Installing Old Hard Drive

Bassticular · Feb 22, 2014

Okay, I've recently purchased my first build with the following motherboard and cpu.

-Intel Core I5-3570k
-Asrock z77 extreme 4

My question is, what steps should I take to install my old hard drive to this new build?
The old hard drive came from an HP pavillion m8277c and has windows 7 on it.
I do not need to keep the older files. I just have no idea how to go about doing this.
Do I need to format or what?
The simplest explanation would be great!

unknownofprob · Feb 22, 2014

You can connect up your old HDD and it will work and boot with all your files still on there. All you have to do is put the HDD in the 3.5" HDD bay in your case and connect it up to the SATA 6GB/s port on your motherboard. If you want to clear the files from the HDD, when your PC boots just reformat the drive.

unknownofprob · Feb 22, 2014

what HDD is this? could you update on the model and manufacturer, and what connection it requires.

If this is an old old HDD, be very cautious it might use SATA II or SATA 0 and putting it in SATA III 6GB/s, avoid at all costs.

Bassticular · Feb 23, 2014

I'm pretty sure the HDD is a SATA II the model # is st3400820as the motherboard I purchased has 4 SATA II 3gb/s ports.

unknownofprob · Feb 23, 2014

then that will be safe to put it into a SATA II 3GB/s port only, nothing else.

Bassticular · Feb 23, 2014

Okay thanks! But I shouldn't run into any compatabilty issues? I have windows 7 disc. Should I boot from disc first, install win7, install drivers? Or will I be able to boot from that HDD?

unknownofprob · Feb 23, 2014

you should be able to boot directly from the HDD, as that is where all your OS and files are saved.

Bassticular · Feb 23, 2014

Thanks unknown! When my shipment arrives I will do that! I was just reading about BSOD because the HDD wouldn't recognize the new hardware on startup. Thanks for your reply!

unknownofprob · Feb 23, 2014

so just remember only put SATA II 3GB/s drives with SATA II 3GB/s ports, and you'll be set.

Once you connect the drive and boot up;login ect, you can re-fromat it to erase old files that you don't need anymore.

Bassticular · Feb 23, 2014

Awesome! Thanks unknownofprob!!

USAFRet · Feb 23, 2014

Hang on...
Given a new build with a completely different motherboard and CPU, the old HDD from the HP with the old OS install may well not boot at all.

It is not automatic plug n play.

And you will almost certainly run into activation issues. At the very least you'll probably have to activate via the phone robot.

USAFRet · Feb 23, 2014

If you're going to reinstall, no problem. That drive will work. But I wouldn't expect the old OS to boot on that new hardware.

Bassticular · Feb 23, 2014

Thanks! That's what I thought given of is a new build. I can format it if I have to. I have a new disc of win7 so I can reinstall that. Should I boot from win7 disc first? Install drivers then reformat HDD? What steps should I take to ensure it will work?

USAFRet · Feb 23, 2014

Bassticular :

If you have nothing on that drive you want to keep:
Have only that one HDD connected.
Boot from the install DVD
Delete all existing partitions
Let Windows install on the existing space. It will do what it needs to do.
Then install drivers, updates, etc.

Bassticular · Feb 23, 2014

Awesome! Thanks for your reply USAFret!

USAFRet · Feb 23, 2014

Bassticular :

No prob. Have fun, and good luck.

unknownofprob · Feb 23, 2014

USAFRet :

he said windows 7 he had, not windows me or 2000.

USAFRet · Feb 23, 2014

unknownofprob :

Yes?
Windows 7 installed on HDD in System A.
Remove that drive and put it into completely different System B.
It probably will not boot.

Sometimes it might. sometimes it might not.

unknownofprob · Feb 23, 2014

yes, there is a chance it won't boot but it could

It is an easy fix on the other hand, which you already know.

Installing Old Hard Drive

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