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Hard Drive to other older computer

Discussion in 'Legacy Windows' started by huntr, 2008/04/29.

  1. 2008/04/29
    huntr

    huntr Inactive Thread Starter

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    My kid's older computer with 2 GB HD (ATA/66) with Win2000 is running very slow and I have found another harddrive in good shape with 20 GB (ATA/100) so is it possible for me to replace the HD to CPU for my kids to use. I can format HD and re-install Win2000 or WinXP Pro (I have both OS installation disks that came with my other computers at home). Will it work if the 20GB HD is replaced with OS in it or do I need to format the 20 GB HD and load it in older CPU and then re-install the OS and drivers?

    Let me know what I should do without spending many hours struggling to make other HD to work.

    Many thanks! :)
     
    huntr,
    #1
  2. 2008/04/29
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    huntr - Welcome to the Board :)

    In principle what you want to achieve is possible with the following provisos ....

    The 20 Gb ATA 100 drive will only run at the higher 'speed' if the motherboard has ATA 100 controllers - it may be limited to ATA 66.

    You cannot install XP Pro on that drive using the install CD for your computer - the OS is only licensed to be installed on one computer. The install may go fine, but you will be unable to activate it. There was no activation with W2k so that should work OK although the same licence rule strictly speaking applies.

    To make a clean install you will require a retail copy of W2k - an OEM copy is often tied to the hardware of the computer on which it was originally supplied, but may not be.

    If you make a fresh install on the 20 Gb drive you will need the chipset drivers for the motherboard.

    You are in a position where you have nothing to lose - if the install on the 20 Gb drive fails you can refit the 2 Gb drive and be back to square one.

    So .....

    Go into the BIOS and set the Boot order to CD-ROM > Floppy > Hard Drive

    Remove the old hard drive and fit the new - check that the jumpers are set to Master.

    Boot from the W2k CD, format the drive and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation.

    With W2k running load the chipset drivers, other drivers you require and the software you require.

    Good luck :)
     
    PeteC,
    #2


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  4. 2008/05/01
    visionof

    visionof Inactive

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    the newer drive should be faster
    as well you may be running on limited space on that drive
    if windows is fairly ok - then the easiest way would be to "clone" the hard drive
    with an older version of Norton Ghost
    the older ones ( 2002 ?) create a diskette
    you boot off a windows 98 boot disk
    then start the ghost program off the disk or cd
    works like a charm
    best not to use the newer windows based versions of ghost
     
    visionof,
    #3

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