Diane Kroeckel wrote:
> I am planning on getting a new computer, I need to know if I can just
> install my old HD into my new computer. Will it work?  Will I be able to
> just plug it in and start using it with all the programs already
> installed?  
>
> It is running WinXP Pro with SP2, Word, etc.
>
> Lew Russakov
>
>   
Sadly no you can't expect this to work right off as the hardware in the 
new system won't match what was in the old one. The operating system 
will need to update it's hardware configuration information in order to 
run on the new setup. Windows will try to do this if you just put the 
old drive in the new computer, but it would be better to do a clean 
install of Windows on a freshly formatted drive in the new machine.

Before you take the drive out of the old machine make sure you make a 
boot floppy that will boot your system and allow you to run the cd rom 
drive so you can use the windows install cd. Actually the XP cd will 
boot if your machine will boot from a cd drive. To find out check your 
cmos settings to see if boot from cd is available in those selections.

If the drive is large enough you can partition it into logical drives, 
and keep your installed programs on the D drive instead of the C where 
the operating system is. This allows you to move all of your installed 
programs to a new machine. The C drive would hold only the operating 
system and can be formatted without erasing the installed programs. A 
few programs will need to be re-installed afterwards as their registry 
settings will be gone and some programs need the registry settings to 
run. Many programs will however run just as before with no problems.

I hope this helps. Later,

Ray Parrish

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