Old HD, new system

midget patrol

New Member
Just built myself a new system. First time i've built a system. I have a 250 Gb SATA HD new, that came with this system. Now, I want to get my programs from the old Hard-drive (80 gb) onto the new computer. First question:
1) Can I run both the new hard-drive and the old hard-drive in the same system?

Assuming the answer is yes, I'm going to go on. The old HD had WinXP installed on it. Before I decided I wanted to use both HD's, I installed an unregistered version of WinXP on the new HD, which it currently what the computer is booting from. Question two:
2) Can i remove the trial version of WinXP from the new HD and boot from the registered version of WinXP on the old HD?
3) If so, how?

As it stands now, I cannot access programs on the old HD. They don't run properly. Question four:
4) Would booting from that harddrive fix that problem?
5) If not, what would? Are there easier options?

That's about it. For now. :D
 
Yes, you can run both hard drives at the same time. If i was you, i would just run your current HDD on your new system so that it runs XP off of it. But sometimes you can do that, and sometimes you cant.
 
Hmmm... so i just tried booting from the old HD in the new system. It gave me a very very brief blue-screen and quickly reset the system, so i have no idea what error message it was giving me.

I think what I'd like to do at this point is boot windows from the old HD but in the new system.

Any ideas?
 
THe chances that you will be able to boot from the old hard drive are very slim. Supposedly this will work, but I have never seen it do so.

Could you use the key from the existing version to unlock the trial version? (please tell me if I am getting into anything illegal here)

You could use something like Norton Ghost, I am not entirely sure what it does, but it might help.

Or Windows has a File Transfer system that you might try

I have never used any of these things, I just know that they exist
 
Idk, usually it iss a hit or miss when loading windows from an old hdd that came from a pervious computer. I think you are going to have to reformat, or install windows on the new hdd. Youll still have all your stuff from your old hdd, but you cant start any programs from it, unless you install it with the OS on your new hdd.
 
Bobo said:
THe chances that you will be able to boot from the old hard drive are very slim. Supposedly this will work, but I have never seen it do so.

Could you use the key from the existing version to unlock the trial version? (please tell me if I am getting into anything illegal here)

You could use something like Norton Ghost, I am not entirely sure what it does, but it might help.

Or Windows has a File Transfer system that you might try

I have never used any of these things, I just know that they exist
No, I can't use the key from the existing version to unlock the trial. It's already registered. What is norton ghost? Basically, I just need to get my programs working in this new system. :mad:
 
Motoxrdude said:
Idk, usually it iss a hit or miss when loading windows from an old hdd that came from a pervious computer. I think you are going to have to reformat, or install windows on the new hdd. Youll still have all your stuff from your old hdd, but you cant start any programs from it, unless you install it with the OS on your new hdd.
The problem that I'm up against is that I don't have the install disks for many of them. Is there any way to access the programs?
 
Well, theres a small chance that you can, but a way you might be able to, and the chances are slim, is to put your old hdd in your old computer and start it up. Then go into the registrys by Start>run> and type regedit. Then from there, go to file>export. THen stick that file onto a CD or USB thumb disk. Then load windows on your new computer/HDD, and open that file. This basicly copys your old registrys onto your new hdd. Setup your old hdd as a slave drive and then try and run those old programs.
 
Motoxrdude said:
Well, theres a small chance that you can, but a way you might be able to, and the chances are slim, is to put your old hdd in your old computer and start it up. Then go into the registrys by Start>run> and type regedit. Then from there, go to file>export. THen stick that file onto a CD or USB thumb disk. Then load windows on your new computer/HDD, and open that file. This basicly copys your old registrys onto your new hdd. Setup your old hdd as a slave drive and then try and run those old programs.
I tried to do this 3 times when reformatting my system, it never works. :mad: But it doesn't hurt to try, computers are, to say the least, persnickety :eek:
 
midget patrol said:
Hmmm... so i just tried booting from the old HD in the new system. It gave me a very very brief blue-screen and quickly reset the system, so i have no idea what error message it was giving me.

I think what I'd like to do at this point is boot windows from the old HD but in the new system.

Any ideas?


for this blue screen did happen while the Windows logo was up while the loading bar was scrolling


if so then i think i know what it might be because i had somethign like that

if it is what happened to me then your reg files are corrupt and need to be fixed


i think thats what teh blue screen is and i dunno if thatll help you fix it
 
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