Swapping hard drive information?

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KS_Squid

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Apr 15, 2015
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I'm wondering exactly how can I transfer all my information from my old hard drive to my new hard drive that I am using for my new rig, I'm pretty sure you can't just copy and paste them because of Windows files or something like that may be different? I want to basically add all my old info onto my new bootable hard drive that I will use and use my old one for storage like pictures and music.
Thanks
 
Solution
popatim
You can clone and try, windows is pretty resilient. At worst you only lose your time wasted in trying.

Games that use installers, like Steam, Origin, Uplay..., can be moved and all you need to do is reinstall the installer app and then add where the games are to the apps library. (Steam mover is pretty good for steam stuff)

For other programs you'll mostly need to reinstall them fresh as they write info in various places like the registry, the users appdata folder... and those would be missing.

If that old HDD was in use when the pc fell then you may have damaged it. I would not use it for anything until you are ready to clone, treat that like gold!
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KS_Squid

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Apr 15, 2015
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Oh ok so I wouldn't install Windows on the hard drive I would just copy over everything from it, but wait lol I don't think this would be possible for me anyway because the computer that I pulled the hard drive from fell from my desk and would boot, great. Would all the applications and what not on the hard drive still be operable?
 
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K

KS_Squid

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Apr 15, 2015
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Now that I think about it, I don't think cloning my hard drive would do the job because this will be a fresh build, if I close my old hdd to my new one the mobo my not detect it and won't boot? Am I right? Because of the different drivers from my previous computer
 
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popatim

popatim

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Dec 2, 2009
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You can clone and try, windows is pretty resilient. At worst you only lose your time wasted in trying.

Games that use installers, like Steam, Origin, Uplay..., can be moved and all you need to do is reinstall the installer app and then add where the games are to the apps library. (Steam mover is pretty good for steam stuff)

For other programs you'll mostly need to reinstall them fresh as they write info in various places like the registry, the users appdata folder... and those would be missing.

If that old HDD was in use when the pc fell then you may have damaged it. I would not use it for anything until you are ready to clone, treat that like gold!
 
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Solution
A

ArtPog

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Sep 17, 2014
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Just out of curiosity...

Couldn't you simply install the "old" HDD in your new "rig" as a secondary drive and access its data contents via that means? Since you're planning to use that drive for storage, at least you would be able to immediately access your personal data files, music, video files and the like that's contained on that disk, yes? You probably would need to reinstall some or all of the applications/programs on that disk.
 
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K

KS_Squid

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Apr 15, 2015
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yeah i was just going to use my old hdd as a second hard drive and just take what ever i can from it. Thank you guys i just kind of needed a second opinion on this :)
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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Define "old info".
Thanks.
 
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