re-using HDD

[Fred Rogers]

could anyone please tell me how to use the current HDD and put it in a new system? i dont have the XP disk's because it was a store bought computer. it is an IDE connector. if you could tell me how i could use it in my new system without going out and buying windows XP, that would be great.

 

[chusteczka]

If I understand Microsoft's complex license properly, I would say that the license does not allow the transfer of an OEM MS Windows license from the OEM computer to a new computer. The OEM license is for the specific brand and model of motherboard in the original system only. This is partly why the operating system is so cheaply obtained in OEM systems. The WinXP Professional license is able to be swapped from one computer to another but this license is also more expensive partly for this reason.

Here are some techniques for upgrading the drivers when swapping a hard drive from one system to another but the WinXP install disk is typically required in order to update the system drivers.

[*]Swapping a hard drive, with the system files ( C: ), from one system to another[/u]
Swapping a hard drive with the operating system files on it, from one system to another is similar to changing a motherboard in one system. The hard drive with operating system files and motherboard must communicate through drivers and if either the operating system hard drive or motherboard are changed, then the drivers must be updated. There are different ideas on how to update these drivers for the operating system and these ideas include:

• Clean Installation
• Repair Installation
• Use of Sysprep (more than one system)
• Standard PCI IDE Controller trick (only one system)
  
  • Helping Windows Survive a Motherboard Upgrade
  • How to: Upgrade your motherboard without reinstalling Windows.
  • "Standard PCI IDE Controller" trick
    • Put the HDD in the old machine, change the HDD controller to "Standard PCI IDE Controller", and then immediately shut the PC down and move it to the new PC. As long as the HAL is the same, the PC will boot. Be ready with driver CDs or floppies, and you're all set. (written by dclive)
  • Google: How to Move a Windows XP Installation to Different Hardware
  • Microsoft Support: How to Move a Windows XP Installation to Different Hardware
  • How to use the Sysprep tool to automate successful deployment of Windows XP
  • Windows XP Setup - Missing HAL.DLL
  • Microsoft: HAL Compatibility List

[*]Windows Repair Install[/u]

• Microsoft Support: How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
• Michael Stevens: How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install

EDIT: It is funny that after 5 hours of this post sitting here, Fardringle and I respond within 5 minutes of each other.

 

[Fardringle]

If the computer was a store or OEM (Dell, Compaq, HP, etc.) brand, you most likely have an OEM version of Windows XP which is intended for use only on the computer it came with. It is possible you could transfer the drive and existing installation of Windows to a new computer but you would still usually need to have the Windows XP CD to run a repair installation on the new computer after installing the hard drive in that computer.


edit: chusteczka beat me to it.

 

[Fred Rogers]

this computer is a compaq...but on the hdd, it came with a partion. for system recovery. i dont know if that makes a difference, but i just thought i should mention that. it has a 4 GB partion of the 160GB hdd seperated. so it looks like there are 2 hdd's, but theres not.

 

[Fred Rogers]

would i be able to do the mini setup they described at the bottom of this article, then when it shuts down take the hdd and put it in my new system?
: http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=34&threadid=1688660&forumid=1

 

[Fardringle]

If the drive image has that OEM recovery partition, then it's likely that your restore disk would have it as well. My experience has been (with about a half dozen different systems) that any drive imaged with a manufacturer's OS recovery partition will not boot in any computer except the one it was installed in, or another identical machine.

 

[Fred Rogers]

what if i did a destuctive recovery ( delete everything ) and when it was done i took it out and put it in my new system? would that work?

 

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally posted by: Fred Rogers
what if i did a destuctive recovery ( delete everything ) and when it was done i took it out and put it in my new system? would that work?

Nope. The destructive recovery is part of your proprietary version of XP. It will notice right away and won't let you proceed. If you follow the advice above, you stand a pretty fair chance of reaching your desktop when you're done. However, I expect you'll be asked to reactivate your windows xp. You're likely to run into problems at this step due to licensing restrictions also explained above.

Edit: I misread what you asked. Even if you did a destructive recovery on your old machine to start with a fresh xp install and then moved it to your new machine, you still haven't solved the biggest problem. Chipset drivers ... they need to be changed or you're likely to start seeing bluescreens. chusteczka's post would be a good reference on how to avoid that problem.