Can i use Vista hard-drive on Windows 7 PC?

JMCross

Honorable
May 30, 2013
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Hey, I've got an old hard drive that I took out of a PC that used Windows Vista.
I'm Curious to find out what old data I had on it before I had any knowledge of PC components. Maybe old video games/ movies ect, (Used in like 2009)
Everytime I connect the sata connectors to it and try to start up my PC, I don't think it boots with the hard drive. Any idea on how to retrieve the data?
Currently running windows 7.
500 gb seagate barracuda, 7200 rpm.
 
Solution
Your computer might be defaulting to try and boot to the new drive. Go in to bios and make sure your default boot device is your windows 7 hard drive.

If for some weird reason you just can not get it to default to your windows 7 drive (shouldn't happen but weird things happen) then you could always get a USB external drive enclosure and put the old drive in that and just use it as a portable drive.
Your computer might be defaulting to try and boot to the new drive. Go in to bios and make sure your default boot device is your windows 7 hard drive.

If for some weird reason you just can not get it to default to your windows 7 drive (shouldn't happen but weird things happen) then you could always get a USB external drive enclosure and put the old drive in that and just use it as a portable drive.
 
Solution