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moving one harddrive a new computer
- Thread starter neongold
- Start date
You likely won't. You'll have lots of driver issues, as the hardware is not the same.
In the event its Windows XP, then it will not boot up probably at all, and even if it does, it will require reactivation, to function. Not to mention the removal and re-installation of all drivers for the hardware in the new machine.
Why do yo want to do this? Does the new machine not have a boot drive already?
If you want to get at your files, you can install the drive as a slave, and use it as storage.
If you want to boot from the other drive, you safest, easiest and less painful bet is to reinstall windows on the drive, once its plugged into the new machine.
Otherwise you are just looking for a world of trouble.
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.
In the event its Windows XP, then it will not boot up probably at all, and even if it does, it will require reactivation, to function. Not to mention the removal and re-installation of all drivers for the hardware in the new machine.
Why do yo want to do this? Does the new machine not have a boot drive already?
If you want to get at your files, you can install the drive as a slave, and use it as storage.
If you want to boot from the other drive, you safest, easiest and less painful bet is to reinstall windows on the drive, once its plugged into the new machine.
Otherwise you are just looking for a world of trouble.
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.
wunkunn
Technical User
- Nov 17, 2002
- 47
For what it's worth. I had Xp Home upgrade running on a home built machine. I recently acquired a HP Pavilion, swapped out the hard drives and booted it up. It asked for the XP CD which I inserted. It loaded and rebooted OK. reactivation was not requested. I did have to find drivers for video and audio. An OEM version on another hd from the home built machine would not boot on the Pavilion.
Wunkunn - that was probably due to the fact that Home Build and the HP Pavillion where close enough in hardware specs that XP did not notice a MAJOR change...
neongold - there are ways to accomplish this, but you'd have to do this before you move the drive from the old to the new PC, have a read: faq602-6735
Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
neongold - there are ways to accomplish this, but you'd have to do this before you move the drive from the old to the new PC, have a read: faq602-6735
Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
Generally its straightforward (if you have XP install CD - if its XP - or Vista DVD if Vista), though as time goes on, it can become more complicated for XP depending on what your install disk has compared to what the installation has. For best results, create a slipstreamed install disk with at least the service pack level of the installation and with same version of IE (and media player probably good idea). Nlite ( is a good tool to achieve this.
For XP, just run a repair reinstall in the new machine, then install drivers (if necessary) for new hardware. Works in over 95% of cases in my experience. You will generally also have to re-activate - though that shouldn't be a problem.
For Vista, boot from the install DVD and use its repair feature. Install hardware drivers as necessary.
PS. Of course if the current installation could do with a 'clean up', backing up data and doing a clean install might be better option.
For XP, just run a repair reinstall in the new machine, then install drivers (if necessary) for new hardware. Works in over 95% of cases in my experience. You will generally also have to re-activate - though that shouldn't be a problem.
For Vista, boot from the install DVD and use its repair feature. Install hardware drivers as necessary.
PS. Of course if the current installation could do with a 'clean up', backing up data and doing a clean install might be better option.
if neon gold is taking an HDD from one pc and installing to another,then it would not boot up as system configurations
would be different and what should be stored on the hard drive ould be system information of all operating devices, components ect... i have done and tried this out and no boot up at all...
would be different and what should be stored on the hard drive ould be system information of all operating devices, components ect... i have done and tried this out and no boot up at all...
The FAQ I pointed out... I've done nearly a dozen times, without any problems...
the only time you'd have to watch out and do the repair install, would be if you are moving the Install from a SINGLE CPU to a MultiCore environment...
But here is the low down from MS:
How to replace the motherboard on a computer that is running Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000
Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
the only time you'd have to watch out and do the repair install, would be if you are moving the Install from a SINGLE CPU to a MultiCore environment...
But here is the low down from MS:
How to replace the motherboard on a computer that is running Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000
Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
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