Using an old storage hard drive in a new build

[Shamshir]

I'm planning on building a new rig as soon as Haswell comes out. I've been wondering if I could use my current SATA storage hard drive in my future build. There's 430GB of Steam content in that drive, so throwing it away is simply not an option for me.

 

[Blain]

Use an SSD for your OS and the old sata for bulk storage.

 

[Elixer]

I'm planning on building a new rig as soon as Haswell comes out. I've been wondering if I could use my current SATA storage hard drive in my future build. There's 430GB of Steam content in that drive, so throwing it away is simply not an option for me.

Why wouldn't you be able to use the same HD in another build ?
BTW, If you don't have a backup, then that IS throwing away the drive...just the when part is up in the air.

 

[aarontpx]

I've been wondering if I could use my current SATA storage hard drive in my future build.

You can but depending on how old it is you risk failure. That being said I have a 4 year old wd green 1tb and a 7 year old wd blue 80gb still kicking with no issues.

 

[Mfusick]

SSD or die. It's doesn't really matter how. Gunshot, leap from a biulding, fire .... Etc. it's all a better choice than using HDD for OS.

 

[sm625]

I've been wondering if I could use my current SATA storage hard drive in my future build.

Simply put, yes you can. Just be aware that, when you plug it in and then turn it on, your computer might try to boot off that drive. You may need to set your boot order in the bios. And one day if your bios ever reverts to defaults for any reason, it may again try to boot off of that drive. This is no problem except that it wont boot until you set the boot order in the bios again. There are people who will tell you you cannot use an old hard drive because of the scenario I just described, they just happened to not know about bios settings. As a matter of fact I know for a fact that some people will actually get rid of their old perfectly good pc due to these sorts of problems. I find it amusing.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

SSD or die. It's doesn't really matter how. Gunshot, leap from a biulding, fire .... Etc. it's all a better choice than using HDD for OS.

SSDs die too.

"Backup or die permanently" would probably be a better motto.

 

[SPBHM]

if you prepare your current OS install correctly, you may even get away with not needing to reinstall the OS, but I would recommend a fresh install.

 

[Shamshir]

Thank you guys for the help, much appreciated.

if you prepare your current OS install correctly, you may even get away with not needing to reinstall the OS, but I would recommend a fresh install.

Does that mean I could use my current boot SSD in my future rig without needing to format it? If not, then can I just format my current SSD and do a fresh OS install in the future build?

 

[jkauff]

Does that mean I could use my current boot SSD in my future rig without needing to format it? If not, then can I just format my current SSD and do a fresh OS install in the future build?

You're talking about using a new CPU architecture, which means a new motherboard, which means you'll need to do a fresh install because the HAL won't match.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

You're talking about using a new CPU architecture, which means a new motherboard, which means you'll need to do a fresh install because the HAL won't match.

Nah. Just use Sysprep. (I went from a nVidia chipset and a C2Q to an Intel Chipset / i5 with no problems.)

http://www.testools.net/2013/01/how-to-make-sysprep-for-windows-8_28.html

(Explains in the context of VMs, but basically the same thing - jsut generalize your system, shut it down, plug the boot drive into the new motherboard, and fire it up.)

You'll need to reactivate Windows, though.

 

[Shamshir]

Nah. Just use Sysprep. (I went from a nVidia chipset and a C2Q to an Intel Chipset / i5 with no problems.)

http://www.testools.net/2013/01/how-to-make-sysprep-for-windows-8_28.html

(Explains in the context of VMs, but basically the same thing - jsut generalize your system, shut it down, plug the boot drive into the new motherboard, and fire it up.)

You'll need to reactivate Windows, though.

Thanks for the link. :thumbsup:

I prefer a clean OS install since I will be upgrading to a faster SSD.