CommieChipmunk
Member
+488|7041|Portland, OR, USA
Okay, so.. I've offered to build someone a computer, they need something that will run one program in particular and it only needs a 1.0 ghz cpu and 256 mbs of ram (shitty..).  So, I said okay it shouldn't be a problem; I can put a computer together and I know enough about compatibility to make it run... the problem:

They want to keep their hard drive and save all of the pictures, info and whatever else is on their hard drive and just put it into the new computer.  I know from past experience that Windows generally isn't the biggest fan of that... at all.  But I've always had my XP subscriptions to fall back on.  Now, however, I think I'm out of them and I'm hoping that I won't have to buy another one.

So, if I take the hard drive out, put in all new components, load the drivers... will windows still work?
Cybargs
Moderated
+2,285|7187
You need to activate it again I believe. But if it's a different company chipset (nvidia, intel) you need to reinstall windows.
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CommieChipmunk
Member
+488|7041|Portland, OR, USA
But I can use the same key?
r2zoo
Knowledge is power, guard it well
+126|7067|Michigan, USA
You should be fine, I installed a hardrive from a really old machine(pre-2000) in a comp I just built this year, after loading drivers for half the new objects(still didnt recognize all of them) it still ran windows just fine.

Had windows 95 installed on it i might add.

Last edited by r2zoo (2007-06-01 21:45:26)

CommieChipmunk
Member
+488|7041|Portland, OR, USA
whew. thanks
{M5}Sniper3
Typical white person.
+389|7231|San Antonio, Texas
It's best to do a clean install and then transfer all the pictures & data to the new hard drive. Installing a old hard drive into a new system might work and it might not, and you run the risk of system instability, crashes, lock-ups, and freezes. I have done it before and it worked out fine.
CommieChipmunk
Member
+488|7041|Portland, OR, USA

{M5}Sniper3 wrote:

It's best to do a clean install and then transfer all the pictures & data to the new hard drive. Installing a old hard drive into a new system might work and it might not, and you run the risk of system instability, crashes, lock-ups, and freezes. I have done it before and it worked out fine.
The only problem with that is that I don't have anymore licenses on my XP subscription thing...
MECtallica
Member
+73|6975|jalalabad
Buy a new HDD, format, install windows, copy files over. Done.


Also with the windows thing, see if they have a key, I scammed microsoft and have two computers operating under one CD key , they both work 100%. What you do is you call their support and hopefully get an english speaking person, tell them you havent ever installed windows on any other computer but the one you're trying to re-install it on, cut off your internet before-hand I think though. (only temp with the internet) It worked for me.

Last edited by MECtallica (2007-06-01 22:17:10)

{M5}Sniper3
Typical white person.
+389|7231|San Antonio, Texas

CommieChipmunk wrote:

{M5}Sniper3 wrote:

It's best to do a clean install and then transfer all the pictures & data to the new hard drive. Installing a old hard drive into a new system might work and it might not, and you run the risk of system instability, crashes, lock-ups, and freezes. I have done it before and it worked out fine.
The only problem with that is that I don't have anymore licenses on my XP subscription thing...
Well... That never stopped me...

(What MECtallica said, you don't even have to cutoff the internet.)
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,080|7243|PNW

Reuse the hard drive by all means. Just get rid of the older drivers.

Drivercleaner.
link52787
Member
+29|6992
Buy an external.  When I build computers for people I have an external hdd to keep their pics, documents ect, ect. 

I always have it handy.  After the transfer to the external, I do a window wash and reformat.  Start from scatch with the old hard drive.

now, if there isn't alot of data to save, burn it on a disk, make a data cd or dvd.

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