Existing XP OS Hard Drive Into New Barebones Computer?????

vadaddy · 07-19-2005, 06:56 PM

I have a new bare bones computer with motherboard, processor, and power supply. I would like to move my existing computer installation to the new computer without having to re-install everything. If I install my existing hard drive into the new system can I expect it to boot?

DanLatimer · 07-19-2005, 06:59 PM

sure will! in fact i took my old HDD with win95 (1 gig HDD hehe) and installed it as a master drive w/o a slave drive on my computer now and it booted into 95! lmao i was quite shocked!

**The_Other_One** · 07-19-2005, 07:08 PM

Yes and no... Old harddrives with anything less than 98(and probably ME) will boot no problem. However, 2000 and XP are much more hardware dependent and won't work. You might get a partial boot, but I feel quite certain you'll get a blue screen of death before the desktop.

DanLatimer · 07-19-2005, 07:11 PM

oh hehe sry for the bad advice i thought that if an old one would work the new ones would def work :S

vadaddy · 07-19-2005, 07:16 PM

I understand both your replies. I was afraid I would run into this with XP. Have another question???

If I do a fresh XP install on the new machine what is the best way to get my existing programs, games, XP documents folders, etc. ... to the new hard drive and be associated with the new XP registry??????

alanuofm · 07-19-2005, 07:17 PM

The_Other_One you think he could uninstall drivers for all his hardware and just use native windows drivers and then change the harddrive?

StasysPC · 07-19-2005, 08:17 PM

actually, i took a hd from my home machine (w/xp on it) and dropped it into a computer at school that had been running windows 98... I added some RAM and it booted perfectly... xp detected all the "new" hardware on the school's machine and installed the necessary drivers on the first boot... I'm not trying to argue with The_Other_One, just stating my experiences.

riddick · 07-19-2005, 10:53 PM

I woudl try it and see what you get. I did once and no problem.

vadaddy · 07-20-2005, 03:05 AM

Thanks for the advice. I will try the hard drive swap and fire her up.

flame1117 · 07-20-2005, 03:15 AM

Iv'e done it with XP 3 times it worked fine, Expect it wants you to reactivate it because it thinks it on a new PC becuase a;l the hardware is different, but besides that XP worked fine for me. :/

07-19-2005, 06:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
vadaddy New Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 4	Existing XP OS Hard Drive Into New Barebones Computer????? I have a new bare bones computer with motherboard, processor, and power supply. I would like to move my existing computer installation to the new computer without having to re-install everything. If I install my existing hard drive into the new system can I expect it to boot?

07-19-2005, 06:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
DanLatimer Platinum Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Sydney, Nova Scotia Age: 22 Posts: 659	sure will! in fact i took my old HDD with win95 (1 gig HDD hehe) and installed it as a master drive w/o a slave drive on my computer now and it booted into 95! lmao i was quite shocked! __________________ -DAN ____________________________________ MY PC: Windows XP PRO AMD XP 64 3000+ oc to 2.25ghz 1 GB PC2700 Memory Radeon 9600XT 256mbs Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 5.1 surround sound

07-19-2005, 07:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 24 Posts: 12,382	Yes and no... Old harddrives with anything less than 98(and probably ME) will boot no problem. However, 2000 and XP are much more hardware dependent and won't work. You might get a partial boot, but I feel quite certain you'll get a blue screen of death before the desktop. __________________ Desktop * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT Laptop1 * C2D T5550 \| 3G RAM \| 120G HD \| Intel x3100 Laptop2 * C2D T5250 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100

07-19-2005, 07:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
DanLatimer Platinum Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Sydney, Nova Scotia Age: 22 Posts: 659	oh hehe sry for the bad advice i thought that if an old one would work the new ones would def work :S __________________ -DAN ____________________________________ MY PC: Windows XP PRO AMD XP 64 3000+ oc to 2.25ghz 1 GB PC2700 Memory Radeon 9600XT 256mbs Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 5.1 surround sound

07-19-2005, 08:17 PM	#7 (permalink)
StasysPC Bronze Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Murphy, VA Age: 21 Posts: 55	actually, i took a hd from my home machine (w/xp on it) and dropped it into a computer at school that had been running windows 98... I added some RAM and it booted perfectly... xp detected all the "new" hardware on the school's machine and installed the necessary drivers on the first boot... I'm not trying to argue with The_Other_One, just stating my experiences. __________________ Stasys PC Power SE AMD Sempron 3100+ OC'ed to 2.4GHz 512 MB RAM FX5200 GPU 80 GB HDD Acer TravelMate 8104 intel Pentium M Sonoma 2GHz/Centrino 1 GB RAM X700 VPU 100 GB HDD Last edited by StasysPC; 07-19-2005 at 08:22 PM.

07-19-2005, 07:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
vadaddy New Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 4	I understand both your replies. I was afraid I would run into this with XP. Have another question??? If I do a fresh XP install on the new machine what is the best way to get my existing programs, games, XP documents folders, etc. ... to the new hard drive and be associated with the new XP registry??????

07-19-2005, 07:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
alanuofm Diamond Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,630	The_Other_One you think he could uninstall drivers for all his hardware and just use native windows drivers and then change the harddrive?

07-19-2005, 10:53 PM	#8 (permalink)
riddick Bronze Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 36	I woudl try it and see what you get. I did once and no problem.

07-20-2005, 03:05 AM	#9 (permalink)
vadaddy New Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 4	Thanks for the advice. I will try the hard drive swap and fire her up.

07-20-2005, 03:15 AM	#10 (permalink)
flame1117 banned Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,770	Iv'e done it with XP 3 times it worked fine, Expect it wants you to reactivate it because it thinks it on a new PC becuase a;l the hardware is different, but besides that XP worked fine for me. :/

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