how to install old hard drive in new pc?

timster123

bsod wrote: »

you need to be clear about what you've got, and what you're plugging where to get a useful answer. Alternatively, google has indexed 23 million answers to this question.

if you have a fully working/booting windows machine (with it's own hard disk), a usb hard disk enclosure might be useful

if you reinstall windows over the top of this disk, that could result in the opposite of what you're trying to achieve

To be clear, i have a pc with no hard drive and a hard drive removed from another computer. i was hoping to be able to insert that and use it, but having read through the posts i now realise that isn't possible.
i do have another working computer (acer revo one) so i will have to work out if i can connect that or have it transferred for me.

grumpycrab

timster123 wrote: »

To be clear, i have a pc with no hard drive and a hard drive removed from another computer. i was hoping to be able to insert that and use it, but having read through the posts i now realise that isn't possible.
i do have another working computer (acer revo one) so i will have to work out if i can connect that or have it transferred for me.

Buy a caddy (examples to follow), put your old drive into the caddy then connect the caddy via a USB cable to the other working computer.
e.g. assuming your old disk is a "3.5inch" disk
https://www.amazon.co.uk/CiT-3-5-inch-SATA-Enclosure/dp/B00647A4KY/
or cable
https://www.amazon.co.uk/UGREEN-Adapter-Drive-Supported-Converter/dp/B01GIZSC9G/

Show us a picture of the existing disk if you're unsure.

Johnmcl7

You can buy a USB to sata cable/dock/case to plug the hard drive into another PC where it will simply appear as another drive and you can copy the data from. Once you've got the data off you can then wipe it and set up windows on it to use as the main drive on another PC.

John

Mista_C

timster123 wrote: »

To be clear, i have a pc with no hard drive and a hard drive removed from another computer. i was hoping to be able to insert that and use it, but having read through the posts i now realise that isn't possible.
i do have another working computer (acer revo one) so i will have to work out if i can connect that or have it transferred for me.

It's possible but will likely involve a lot more messing about than other solutions. It's all down to the HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer). If you're using the same chipset family it'll usually pick up with little fuss. If you're not then you'll need to pick through the registry removing keys/values.
Once you're done you'll most likely then need to re-activate Windows via phone.

You're probably better off getting another drive that you can start fresh with, sticking the old drive with your data in a caddy and plugging it in to the fresh install. That way you can use the now caddied drive as a backup.

System

Hi

This may be an occasion where Knoppix (http://knoppix.net/get.php) on a DVD or USB could be of benefit.

If you feel like you could create an OS on a DVD, or buy a magazine from a local supermarket with one attached, then boot the machine from it and make copies of the hard disk accordingly.

If in doubt please ask.