Old Hard Drive, new PC, NO wipe?
- Thread starter EpicBliss
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Solution
ESPclipse
Reputable
- May 27, 2014
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If you are using Windows, then I believe the OS is linked to the motherboard, and changing motherboard will render the OS bogus, and Windows will bug you about the OS not being genuine all the while. That is, if you can boot to it. A stark change in hardware may result in the inability to boot, or if it does, can lead to numerous kernel-level problems. As always, start a new system with a fresh OS install. It's a pain to repeat the progress you have made, we know, but it is better to be safe than potentially have to drag along a crippled OS. The Windows kernel was not built for such transfers, so I wouldn't try it. Just my two cents. Sorry to killjoy 
EDIT
The scenario I described might not be applicable to Windows 8/8.1. See here for details
EDIT
The scenario I described might not be applicable to Windows 8/8.1. See here for details
- Mar 16, 2013
- 171,681
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The actual answer is "Maybe"
Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't
Will it boot? Often, no. And a main factor in yes or no is how far apart the two systems are.
Licensing? What type of license is it? An OEM license is tied to that original motherboard. A retail license can be installed on a new system.
So...what is the way forward with this?
1. Discover what type of license you have. If it was preinstalled on that old PC, almost certainly an OEM license.
2. Prepare for if it does not work. If you swap the drive around, and it does not boot...you'll be left with one thing to do - Reinstall. If you have not prepared for this, tears will follow.
Find the license key, back up whatever you want from that drive, be prepared to reinstall all your applications, etc, etc.
Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't
Will it boot? Often, no. And a main factor in yes or no is how far apart the two systems are.
Licensing? What type of license is it? An OEM license is tied to that original motherboard. A retail license can be installed on a new system.
So...what is the way forward with this?
1. Discover what type of license you have. If it was preinstalled on that old PC, almost certainly an OEM license.
2. Prepare for if it does not work. If you swap the drive around, and it does not boot...you'll be left with one thing to do - Reinstall. If you have not prepared for this, tears will follow.
Find the license key, back up whatever you want from that drive, be prepared to reinstall all your applications, etc, etc.
HFC
Distinguished
- Jul 22, 2014
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You get a few complications if you don't want your old hard drive to be your primary drive. You'd have to install an OS on a new drive, install all your programs on the new drive, and direct any programs to the appropriate AppData or Program Data folders.
No, it doesn't have to be the same OS for you to be able to access your old files. I've flipped between Windows and *nix systems plenty of times. The only problem you'll run into is file extension incompatibilities, but programs like OpenOffice.org bridge the gap.
What can go wrong? Computers like to cause trouble. Unexpected, supposedly tiny issues can crop up, but I never know what those are until they happen. Then I ask Google and come here. Off the top of my head, I'd say one risk is physical damage occurring while you're transferring the drive, but if you're careful you can avoid that. Someone more experienced may be able to tell you about unexpected incompatibilities or such.
No, it doesn't have to be the same OS for you to be able to access your old files. I've flipped between Windows and *nix systems plenty of times. The only problem you'll run into is file extension incompatibilities, but programs like OpenOffice.org bridge the gap.
What can go wrong? Computers like to cause trouble. Unexpected, supposedly tiny issues can crop up, but I never know what those are until they happen. Then I ask Google and come here. Off the top of my head, I'd say one risk is physical damage occurring while you're transferring the drive, but if you're careful you can avoid that. Someone more experienced may be able to tell you about unexpected incompatibilities or such.
- Mar 16, 2013
- 171,681
- 18,057
- 184,590
Taking a drive with an existing OS, and putting it in a whole different PC.....maybe.
Just reading here at Tom's, I see several of these daily. No boot, endless rebooting, blah, blah.
Sometimes it does work. But if it doesn't, and you don't have all your ducks in a row first...then where are you?
Just reading here at Tom's, I see several of these daily. No boot, endless rebooting, blah, blah.
Sometimes it does work. But if it doesn't, and you don't have all your ducks in a row first...then where are you?
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