Question about XP Re-Install

15 years ago

When he found out that I was using an old (ancient) 1.3GHz processor, an acquaintance of mine has given me his old computer (twice as fast as mine), and told me all I need to do is pop my old C: drive into it.

I don't want to bug the guy any more than I have already, because I don't want him to feel that his act of generosity to me has now become a chore.

While I feel comfortable exchanging drives, RAM, PCI cards, etc, the one thing that gets me is the SOFTWARE end of it.

I was able to get into the New BIOS screen and change settings accordingly, but when I put my C: drive in the computer and boot, I get the infamous Blue Screen Of Death. I was told it's probably a driver-related issue, and I should re-install Windows.

Call me stupid, lazy, ignorant, whatever you want, but I've NEVER re-installed Windows since the day I got the computer about 7 or 8 years ago. Of course, Windows has patched and patched and patched, but other than that, it's probably got 8 years work of junk in there.

My problem is that I'm LEARY about doing this.

--I don't want to put my C: drive in the new computer, re-install, find out there's some sort of problem with it, and now my "old" computer won't work anymore either, and so I'll be without any!

--I don't want to lose anything else on my C: drive, such as documents, pictures, etc, but yet don't have time to back up 40 gigs onto DVDs.

--I really don't want to lose all my Yahoo Messenger contacts, my Outlook Express contacts, my Firefox settings & bookmarks, etc. I have everything just the way I like it! This is why "just get a new Hard Drive" doesn't appeal to me either!

On the other hand, I hear people that re-install Windows every year or two just to "clean it up" with no problems.

What should I do, and would a re-install erase my entire C: drive, or just the "C:/WINDOWS" folder?

Appreciate the help!

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Comments (2)

randy_ca
15 years ago
To start with, you can't just switch drives from one computer to another and expect it to boot to windows, unless the computers are the exact same make and model.

You can put your C drive into the new computer and if you have a windows xp disc, do a repair install.
If it asks for a product key, look on the case of the new computer for the sticker.

If the new computer came with a HD and works, I'd just start transferring important data to it either with dvd or flash drives and eventually get it setup the way you like.

The people that do a clean install are erasing the whole drive.

Yes, a re-install will erase your entire C: drive, a repair install would leave your documents intact.
You're going to need a windows xp disc to get started, also software needs to be installed to work, not just a simple transfer folders thing.

You may be able to put your old C drive in the new computer, boot from the xp disc, go to the recovery console and fixboot or fixmbr and she may boot up.
Don't know what windows genuine advantage or activation will do noticing your C drive has a different motherboard, video and ram.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
15 years ago
yes that would be a possible issue for sure that xp validation would say no due to the fact you are putting your version of windows in a totally different pc. You are only allowed to have it on one pc. You could buy a copy for the new pc, wipe the drive put on the new copy then copy back your data, docs, files etc, and re-install your programs.
Or leave your old pc as it is, put a new hard drive in the new pc if it has none (sounds like it has none?) and go with a linux operating system which is free, You could network the 2 computers and have access to the files on your windows pc. I use SimplyMepis Linux and love it, might be something you would want to try.
MEPIS Linux 8.0

You could get a program like Acronis True image and clone your drive so you do have a back up of the entire drive operating system and all should something go wrong you would not have lost everything. You can back it up to another backup hard drive, a flash drive, or dvd.
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Question about XP Re-Install

Comments (2)

randy_ca

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

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