Will restore disk work on new HD?

[websurfermom]

My entire PC career began with an old Sony with XP, complete with installation disks containing OS and apps. As time went on I bought a Dell with XP with restore disk; then the HD died (it was a refurbished model off an auction site.) My question is: if I buy a new HD for the Dell and install the recovery disk, will that give me a working computer? Or should I install the installation disks from the SONY first, then update it with the XP? Or should I forget the whole thing and sell the Dell for parts?

 

[Swampster]

Your Dell recovery disks will restore to your new HDD just fine. Don't forget all the updates to the operating system. Also, you might want to 86 whatever trialware security software that originally came on the system in favor of Microsoft Security Essentials.