Old HD (only HD) in new custom built

[thebluekangaru]

Motherboard: MSI NF980-G65 AM3
Processor: CPU AMD|PH II X4 955 3.2G AM3
DVD BURNER: MSI | DH-24AAS-17
Graphics Card: VGA MSI | N9600GT-MD1G GF9600GT
PSU: CORSAIR|CMPSU-750TX 750W
Memory: 2Gx2|GSK F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ (4GB DDR3)
Case: CASE ANTEC|NINE HUNDRED TWO
Hard Drive: Samsung SP2504C ATA Device (from old computer with Vista OS-32bit)


So this is the computer I have built using an old HD from my previous computer. It is the only hard drive and I would rather not buy a new hard drive or format my current one if I don't have to.

The problem:
Boots up fine, runs fine when it is not doing strenuous activities (generally). Sometimes I get the BSOD (blue screen of death) with various errors. These errors include ntsf.sys, volsnap.sys, and sometimes it doesn't give a specific name.

Every time I try to play a game it instantly crashes into the BSOD. However, one time I actually played my game for 4 hours without a hitch. Unplugged my computer, brought it to my parents house, hooked it up and back to square one.

I am not computer savy by any means, it took me over 14 hours to put this computer together. I have updated all my drivers for all items plugged in on Driver Detective.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Why would you cripple your new system with that old, slow HD? Hard drive technology has advanced a lot since that old HD was made. The new drives are easily three times faster.

You also can't just take the HD out of one machine and move it to another machine. Your HD still has registry entries and stuff for your old hardware which is causing your BSOD's. You'll have to do a fresh install of the OS if you ever want a stable system. A fast HD is only $55 and a VERY worthwhile investment.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $54.99

 

[thebluekangaru]

Why would you cripple your new system with that old, slow HD? Hard drive technology has advanced a lot since that old HD was made. The new drives are easily three times faster.

You also can't just take the HD out of one machine and move it to another machine. Your HD still has registry entries and stuff for your old hardware which is causing your BSOD's. You'll have to do a fresh install of the OS if you ever want a stable system. A fast HD is only $55 and a VERY worthwhile investment.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $54.99

You are absolutely right. I plan on buying a new hard drive but waiting on a good deal to roll around.

Is there a way to repair the OS so that it deletes the registry entries? Either through a repair installation of the OS (not sure if Vista has one) or through manually discovering & deleting the registry entries?

Also, once I get another hard drive can I use that hard drive as well with the OS on it as a secondary?

 

[shortstuff_mt]

There isn't really a good way to clean up the installation without performing a clean install. You might find some half-baked suggestions online, but I wouldn't risk it.

When you get your new drive you can use the old one as a backup drive, but it still won't be stable as a boot drive until you do a fresh install. I would just transfer all your documents to the new drive, format the old drive, and use it as a backup drive.

 

[thebluekangaru]

Can the OS be different on each hard drive?
Also,
My windows came prelaoded on my previous computer and I have since misplaced the boot disk. Should I order a replacement boot disk from HP or do I have to buy a new copy of Vista?

Thank you for all your help, appreciate it.

 

[MadAdmiral]

Yes, the OS can be different on different HDDs. It's called dual booting.

No, that version won't work. Prebuilt machines (like the HP) come with a special version of Windows on them called an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) version. This version is the same as the retail version, except for a couple of points. First, you can't call tech support about it without paying a fee. Second, the copy can only be installed on a single machine. Typically, each disc ties itself to the motherboard, thus if you upgrade the board, you have to get a new copy of Windows.

I would go out and buy a copy of Windows 7. It's better and Vista might be more expensive. You should look for an OEM version, as it will be cheaper than the retail.

 

[thebluekangaru]

Hehe, this is starting to add up. I can get a student copy of Windows 7 for $70.00. Do you think any other version of Win7 that is OEM will be cheaper than retail?

Thank you for clearing up the HP issue. Good thing I didn't order the replacement disk. =)

 

[MadAdmiral]

That's the cheapest you can get Windows 7. An OEM copy of Home would be around $100.