XP Drive in 7 PC

caseyhu · Dec 28, 2016

all,
I'm new to the site and have a question regarding windows xp drive in a windows 7 box. I've read the related questions like this but I don't see my issue. I can't seem to get the PC to boot from the xp drive. it's saying to insert a disk. I know the drive is good b/c I can boot from it when I have it in an xp box. also, I know the 7 box is good b/c I can boot the 7 drive in it. is there something I have to change in the bios to allow it to open an xp drive?
thank you for your help,
Casey

Herc08 · Dec 28, 2016

Wait what? You have a case that was designed for Windows 7, but you are trying to use hard drive from Windows XP? If that is the case, of course it will not work. The hardware ID is going to cause a mismatch with the motherboard. Plus, are you using UEFI?

caseyhu · Dec 28, 2016

sorry, I'm not very good with this at all. the PC came new with a windows 7 drive. it's a Dell OptiPlex 9020.
I'm trying to run an old XP drive on it and it won't boot windows.
it's running legacy, not UEFI.

thanks Herc08

Herc08 · Dec 28, 2016

caseyhu :

Does that drive have Windows XP installed already? Or is it blank? If it is not blank, then it will not work, because that motherboard is tied to XP case you have.

bignastyid · Dec 28, 2016

You can't just take a HDD with xp on it from one system plug it into another and expect it to boot. It's not going to work.

caseyhu · Dec 28, 2016

no, the old drive I want to run is XP and has an operating system on it. it's has a lot of files I'd like to run and access. I can access it with the new PC if I run the new (7) hard drive and access it as an external drive. I want to run it as a bootable drive though.

which motherboard do you mean is tied to XP? the new PC has a 7 motherboard, right?

Herc08 · Dec 28, 2016

caseyhu :

So you are trying to dual boot? And use it as an external drive? I would not recommend that. If it is just files, why not just copy them over to the new drive? If you have software, grab the installer, and install it on Windows 7. No need to have two drives. Windows 7 also has Virtual XP Mode, which is sort of like virtualization. Take advantage of that. Backup your drive tied to your XP mothernboard, transfer contents over, and wipe it, then use it for additional storage.

That's my recommendation.

caseyhu · Dec 28, 2016

oh, ok. thanks.

caseyhu · Dec 28, 2016

ok, so let me tell you guys what I'm doing and maybe you can offer a much better solution.

I have some old computers running equipment in a plant. the old systems run XP computers. I am creating backup drives of the xp systems. there are about 10 total. I thought I could just buy a computer shell and boot the backup drives to test them and update the files on them without affecting the machine while it is running.
so I want an update backup drive in a cabinet in case the drive crashes on the machine. then I'd just be able to put the backup drive in the machine and keep running production.

I guess I should have just asked this question first.

sorry for the confusion.

Thank you though,

Herc08 · Dec 28, 2016

I understand what you are saying. You basically want to back up the data from the old drives that was running on an XP machine. I would recommend getting a HDD enclosure and mount it while in Windows. Then save your files. Next, wipe the drive, so you can put anything up there. Then format and partition it so Windows 7 will recgonize as just a drive, similar to an external HDD.

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XP Drive in 7 PC

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