Harddrive transplant

[alidan]

My computer may be dead, I'll find out tomarrow.

Worst case scenireo is that the motherboard is screwed. Can I take the harddrive out and put it in a new computer and have it still run? At least good enough to back up?

 

[alidan]

I mean trying to boot from it.

Would I be able uninstall the old motherboard and graphics card and get it to work?

 

[aford10]

It depends on what hardware you are changing. If you're using a different motherboard, the chipset drivers will be different. You may need to do a windows repair to be able to boot off the hard drive.

In that situation, sometimes you can boot off the drive without problem, sometimes you can't.

 

[alidan]

How do I do a windows repair?
Will it erase things on the harddrive? Will it warn me before it does?

Thanks for everything so far, it takes a huge load off my mind

 

[aford10]

You put your OS disc in, make the CD/DVD drive the first boot device in the BIOS, restart, press any key when prompted, use the R option to repair your system volume.

As long as you just use the R (repair) option, it won't erase any data.

The system repair is only necessary if it doesn't boot off your hard drive though. When you get your new hardware, make sure your hard drive is the 1st boot device in the BIOS, then restart. If it sits there at the black BIOS screen when you restart, then you will need to do the system repair.

 

[btk1w1]

Don't get "Recovery console" and "Repair install" options mixed up.

The first option to hit "R" is for the recovery console, you don't want this one as all you will get is a command line interface.

The second option to hit "R" is for repair install.

 

[alidan]

I still don't realy get it.

I'm useing an iPod to type right now, so searching for it can be a little difficult.

Can you discribe it a little more

And from what I understand right now is that repair will erace things on the harddrive

 

[btk1w1]

A repair install is meant to leave all personal data intact... i.e. Documents, media files etc.

The repair install works on system files, and reconfigures them to match your hardware configuration.

I have always approached repair installs with a little trepidation, although it hasn't let me down yet. (This is because its appearance is the same as a full OS install)

As ictdesk has said, you can slave the drive to another system and retrieve your files off it before you start for peace of mind.

 

[btk1w1]

Also, during the repair install you may be prompted for the XP OS key. Do you have this?

 

[aford10]

Don't get "Recovery console" and "Repair install" options mixed up.

The first option to hit "R" is for the recovery console, you don't want this one as all you will get is a command line interface.

The second option to hit "R" is for repair install.

Good point. btk1w1 is on the ball today. I forgot that there is another R option in there.

You have to select your system volume, and THEN, use the R option to repair your install.

 

[alidan]

Ok I believe I understand. Thank you.

I'm hopeing it doesn't come to this but it's realy nice to know