Adding another hard drive with data

aver · 08-18-2006, 06:34 AM

Hello all, i was wondering if its possible to add a hard drive that came from another computer and put it into my computer as a second hard drive so i can retrieve important data? I ask this because previously i was fixing someones comp and was having problems booting into windows, so i am curious if it was possible to do this.

Note: the hard drive already has windows XP and has password login but i already know the password.
How would the hard drive act in my comp? would it act as a new second hard drive?

Thank you.
aVer.

TonyBAMF · 08-18-2006, 06:55 AM

Depends, but usually yes.
Problems like simple compatability with a old mobo, or a more common one is trying to read a NTFS formated HD with a OS that is on a HDD formated on FAT32

As in.
Fat32 can read, Fat16 and Fat32
NTFS can read, Fat16 Fat32 and NTFS

TonyBAMF · 08-18-2006, 06:56 AM

If is asks you what OS to load, Do not load the secondary one, it can make that OS even more unstable.

codeman0013 · 08-18-2006, 02:12 PM

If you have both hdd's set to cs(cable select) then the second one will just show up after boot and mostly have to install a few drivers and then will popup and work. I have the hard drive from my old pc in my newer one as a slave and have for months now.

SirKenin · 08-18-2006, 02:37 PM

Set them as master and slave. Cable select will not work unless you have a special ribbon cable (it has a notch out of it. You'll know it to see it). Make sure that your BIOS is set to auto detect and that the boot order is set to boot off the primary master.

If you want to access anything in the "My Documents" folder on the second harddrive you will have to take ownership of the folder. Post here if you run into problems and one of us can give you directions on how to do that.

08-18-2006, 06:34 AM	#1 (permalink)
aver New Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 19	Adding another hard drive with data Hello all, i was wondering if its possible to add a hard drive that came from another computer and put it into my computer as a second hard drive so i can retrieve important data? I ask this because previously i was fixing someones comp and was having problems booting into windows, so i am curious if it was possible to do this. Note: the hard drive already has windows XP and has password login but i already know the password. How would the hard drive act in my comp? would it act as a new second hard drive? Thank you. aVer.

08-18-2006, 06:55 AM	#2 (permalink)
TonyBAMF Gold Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego Age: 23 Posts: 412	Depends, but usually yes. Problems like simple compatability with a old mobo, or a more common one is trying to read a NTFS formated HD with a OS that is on a HDD formated on FAT32 As in. Fat32 can read, Fat16 and Fat32 NTFS can read, Fat16 Fat32 and NTFS __________________ 19" Viewsonic 2ms Core 2 Duo E6600 ATI X1900XT 512MB BadAxe Mobo 2GB DDR2 800Mhz Corsair XMS Sound Blaster X-Fi 500GB re2 WD HDD DVD burner with lightscribe

08-18-2006, 06:56 AM	#3 (permalink)
TonyBAMF Gold Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego Age: 23 Posts: 412	If is asks you what OS to load, Do not load the secondary one, it can make that OS even more unstable. __________________ 19" Viewsonic 2ms Core 2 Duo E6600 ATI X1900XT 512MB BadAxe Mobo 2GB DDR2 800Mhz Corsair XMS Sound Blaster X-Fi 500GB re2 WD HDD DVD burner with lightscribe

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08-18-2006, 02:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
codeman0013 Diamond Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Inside my network at work Age: 23 Posts: 1,468	If you have both hdd's set to cs(cable select) then the second one will just show up after boot and mostly have to install a few drivers and then will popup and work. I have the hard drive from my old pc in my newer one as a slave and have for months now.

08-18-2006, 02:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
SirKenin banned Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 4,711	Set them as master and slave. Cable select will not work unless you have a special ribbon cable (it has a notch out of it. You'll know it to see it). Make sure that your BIOS is set to auto detect and that the boot order is set to boot off the primary master. If you want to access anything in the "My Documents" folder on the second harddrive you will have to take ownership of the folder. Post here if you run into problems and one of us can give you directions on how to do that.