Old HD new Computer?

[WarriorPoet]

If you use a old hard drive with files and whatnot on it from a old computer and use it in a new build will the files still be saved or will the setup process wipe them out or how dose that work? Will a personal copy of windows need to be bought if it was just a factory install setup on the old hard drive?

Thanks for any help im still new to building, have done one for myself with no probs but a friend is asking for help with building a new computer with some of his old parts from one that broke. Any info is really appreicated

 

[Athlon2K15]

i think it depends on the OS if its windows 98 i have succesfully used and old drive from my old computer and it booted and just wanted drivers for the new hardware...but windows xp is a different story,it looks at your hardware and if u change certain components it will tell you its no longer genuine or sometimes it wont even boot,i would personally back everything up no matter what to an external drive or cd/dvd's before you attempt it

 

[zekrahminator]

It's simple, actually, just repair your copy of Windows XP. It's brilliant. It's like a reinstall, except you keep all your files. To get to repair from the CD, you need to...

• Act like you're going to install Windows, press "install windows", agree to license
• Windows CD will search for all copies of Windows already installed. Once it finds them, it'll give you an option to repair that partition.
• Repair it. This is not to be confused with the repair console on the main menu, which will throw you into command prompt, and will leave you with a broken OS and a headache.

Good luck with that build of yours .

 

[devinXkillyou]

It's simple, actually, just repair your copy of Windows XP. It's brilliant. It's like a reinstall, except you keep all your files.

Exactly. I cant count how many times i have used the Repair Console after having many instances where i need to re-install windows (due to corruptions, random problems, etc...) and want to keep all my files.

 

[lemonadesoda]

I CANNOT RECOMMEND USING AN OLD HARD DRIVE IN A NEW MACHINE. New drives are faster, will last longer, and give you a "risk free" install.

So many wasted hours of trying to save a few bucks by recycling old drives. I cannot recommend it.

Buy a new drive. Install Windows. Add the "old" drive as a second HDD, and access your files.

 

[zekrahminator]

I CANNOT RECOMMEND USING AN OLD HARD DRIVE IN A NEW MACHINE. New drives are faster, will last longer, and give you a "risk free" install.

So many wasted hours of trying to save a few bucks by recycling old drives. I cannot recommend it.

Buy a new drive. Install Windows. Add the "old" drive as a second HDD, and access your files.

For a fresh build: Agreed completely.

For a budget/replacement build: I think there are some exceptions. For example, on Christmas day I got a case, CPU, mobo, and RAM. I used that and the parts from my current rig (Darth Flatulence), and built Aegis (after some issues involving spacers lol). A quick repair was just what I needed, a fast and easy transfer from one computer to another.

 

[pt]

when i bought my current system i didn't had money so i keep the 40gb seagate working with windows, later i bought a 160gb hdd and putted wndows there and keeped the 40gb there for downloads, now i'm probabily taking it out to put it in a secondary rig , it has served me well, and no problem at all in 3 years usage

if you doesn't have money to buy a new hdd don't keep the old one for a few time, and save for a better one

ps: Seagate hdd's rule (performance, price, noise etc.)

 

[lemonadesoda]

"Darth Flatulence" LOL

Although I agree with what Z said, for WarriorPoet, I recommend the "risk free" approach. The questions WarriorPoet asks indicates he isn't a pro at OS installations, and my advice to him is to go for a new HDD and not to install a new OS on, as he says, his "old drive", and risk:

1./ losing files
2./ having an "old" slow drive
3./ having a drive of questionable reliability

Note that points 2 and 3 are assumed from the word "old". I dont think WarriorPoet's HDD is just a year old, but many many years older.