New Motherboard, old HDD

[ziggy_09]

I recently bought a new motherboard to install in my pre-built HP pc. I also bought a copy of windows 7. Will I be able to use the HDD that came with the pre-built pc, and if that is possible what must I do when installing the new motherboard in order to use my old HDD. I have no concern over formatting the hdd.

 

[abekl]

Whether you can use your old HDD depends on the type of connector it uses to connect to the MB. Old HDDs used ATA (EIDE) connectors, and modern MBs don't come with an ATA connector. If your old hard drive uses a sata connector, then you should be able to plug it into the MB without problems.

 

[ziggy_09]

how can I tell the difference?

 

[ziggy_09]

and since this was a prebuilt PC, do I have to format my HDD since I bought a new OS to install?

 

[abekl]

"how can I tell the difference? "
You'll need to look for pictures of SATA and ATA connectors and compare them to your hard drive and motherboard.