Hard drive caddy? best way?

Ivrytwr3

OK, my pc graphics card slot has died and i've decided to buy a new system (old one was 7 years old anyway!) However, there is a lot of stuff on my old hard drive ie files and folders and also installed programs.

Would i be able to remove the old pc hard drive, insert into a caddy and transfer to my new pc?

If not, what can i do to get the old stuff to the new?

If yes, can anyone recommend a caddy?

Ta!!

CHR15

You can do that.

Even more simpler would be to install your existing drive into your new PC, it will have space for a second hard drive, no messing with caddies and cables at all, simply use it as extra storage space.

Your new PC will undoubtedly have a SATA drive in as standard, simply take the IDE cable out of your old pc along with the drive and plug it into the (empty) IDE Slot on your new PC. There will be a spare power connector on the new one.

Just ensure the new BIOS is configured to boot the new SATA Drive first.

A much neater solution.

EDIT: The installed programs won't work (they wouldn't do from a caddy either), all your progs will have to be re-installed on the new PC

Ivrytwr3

so can i just plug in the old drive and it will work? Or do i have to change any bios settings?

CHR15

Chances are, simply plug it in and it will work fine.

Only if it doesn't work, go back and check the BIOS Settings

AirCooledHeaven

Ivrytwr3 wrote: »

so can i just plug in the old drive and it will work? Or do i have to change any bios settings?

As long as the old hard drive is plugged into a different IDE port to your new SATA drive then you should be OK, no need to change any jumpers on the drive and the BIOS should autodetect both drives.

One thing to watch is that a new 'off the shelf' PC may not have an ide port fitted, the motherboards are cut right down to reduce costs. If you plan to build one yourself and buy a half decent motherboard it will more than likely have an IDE port for 'legacy purposes'.