HDD move to new SB build with SSD

[JBDan]

Howdy all

It's been quite a while since I built a system (2007), but it's that time again. Right now I'm running an Intel 6750 4GB RAM with 2 HDD's.... a raptor 64GB and a WD 320GB split in 2 partitions. The raptor has Vista 64 (I know) and the WD has XP on one partition and the other is used for storage. I used Vista for 2 months and said meh so installed XP on the WD on one partition using EasyBCD to dual boot. EasyBCD is auto set to boot into XP.

On to the build. It's coming tomorrow a Intel SB build with a 60GB SSD and a 1TB Samsung drive with Windows7. I know to install Win7 on the SSD without hooking up any other drives. After the install I would like to hook up the new Samsung, the raptor, and the WD. My question: Since the raptor has Vista and the WD has XP will this mess with anything?

My plan is to take all my data from the raptor and the WD and move it to the Samsung, then format the raptor and WD and use in another build. Am I safe here? Any better way to go about this? Thanks so much for any input

 

[RobL777]

No, but you should continue to use EasyBCD on the new Win 7 install, and add the Vista OS and the XP OS to its menu so that you can get into them easily. You will have to attach those hard drives in order that EasyBCD can see them. Once you are done getting your files and data from these OSes, use Win 7 to format over their respective hard drives, thus erasing the files on them.

Or else use software designed to wipe hard drives, such as Eraser, which works inside Windows, or DBAN, which is a Linux-based, self-contained CD/DVD app. If you use DBAN, disconnect your Win 7 hard drive first, because DBAN will wipe all the drives on an installation by default.

Expect that Win 7 will make you jump through some file permission hoops when you bring data into it from Vista and XP, but these will be no problems for you.

 

[JBDan]

No, but you should continue to use EasyBCD on the new Win 7 install, and add the Vista OS and the XP OS to its menu so that you can get into them easily. You will have to attach those hard drives in order that EasyBCD can see them. Once you are done getting your files and data from these OSes, use Win 7 to format over their respective hard drives, thus erasing the files on them.

Or else use software designed to wipe hard drives, such as Eraser, which works inside Windows, or DBAN, which is a Linux-based, self-contained CD/DVD app. If you use DBAN, disconnect your Win 7 hard drive first, because DBAN will wipe all the drives on an installation by default.

Expect that Win 7 will make you jump through some file permission hoops when you bring data into it from Vista and XP, but these will be no problems for you.

Thanks for the input. I'm not sure I'm clear on this most likely I didn't explain myself well in the initial post.

I don't necessarily want to "get into them" (Vista and XP) I just want to take photo's, songs, and other personal data and copy and paste them all to the new Samsung 1TB drive. Do I need "to get into them" to do this? Obviously my knowledge is limited with this.

So my goal is just to grab my data off these drives and transfer it to my new 1TB drive. Then format them under windows7 computer management/disk management if that exists like it does in XP.

Are you saying I have to use EasyBCD to be able to even access these HDD's/drives within Win7? If so I can do that as well.

 

[KGB]

You're on the right track.

Install W7 on your new SSD, get all your drivers squared away and then, ... one by one connect each of your old drives and copy the stuff over.

 

[JBDan]

You're on the right track.

Install W7 on your new SSD, get all your drivers squared away and then, ... one by one connect each of your old drives and copy the stuff over.

Well if it ends up being that painless I'll be a happy camper! I have done some research into all this I just wanted to triple check myself with the guru's here.

You say one by one...can I just get Win7 installed on the SSD, boot up get all drivers squared away, then turn off PC, hook up all 3 HDD's, boot up and start transferring all my data?

I guess what I was mainly concerned with was when I hook up these 2 HD's with Vista and XP on them is that it would mess with the boot process.

Again thx for the input it is appreciated

 

[RobL777]

If the old drives are NOT connected while you install Win 7 to the SSD, their OS boot info will not mess up the Win 7 boot information.

Win 7 will use any drives connected internally to the computer while it is installing itself. Sometimes, it will put boot information on 2 different hard drives without letting you know this. Avoid this possibility by only having the SSD connected while doing the Win 7 install.

Some of the earlier confusion is mine. I apologize. You don't need to mount Vista and XP in EasyBCD if you no longer want to use those OSes at all. If you only want the documents, music, photos, etc from those drives, then use Win 7 to transfer those files to the 1 TB drive. You can do a quick format of the 1 TB drive via Win 7 before doing the file transferring. You would run out of room quickly if you transferred all your old files onto the Win 7 SSD drive due to its small size.

 

[JBDan]

If the old drives are NOT connected while you install Win 7 to the SSD, their OS boot info will not mess up the Win 7 boot information.

Win 7 will use any drives connected internally to the computer while it is installing itself. Sometimes, it will put boot information on 2 different hard drives without letting you know this. Avoid this possibility by only having the SSD connected while doing the Win 7 install.

Some of the earlier confusion is mine. I apologize. You don't need to mount Vista and XP in EasyBCD if you no longer want to use those OSes at all. If you only want the documents, music, photos, etc from those drives, then use Win 7 to transfer those files to the 1 TB drive. You can do a quick format of the 1 TB drive via Win 7 before doing the file transferring. You would run out of room quickly if you transferred all your old files onto the Win 7 SSD drive due to its small size.

Awesome thx so much it's my bad I didn't know how to best explain my situation.

I do have one more question if you don't mind....when formatting an HHD in winXP (like during/before the install you know the blue screens) is it generally the same as formatting a HDD within XP/7 under "disk management" as far as a true/non-quick format?

 

[RobL777]

I am not quite certain what you are asking here.

Once you have mounted Win 7 successfully on the SSD, click on the Win 7 orb, then type 'disk management' in the search box.

Look up at the search results pop-up menu. You will see Create and Format Hard Disk Partitions. Click on it, and it will take you to Disk Management in Win 7.

Once there, right-click on any drive or unallocated space, or partition on the computer. A right-click menu will give you options for what you can do to that drive, that unformatted space, or that partition you right-clicked on.

At this point, install the 1 TB drive on your new system, then look for it in either Disk Management, or Computer (formerly called My Computer). If you right-click on an unformatted drive that shows up in Computer, it will give you the option to Quick Format it. So will Disk Management. Two pathways, same end-result.

Win 7 also allows one to shrink and expand partitions, although there are sometimes some limits on these options due to immovable OS system files. This would not be a problem on your 1 TB drive because it will have no OSes on it.

 

[JBDan]

I am not quite certain what you are asking here.

Once you have mounted Win 7 successfully on the SSD, click on the Win 7 orb, then type 'disk management' in the search box.

Look up at the search results pop-up menu. You will see Create and Format Hard Disk Partitions. Click on it, and it will take you to Disk Management in Win 7.

Once there, right-click on any drive or unallocated space, or partition on the computer. A right-click menu will give you options for what you can do to that drive, that unformatted space, or that partition you right-clicked on.

At this point, install the 1 TB drive on your new system, then look for it in either Disk Management, or Computer (formerly called My Computer). If you right-click on an unformatted drive that shows up in Computer, it will give you the option to Quick Format it. So will Disk Management. Two pathways, same end-result.

Win 7 also allows one to shrink and expand partitions, although there are sometimes some limits on these options due to immovable OS system files. This would not be a problem on your 1 TB drive because it will have no OSes on it.

Thanks my build this wknd will be that much more relaxing knowing this info I appreciate it. I'm new to 7

What I was referring to was during an fresh XP install (gawh I feel so old school) you go through several blue screens of info on wiping, which drive to partition, format, etc...and you get to the format part and you can choose "quick" or "regular" (it's not called regular I forget). I was just wondering if formatting a drive in disk management withn the WIn environment was the equivalent. As you can see I'm not as well informed as I think I am

Thanks again!

 

[JBDan]

Thanks to the replies everything went off without a hitch and my new SB build with corsair Force 60GB and 1TB samsung is operating beautifully! Got everything transferred over and the system is super fast thanks so much!

 

[KGB]

You're welcome. :beer: