Removing hard drive..?

[angstsoldat]

Hey guys, Im getting a new computer and the only thing that I havent "picked out" yet is my harddrive, because im using the same one from this current computer.. Its new, I got it last February.. Anyway, I did not install the harddrive so I was wondering if anyone knew of any good guides on the net I could print out for when the time comes for that? I just want to take out the harddrive from this computer and put it in the other one, and then put a new 50$ harddrive in this computer. (might sound confusing, sorry.) basically what im asking is if anyone knows any good guides on how to take out specific parts of your computer aka the hard drive.

also .. how do you reformat a hard drive? I want to try to get as many trojans, viruses, etc as possible off of it before I put it in a new system .. is their an Option in the Start menu for it? what it does is delete like every last KB off your hd right? so EVERTHING IS GONE? Thats fine if thats what it does.. I just want to know how to do it, if you would have to mess with the BIOS, and would it get rid of al lthe viruses. And how would you get Internet Explorer back on it.

 

[suicidalpigeon]

if you mean feb 2004, then its not new, even if it was 2005, it would be considered relatively new. when you're going to take that hdd and put it into the new computer you are going to have to reformat and reinstall xp because the old data wont recognize new hardware, so be aware youll need an xp cd ready. usually harddrives are just plug it in and go.

 

[d2arcturus]

Unplug it, unscrew it from the chassis, vice-versa for the new PC.
To reformat, put the Windows XP CD in your optical drive, reboot and go into BIOS, set CD-ROM as the boot device, and then just follow the instructions once you boot into Windows setup. Just make sure you format the drive NTFS and not with the "quick" option.

 

[mwmorph]

ok here is how yo do it.It's simple really.

1. Open case, by taknig off both side panels
2. Unscrew(counter clockwise) the screws holding your HDD to the cage
3. Disconnect cables(power is a 4 pin molex type and the other is the data one which is either the SATA sorta rectangle like type or IDe which is a much more elongated rectangle type)
4. Push out the drive bay which is usually done by pushing in a couple of clips to free it first(not needed by all cases. what is your pc's model number? or what is your case?Full, Mid,Minitower or Small Form Factor?)
5. Pull out the drive.
6 Install in reverse order.


as for fromatting, reinstall windows.yuo can choose for it to format the harddisk automatically when it installs.

 

[angstsoldat]

New as in I got it Feb 2005 . Also, do I reformat with my new hardware in it? or Reformat while its still with the old pieces, then put it in the new stuff or what? I dont know what my PC's modle # is its a really old gateway (4 years). yeah I have a WinXP key .

Thanks mwmorph.. just one thing.. can you explain #4 a bit better? this will be my first build/removal etc.

 

[angstsoldat]

oh, and my HD is a 250GB Western Digital.. this is the link for it.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp...yId=pcmcat33200050001&id=1051826249450

 

[mwmorph]

gateway huh? is it the type that sits horizontal so you can put a monitor on top or is it a tower type? if it is a tower type, then i bet it is a minitower design. There weill be a couple of clips that hold the front on. This may not be needed if there is nothing like pci/agp cards or cables blocking your removal of the hdd by pulling it back into the case to clear the drive cage but if it's cramped, then push in all the clips and pull off the front of the case. then pull it out toward you.

when you install it in the new pc, then reinstall windows and select you wnat to reformant the HDD. that way, after the install is done, windows will auto setup all your hardware.

 

[angstsoldat]

auto setup all my hardware meaning it will be booted up with Internet Explorer? Sorry I keep coming back to that I just dont know how to get that back on.. I use Firefox but Iexplorer is like.. necessary

I went to MechbGons site and that has some pretty good and detailed guides it seems I think I should be fine between looking at his guides and buildyourown.org.uk .

The Motherboard Manual will be very specific with everything right? Like. where exactly to place your mobo in the case, what order to connect stuff, which BIOS options to check, etc etc. ? I'll most likely be using a MSI K8N Neo4-F Socket 939 MOBO . now that I found this site im not too worried about messing up with anyything in the BIOS or something, just as long as I dont break anything. because I know I can come here on my bro's computer and get expert help

 

[angstsoldat]

Its a tower type, it has 2 5.25" bays, 1 floppy bay it came with a 19GB HD (replaced thank god), a 1.4GHz Pentium(4 i think) processor, and MX400 graphics card.. dont bother looking it up but you were curious so ..


EDIT^ my old one is, the gateway. lol

 

[mwmorph]

no as when it starts up, it will detect your hardware and install the proper drivers for them so you dont have to do it later. with a fresh install on the new pc, you wont have to delete the extra devices you installed form the previous pc.

 

[angstsoldat]

uhh so when I get the drivers on them and do all the BIOS stuff and boot up its a clean drive and will it have Internet explorer on it? if not how will I get that on there.. or will WinXP O/S automatically put that there when I install that.

EDIT: also, MechbGon recommends a knife for when your building your PC in the start... uhh ....

uhh ...

do you have to cut anything ? O_O

 

[mwmorph]

windows always automatically installs internet explorer/windows media player. it's what some companies were arguing against microsoft in that antitrust case a few years ago.

 

[angstsoldat]

aight thanks man. Sorry I haven't been responding the last couple minutes, I'm busy reading MechbOrgans guide now hehe. All is pretty clear and easy to understand so far!!!

 

[angstsoldat]

One last question i have before this thread dies...

I hear these people talking about all these tests and whatnot for your computer.. like temperatures, performance, etc.

How are people able to figure out how to tell their average computer temperature (C) if its not on their case.. or for even individual pieces.. and how do you test your "performance" stuff, like 3d0mark09 or whatever.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: angstsoldat
Hey guys, Im getting a new computer and the only thing that I havent "picked out" yet is my harddrive, because im using the same one from this current computer.. Its new, I got it last February.. Anyway, I did not install the harddrive so I was wondering if anyone knew of any good guides on the net I could print out for when the time comes for that? I just want to take out the harddrive from this computer and put it in the other one, and then put a new 50$ harddrive in this computer. (might sound confusing, sorry.) basically what im asking is if anyone knows any good guides on how to take out specific parts of your computer aka the hard drive.

also .. how do you reformat a hard drive? I want to try to get as many trojans, viruses, etc as possible off of it before I put it in a new system .. is their an Option in the Start menu for it? what it does is delete like every last KB off your hd right? so EVERTHING IS GONE? Thats fine if thats what it does.. I just want to know how to do it, if you would have to mess with the BIOS, and would it get rid of al lthe viruses. And how would you get Internet Explorer back on it.

Even after you reformat, the data on the old hard drive can still be read and is readable by anyone who knows how to do it. You can't see it but it is still there.

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: angstsoldat
One last question i have before this thread dies...

I hear these people talking about all these tests and whatnot for your computer.. like temperatures, performance, etc.

How are people able to figure out how to tell their average computer temperature (C) if its not on their case.. or for even individual pieces.. and how do you test your "performance" stuff, like 3d0mark09 or whatever.

forget temp tests. they're largely irrelevant unless you have something wrong.

now for graphics performance
3dmark01se(second edition)(DX7/8)
3dmark03(DX8/9)
3dmark05(Dx9)
are downloadable from futuremark.com(trial versions)

For overall system performance,
PcMark04
PcMark05(fixes some Amd cpu problems)
Trials are also available from Futuremark.com

For a general HDD pure numbers benchmark
Sisoft Sandra(freeware)
can be had from sisoftware.net

Everest Home Edition also does some pure HW numbers Benchies(Freeware)
can be had from lavalys.com/