Moving HD to new machine

[norty303]

I'm about to build a new machine but am going to re-use the HD from the old one. It's on XP Pro.

Will I need to a complete format and re-install or will I get away with just doing a re-install of Windows, thus preserving my installed programs and data.

The only hardware that's changing is going to be the mobo from a Gigabyte GA-7DX to a Gigabyte GA-7nn 400L Ultra and the processor from a 2000XP to a 2500XP Barton.


If it's going to be a full re-install, is there an easy way of getting all of my programs back on other than full re-installs and configuration from default. I was thinking of cloning my original disk and then once the programs are installed, copying the program files folders to the new disk, thus preserving preferences. Will this work?

Thanks

 

[micker377]

http://www.mostlycreativeworkshop.com/article11.htm

Go to this site and read carefully. You will have to add programs and import a registry change to accomplish the change. I did this about 6 months ago when I changed the motherboard. If you are using "Go-Back", disable it before you do anything.

 

[norty303]

Thanks, although as one of the replies at the bottom of that page stated, just running a repair install on first boot seems to be a far simpler and more obvious way around it.

I'm in 2 minds whether to do a fresh install anyway as my HD is looking abit clogged and it does have some 'odd' behaviour at times...

 

[wolluf]

Fresh install would probably be best - though it might just boot, and repair reinstall will probably fix it if it doesn't (you could also run sysprep on old machine just before moving drive - then it will go through mini-setup routine on new machine). Either way you'll probably need to get a new activation for XP because of the hardware changes.

 

[micker377]

I had to go through the whole complicated mess because the new set up would bsod immediatly and not give me a chance to do anything else.