Adding a hard drive.

[TarThoron]

Been a while since I checked in here. How's it goin'?

I just ordered a new computer yesterday (Info & specs), and I'm hoping to add the hard drive from my old computer (as a slave) without needing to reformat it (I want the files far more than the extra 80 GB). I know the basics of the physical installation (mounting, connecting IDE cable(s), setting jumpers, etc.) but I'm somewhat lost on what to do from there. All the guides I've looked at assume a brand new drive is being installed, which requires a format and OS installation.

The bigger problems I can forsee are OS conflicts (Win XP MC'05 vs. Win XP Home) and partition name comflicts (I know the old drive has C: and D:, and I assume the new one has at least that). I expect there to be some smaller software conflicts (my old computer was an all-in-one, and had some special programs for its unique features, like the fold up keyboard) though nothing I shouldn't be able to handle.

I'd also like to add the 512MB PC-2100 DDR RAM stick from my old computer. I can't forsee any problems with that, just stick it in an open slot, but if anyone else does please let me know.

Any tips, advice, or sugestions anyone can give are welcome. The more information I get, the better able I'll be to deal with problems as they arise.

[Repr]

if you want to put the old HD in your new comp it shouldnt be all that hard. just plug it in, set the jumpers (you know the drill) and enable it in your bios. after that it should turn up in windows. do remember to set the mount point in your bios to the drive where you want to boot windows from. although if this isnt done properly you will see a screen where you can choose what OS you want to use. i doubt that there will be trouble becouse your old disc used to be a C:. i guess it will just be relabelled. when the disc is in, remove all programs from the disc you put in and reinstall them. since they werent installed under your current windows they wont be registered in windows registery and this might give you problems

as for your RAM. dont do it. your new memory runs at a speed of 400mhz. your old memory at just 266. it will go up in flames if you use it

[TarThoron]

if you want to put the old HD in your new comp it shouldnt be all that hard. just plug it in, set the jumpers (you know the drill) and enable it in your bios. after that it should turn up in windows. do remember to set the mount point in your bios to the drive where you want to boot windows from. although if this isnt done properly you will see a screen where you can choose what OS you want to use. i doubt that there will be trouble becouse your old disc used to be a C:. i guess it will just be relabelled. when the disc is in, remove all programs from the disc you put in and reinstall them. since they werent installed under your current windows they wont be registered in windows registery and this might give you problems

Sounds easy enough, though one thing I've learned is few things are as easy as they sound.

Reinstalling stuff will be annoying, particularily a couple programs that came installed on the old computer which I don't have installation disks for. Hopefully the recovery wizard will still work, if not I can get a recovery DVD from the manufacturer for $12.

as for your RAM. dont do it. your new memory runs at a speed of 400mhz. your old memory at just 266. it will go up in flames if you use it

Good to know, guess I wont be doing that then.

According to UPS tracking info I can expect delivery within the next 24 hours. [Added] Just checked again, and it just got an Arrival Scan in Minneapolis (closest UPS operating center) 20 minutes ago. From there it only has to be loaded on a delivery truck and sent to my door.

[Ben Last]

As for the memory going up in flames, I'd say that when using two different memory speeds together, it should be fine - but all of your memory will operate at the speed of the slowest memory card. Ie. if you have 1 400mhz card and a 266 one then all of the memory will work at 266.

As for your drives, connect & configure your drive as you said. When you boot from the new disk your old disk will appear automatically in my computer as the next available drive letter, in theory this will be..

C: New Drive
D: Old Drive
....then any cd/dvd devices

You shouldn't have any problems as far as I am aware with conflicts between the drives as the new installation will be on the new disk, and the old installation will be treated as any other data and shouldn't cause a problem.