Can I use an old hard drive in my new gaming pc build?

Hans Fuhrmann

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Aug 25, 2014
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I'm going to be building a pc soon and wanted to know if I can use the 320 gigabyte hard drive in my old desktop in my new computer when I build it. Here is my build:
http://pcpartpicker.com/user/LuculentDuck/saved/xXpzK8
I would format the hard drive and delete everything on it and then install windows 8. In my build I have a 1 tb hard drive selected but if I can use my old hard drive I wouldn't have to spend $60 on a new one. Thanks
 
Solution
This motherboard has an IDE connector built onto it, so you can use up to two old IDE drives on that single IDE cable as Delroy's good pix shows, if you want.

I would leave those drives unconnected at first, and install the 1Tb SATA drive first, install Windows on that and then, after you've got the motherboard drivers installed, the Windows update drivers installed THEN go back and plug in the older 320Gb drive. (You didn't tell us if it's SATA or IDE - it doesn't make much difference because this motherboard gives you flexibility.)

IF your 320Gb drive is a SATA drive, then I might install Windows on that and plug in the 1Tb Drive later, using it as a main data drive and using the 320Gb as my Boot, Operating System and...

Delroy Monjo

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Oct 10, 2013
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ide-drive-cable.png
If your 320GB drive cable looks like this, you would likely need an IDE to SATA connector as new mobos with IDE connections are rare.
 

christinebcw

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Sep 8, 2012
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This motherboard has an IDE connector built onto it, so you can use up to two old IDE drives on that single IDE cable as Delroy's good pix shows, if you want.

I would leave those drives unconnected at first, and install the 1Tb SATA drive first, install Windows on that and then, after you've got the motherboard drivers installed, the Windows update drivers installed THEN go back and plug in the older 320Gb drive. (You didn't tell us if it's SATA or IDE - it doesn't make much difference because this motherboard gives you flexibility.)

IF your 320Gb drive is a SATA drive, then I might install Windows on that and plug in the 1Tb Drive later, using it as a main data drive and using the 320Gb as my Boot, Operating System and Program Files drive. (I would do this because I might consider 'cloning' the smaller drive onto an 500Gb SSD drive eventually.)

Some folks have older IDE DVD burners which were made with best-of-parts, and they love finding these older motherboards that give them ready access to these tried-and-true drives.
 
Solution