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Quick Question: Win XP transfer to new PC

Linux23

Linux23

Lifer
I know there is a way to take my hard drive out of my current PC and transfer it to another PC with completely different hardware. I am too lazy to install everything from scratch right now, and any assistance would be helpful.

Basically i'm taking my hard drive out and installing it on a new motherboard I just picked up.

I can't for the life of me remember how to do this.
 
Originally posted by: Fiveohhh
take it out and plug it in to the other machine....not that much to it
Click to expand...

you cannot simply take it out and plug it into a new PC with different hardware. Windows will not boot. there is a method that allows Windows to redetect all devices, but I can't remember how to do it.
 
What? You mean your not installing Linux on it???

Hardware or Software would have been a better place to get a response, BUT, your lucky today as I was in OT.

What you have to do is change all your devices to standard generic devices. When you install it on the new computer, it should redetect everything. If you don't, winxp will blue screen because of the HAL. This way isn't very realiable though, I'd have your old mobo standing by, AND a fairly recent backup.

Good luck.

edit: assuming you are using winxp or win2k, if its win98 you can just hook it up, it will do it fine.
 
Originally posted by: Linux23
Originally posted by: Fiveohhh
take it out and plug it in to the other machine....not that much to it
Click to expand...

you cannot simply take it out and plug it into a new PC with different hardware. Windows will not boot. there is a method that allows Windows to redetect all devices, but I can't remember how to do it.
Click to expand...

yeah you can.. I've done it a few times
 
Uninstall any drivers you have installed on the old machine. When Windows asks you to restart, just shut off the computer and install the hard drive into the new computer.

Then when it comes up, it should do all new hardware and drivers.

You can just unplug it and plug it back in and it'll find the new hardware, but this way you're getting rid of some of the excess.
 
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Just take the time to reformat. Your system performance and stability will thank you.

- M4H
Click to expand...

I hear ya, but right now I don't have the time or the energy to wait through a full install of Windows.

If this POS Nforce2 board was stable I would keep it, but i'm going back to SiS.

I think there was a key in the registry that you could change and Windows would enumerate all of the hardware again, or something like that.
 
XP might prevent you from even booting on the other machine. We have ghost images of XP for our Dells here at work already sysprepped and ready to go. P3 and P4 images wont work on each other and we even get BSODs when weve tried P4 ghosts on different dell mobos.

In any case, even if it does work, you really should install from scratch. Its a lot cleaner and youll get better performance and spend less time troubleshooting and with headaches.
 
Originally posted by: Redviffer
What? You mean your not installing Linux on it???

Hardware or Software would have been a better place to get a response, BUT, your lucky today as I was in OT.

What you have to do is change all your devices to standard generic devices. When you install it on the new computer, it should redetect everything. If you don't, winxp will blue screen because of the HAL. This way isn't very realiable though, I'd have your old mobo standing by, AND a fairly recent backup.

Good luck.

edit: assuming you are using winxp or win2k, if its win98 you can just hook it up, it will do it fine.
Click to expand...

What is HAL?
 
Originally posted by: Dr Smooth
Originally posted by: Redviffer
What? You mean your not installing Linux on it???

Hardware or Software would have been a better place to get a response, BUT, your lucky today as I was in OT.

What you have to do is change all your devices to standard generic devices. When you install it on the new computer, it should redetect everything. If you don't, winxp will blue screen because of the HAL. This way isn't very realiable though, I'd have your old mobo standing by, AND a fairly recent backup.

Good luck.

edit: assuming you are using winxp or win2k, if its win98 you can just hook it up, it will do it fine.
Click to expand...

What is HAL?
Click to expand...


Hardware Abstract Layer
 
Originally posted by: Dr Smooth
Originally posted by: Redviffer
What? You mean your not installing Linux on it???

Hardware or Software would have been a better place to get a response, BUT, your lucky today as I was in OT.

What you have to do is change all your devices to standard generic devices. When you install it on the new computer, it should redetect everything. If you don't, winxp will blue screen because of the HAL. This way isn't very realiable though, I'd have your old mobo standing by, AND a fairly recent backup.

Good luck.

edit: assuming you are using winxp or win2k, if its win98 you can just hook it up, it will do it fine.
Click to expand...

What is HAL?
Click to expand...

hardware abstraction layer
 
Originally posted by: Linux23
Screw it' i'm just gonna do a fresh install and watch a movie while i'm waiting. Thanks gents.
Click to expand...

Try just swapping in the drive first. My experience is that there's about a 50% chance it'll work first try. Here's one trick: In your old computer, go to IDE controllers in Hardware manager and update the proprietary IDE controller (should say the chipset name) to "Standard Dual Channel PCI Controller". That'll increase your odds a lot because most of the BSOD's you get when you do this kind of swap are because of the wrong IDE controller. It'll take a loooong time to boot that first time, but it'll work.
 
Actually I have just taken a hard drive from one system running XP and placed it into a brand new system without any issues. It took a few minutes for the first boot and I had to install some drivers but it works every time. Probably not going to run as fast as it would on a fresh install but it works good enough to transfer files around until reformat time.
 
Originally posted by: Linux23
I know there is a way to take my hard drive out of my current PC and transfer it to another PC with completely different hardware. I am too lazy to install everything from scratch right now, and any assistance would be helpful.

Basically i'm taking my hard drive out and installing it on a new motherboard I just picked up.

I can't for the life of me remember how to do this.
Click to expand...

you can do it if your mainboard chipsets are the same. but ive tried before going from a VIAkt333 to a nforce2 and it still crashed.
 
Originally posted by: brxndxn
Originally posted by: Linux23
Screw it' i'm just gonna do a fresh install and watch a movie while i'm waiting. Thanks gents.
Click to expand...

smart man
Click to expand...


I have used Sysprep with sucess but that was with a new mobo with the same chipset so I didn't have any problems. I would do what everyone has suggested and just reformat to be sure. Then if anything goes wrong you can rule out the OS.
 
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