Comments for Can I use my old hard drives with a new motherboard?

Comment from Rkidkool3 on 2008-11-28

2008-11-28T16:52:13Z

If all you have is the hdd that already has windows installed, and no cd or new hdd can this be done

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A comment on: Can I use my old hard drives with a new motherboard?

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Comment from arlie on 2007-07-02

2007-07-02T17:05:18Z

A local competent builder is assembling a new machine for me. New: motherboard; new boxed version XPpro; new HD. Old: XPpro; 2 HD; several Autocad,Catia & Solidworks programs. How to transfer to the new machine? I realize this is already partially answered in your column but the "devil" is in the details! Specific questions are best when all details are given. Some friends advise Magic Mover. That seems to out of date. I am in no hurry to lose programs. This seems to be a common task, as 2 other of this builder's customer's are attempting to do the same task. Also I have no agreement on partitioning of the new HD. How many partitions of what size? I have about 20 gig of cad type programs now.

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A comment on: Can I use my old hard drives with a new motherboard?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Comment from dave on 2006-11-08

2006-11-08T12:21:09Z

Hi Leo, My, Motherboard has failed me, and I have important data on my HDD(which has windowsxp installed), when I put it in another computer, it just makes a blinking sound and I get the message 'Cannot read HDD'. Is there anything I can do to use this HDD again?

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A comment on: Can I use my old hard drives with a new motherboard?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Comment from Skandi Franksen on 2006-11-03

2006-11-04T04:45:11Z

Linux. Many distributions available, free for the price of downloading and burning it.
I swapped a SATA HD and Grafx card into a fully functional system. Windows would not go. Linux go'ed. Writing this while hunting down a way to make Windows go (for one game only, once I'm done with it I reformat and say goodbye to Windows on my personal boxes).
Why is it so easy to--and get this, hot plug a hard drive into your mobo--change hardware on other OSs while the leading OS supplier's software costs so many man-hours to change? Motherboards' lifespans are finite--not that they die, always, but c'mon, the technology changes.

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A comment on: Can I use my old hard drives with a new motherboard?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Comment from pammii on 2006-10-31

2006-11-01T01:42:57Z

I've got a client that has had their mobo and cpu fried, so ive replaced both those, but here is where the problem lies, they did not back up their system and would like to keep everything the way it was on the old hdd without reformatting and losing all data and programs installed (as they do not have the original install files for these programs). My question is (as i know the old xp pro hdd will not boot with new system) i've already run the repair install and recovery console, but to no avail, it gets stuck un the boot loop like many others. But, i have built my own machine with the same system (mobo and cpu) with a clean xp pro install which does not have any programs or devices installed.... could i swap the start up files to the old hdd with the same mobo and cpu to get it started to detect all the new drivers and keep programs and data etc. and if so, what files would i need to replace on the old hdd from my clean hdd? (ive already tried everything i can think of and this popped into mind) btw, i cannot boot into safe mode on the old hdd to remove the drivers so windows will pick them up on repair for the new mobo. and the system when boots in safe mode will hang on 'gagp30kx.sys' which i assume is the video card? or failing that, how would i go about deleting the drivers that try to boot using recovery console. sorry for the long question, im just at that stage where ive been over and over with this thing for days and becoming a zombie. cheers and thanks in advance, pammii.

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A comment on: Can I use my old hard drives with a new motherboard?

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Comment from Vic on 2006-10-22

2006-10-23T02:20:27Z

Well, some days before I have read something about copying windows registry, specially "\...\WAB", and "\system32" directory. After that I supposed was told to get some "merge program", and run it including these two situations. The issue was making ourselves a new computer and tranfer the windows serial to the new one, including hard disks and keep them ok. Might be good discoussing these options ? Something good to keep from this?
Vic

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A comment on: Can I use my old hard drives with a new motherboard?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Comment from Ken on 2006-10-19

2006-10-19T14:23:43Z

I have replaced motherboards and kept the hard drive many times over the years without any problems.

Well, one "minor" problem with an easy workaround. The first time you boot to Windows (assuming this is a Windows system, given the references to "C:" and "D:"), it will probably detect new hardware and will want to install new drivers off the Windows CD. Unfortunately, I have had motherboard upgrades where this "insert the Windows CD" prompt occurs _before_ the CD drivers are loaded, causing a nice Catch 22 situation.

To get around this, I make a "\windows.cd" directory on the hard drive, and copy the Windows install CD there _before_ installing the new motherboard. Then, simply tell the new hardware wizard to look there, rather than the CD drive itself.

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A comment on: Can I use my old hard drives with a new motherboard?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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