swapping hard drives

[zha4fh]

Hello all,

I am building a new sys from scratch. I have two existing hard drives (in my current machine) that i am going to transfer to this new machine. Obviously, i will re-format the sys drive.

Question: how do i go about installing a "used" drive into a new machine? I am assuming I can't reformat in my old machine and then transfer the drive into the new machine??? Am i correct??? What is the process for this situation??

Thanks in advance.
Peace-out.

 

[ThatDumbGuy]

You can format a drive in your current setup and transfer it over no problem. Just right click on the drive in "My Computer".

 

[StraightPipe]

when you put the drives into the new box, you will want to reformat the drive that holds your OS, and probly keep the info on the second drive (used for backup)

all you need to do is put them in your new box, then put the WIN CD in your drive (making sure the bios boots from CD before HDD). the windows installer will automatically give you the option to remormat the drive window is to be installed on. just make sure it's your old C: and not D: (D: being the storage)

this should be fairly easy, just dont reformat the second drive, and you'll be fine, it's really quite easy

 

[zha4fh]

Check.

Thanks.

 

[zha4fh]

....but wait, i have a second thought.

Like i originally wrote, i am building my first computer from scratch, so please excuse my ignorance.

I assemble the computer, mobo, memory, vid card, etc, and the "old" hard drive.

On my initial boot-up, I will also have to clean install XP??
Can I do an initial boot-up AND install and operating system??

Thanks again.
peace-out.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Originally posted by: zha4fh
....but wait, i have a second thought.

Like i originally wrote, i am building my first computer from scratch, so please excuse my ignorance.

I assemble the computer, mobo, memory, vid card, etc, and the "old" hard drive.

On my initial boot-up, I will also have to clean install XP??
Can I do an initial boot-up AND install and operating system??

Thanks again.
peace-out.

Yes just set your BIOS to boot from disk then format and install the OS.

 

[zha4fh]

thanks.

 

[StraightPipe]

yeah, should be very easy, if it hangs on "cant find system disk " or somethign ten you need to change the boot order in the bios, so that CD is abouve HDD.

jsut put in the main HHD first, and add the second one later once it's stable.

should be simple, let us know if you have problems : )

 

[zha4fh]

much thanks!