PC Data Transfer query from one HDD to another HDD - 2 Desktops, Any Ideas?

ReefDebt

Hi there wondering if someone could help me.

Old PC 1
Windows Vista Home Premium 32bit
750GB Sata Drive with the above^ OS on it and all my music and docs

New PC 2
Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
320GB Sata Drive with the above^ OS on it

Now i'd like to add my 750GB drive with Vista and all my docs as a 2nd HDD in my New PC 2.

I don't need to boot Vista from the PC2 but i do need access to my documents on that HDD with the intention of copying data to the primary HDD and then fully formatting the 750GB drive so it's free of vista and so that it can be used as 2nd storage.

If i was to connect it as a 2nd drive to my New PC2 running windows7 64bit, would I be able to retrieve the documents off it or will it ask me to format it thus losing all my data.

I'm quite tech savvy however I'm unsure of the consequences of this so would appreciate any help.

TonyMMM

Assuming there is the physical space in the new PC case to install the drive, should be no problem at all. Windows 7 should just see it as an additional drive and allcoate a drive letter. Otherwise you could buy a caddy and put the old drive in that and use it as external storage.

ReefDebt

TonyMMM wrote: »

Assuming there is the physical space in the new PC case to install the drive, should be no problem at all. Windows 7 should just see it as an additional drive and allcoate a drive letter. Otherwise you could buy a caddy and put the old drive in that and use it as external storage.

Thankyou so much for your quick reply.

Yes there is space for 1 more Sata HDD.

I just thought Win7 would ask me to format the drive as it has another OS on it (vista). Would the BIOS not crash seeing as both hard drives have boot record of an OS?

I just don't want to lose my data. Really appreciate your help thankyou.

Lucero_2

Why not move all your docs, music, data to the new drive, format the old one, then move back

ReefDebt

Lucero wrote: »

Why not move all your docs, music, data to the new drive, format the old one, then move back

Thats too much copying from one place to another, to another. Highest USB drive i have is 8GB so it would be very time consuming

debitcardmayhem

Just follow tonymmm s advice, I have the same set up on my PC , the bios should not complain, windows 7 wont complain simples, the Bios will not attempt to boot the old disk unless you ask it to.

gonzo127

as to format worries - windows should ask you if you wish to format - if that even becomes an option, and in which case you would just say no, as it wont (shouldnt) just auto format the drive

as to boot problems the worst i could imagine you will see is an option to boot to either hard drive, however in theory your boot order should be set in the bios and it will only look at the 'second' hard drive if it doesnt find a os on the first

or you could do it over your network (guessing you have a router) should be at least 100mb connection

debitcardmayhem

The only issue could be if you try to write certain files on the old disk, you may have to change the ownership settings on them. I will dig out a link for doing that if you need it ....
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc753659.aspx

karl-123

buy a dock buddy they are ten quid as previous poster said
very handy device for wiping drives prior to install
or using as a external storage device
tatty bye karl.........

googler

I've installed drives with OSs as secondary, tertiary drives in a Win XP PC, and haven't had any problems with the system trying to boot from any other drive than C:

Assuming Win 7 behaviour to be the same as XP, you should be fine.

For the £10 or so that it costs for a caddy, you could take the HDD from the old machine, place in a USB caddy, connect to new machine and make a backup on the primary drive in the new machine, copying over USB. That way you're safe if there's a mishap when installing the old drive as secondary drive in the new machine.

ReefDebt

I'm taken aback at the quick replies thankyou everyone. I will try it out over the weekend.:T

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

Just follow tonymmm s advice, I have the same set up on my PC , the bios should not complain, windows 7 wont complain simples, the Bios will not attempt to boot the old disk unless you ask it to.

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

The only issue could be if you try to write certain files on the old disk, you may have to change the ownership settings on them. I will dig out a link for doing that if you need it ....

Thanks for that and the followup. Really appreciate your advice.

gonzo127 wrote: »

as to format worries - windows should ask you if you wish to format - if that even becomes an option, and in which case you would just say no, as it wont (shouldnt) just auto format the drive

as to boot problems the worst i could imagine you will see is an option to boot to either hard drive, however in theory your boot order should be set in the bios and it will only look at the 'second' hard drive if it doesnt find a os on the first

or you could do it over your network (guessing you have a router) should be at least 100mb connection

Never really thought of the network route.
Thank you for the reassurance.

karl-123 wrote: »

buy a dock buddy they are ten quid as previous poster said
very handy device for wiping drives prior to install
or using as a external storage device
tatty bye karl.........

I'm a money saver hehe and a tight git so I think I will leave the dock purchase. Thank you for your input :money: