OS and Changing Hard Drive Help
Last response: in Storage
So i recently just built a computer and got an 80gb SSD. While i love the SSD i could really use some more room for installing games. With the hard drive prices like they are i am wondering if i can just utilize a hard drive from another computer. Here are what hard drives i believe i have in older computers:
120gb 6 years old
80gb 6 years old
20 gb 10 years old
And a laptop 200GB HDD (5400rpm)3 years old.
I have a sata cord, is it possible for me to use that laptop hard drive? The laptop is in pretty bad condition so i would not mind taking its hard drive out. Now the first 120gb and 80gb i listed are from dell computers, i wouldnt mind taking those out but they contain the OS image that dell puts on computers. If i wanted to use that computer later would i just have to put a HD in, install windows xp and then could i just use the windows key from the sticker on the side of the tower? Is this all just too much of a hassle and should i just hold out for a cheap 1tb hard drive?
120gb 6 years old
80gb 6 years old
20 gb 10 years old
And a laptop 200GB HDD (5400rpm)3 years old.
I have a sata cord, is it possible for me to use that laptop hard drive? The laptop is in pretty bad condition so i would not mind taking its hard drive out. Now the first 120gb and 80gb i listed are from dell computers, i wouldnt mind taking those out but they contain the OS image that dell puts on computers. If i wanted to use that computer later would i just have to put a HD in, install windows xp and then could i just use the windows key from the sticker on the side of the tower? Is this all just too much of a hassle and should i just hold out for a cheap 1tb hard drive?
More about : changing hard drive
Keep in mind that HDDs have a limited life span, and putting an HDD older than 5 years in your "daily driver" could be asking for more trouble down the road. Besides, the 80Gb HDD is not an upgrade from the 80 Gb SSD that you already have, and the 120 Gb one is too small of an upgrade. To top it all, the interface from that long ago might be PATA, not SATA, and render the HDDs unusable with your new system, unless you purchase some adapters, that would make this "move" totally illogical.
You could get the 200 Gb and use it; you will notice a big drop in performance, given that is only an HDD, not an SSD, and a 5400rpm one also, which is the slowest you could get.
You can keep the 80Gb SSD for the OS drive and get an additional HDD for programs/games install. For that purpose, you can use that 200Gb HDD you already have, but prepare yourself for an early upgrade; 200Gb can be filled in no time nowadays, and you will not be pleased with the speed of that drive, either (see above).
You could get the 200 Gb and use it; you will notice a big drop in performance, given that is only an HDD, not an SSD, and a 5400rpm one also, which is the slowest you could get.
You can keep the 80Gb SSD for the OS drive and get an additional HDD for programs/games install. For that purpose, you can use that 200Gb HDD you already have, but prepare yourself for an early upgrade; 200Gb can be filled in no time nowadays, and you will not be pleased with the speed of that drive, either (see above).
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