows, as well (unless he wants Linux).

You're better off buying the new hard drive and a copy of Windows 7 (it really is better than XP) for yourself. Then give your brother your old computer with only your own data removed.

btw, you could install the old hard drive as a non-booting slave drive in the new PC. It's a very fast and convenient way to move your data files over. Then you can remove it and put it back in the old PC before you give it away.

Lincoln

Hey Lincoln, I moved the WD with Windows 7 from the Gateway ( Core i7 960 ; X58 Chipset ) to this new build ( Core i7 2600k ; Z68 Chipset ) and have had no issues, although I believe there well could be issues with moving XP from an older rig into a new rig. Actually I did have to reinstall the Nvidia drivers as they weren't working exactly right after I moved. Incidently, Windows 7 was Retail, so no problem.

This post has been edited by coastie65: 20 September 2011 - 04:42 PM

[test121]

Your new pc mainboard chip must be the same as the old one,otherwise,the system will not work.


__________________

This post has been edited by SnyperTodd: 08 November 2011 - 06:36 PM
Reason for edit: removed spam link