Jeff D said:
My Gateway XP desktop got hit by lighting and fried the motherboard and
power supply. Tech wanted $500 to fix, so I just had them copy the hard
drive to a portable so I would have the data available on my laptop. I
found a new motherboard and ps for $200. Debating if it's worth it for the
replacement parts or instead buy a used tower. If I buy a used Gateway
tower of the same vintage (purchased new in 2003) and move the hard drive
from the failed tower to the replacement Pc will everything be like it was
before the lighting strike. That is will I have the operating system and
all the software fully functioning.
Jeff:
While what you're considering can be a viable option, i.e., purchasing an
*identical* Gateway PC (identical in terms of the same components) to your
presently defective one I really think you should consider a more practical
option.
First of all, is it *absolutely essential" that the *entire* contents of
your present HDD be salvaged? Do you really need to transfer the XP OS and
other programs on that HDD? Or can you live with just salvaging your
*personal data* from that HDD? If the latter is a viable option for you...
I really think you would be more well-advised to purchase another up-to-date
desktop machine. Working these days with a nearly six year machine is not
something most of us would look forward to. And with the falling prices of
pretty decent desktop PCs available today (in the $300 to $400 range since
you already have a monitor & printer I assume) I really think that would be
the way to go unless of course you simply can't afford that option.
Should you go that route you would install your present HDD as a secondary
HDD in the new system and extract whatever data you need. Understand (in
virtually every case) you would *not* be able to transfer
programs/applications over from that "old" HDD to the boot HDD in the new
system. Thus it would be necessary to install those programs & applications
"fresh" so to speak. So if that (the direct transfer of programs from the
"old" HDD to the new one) is an important or necessary condition for you
then obviously you should ignore my suggestion.
Anyway, if you do go that route and purchase a new desktop ensure that it's
equipped with an IDE connector to accommodate your IDE (PATA) HDD. Lately
we've been coming across some machines that no longer contain an IDE
connector, just SATA connectors. They're in the minority but they are out
there. So be aware of that.
Frankly, moving your present HDD over to a supposedly working PC of the same
"vintage" (make & model) that's six years old and trusting that all will
work just fine, i.e., the transferred HDD will boot without incident and
function without any problems is really not much more than a crapshoot in my
experience. I would urge you, if at all possible, to consider the option
I've recommended.
On the other hand if you're able to purchase the same old PC make/model at
some trivial cost and by & large you're satisfied with the general
performance of that machine when it's properly functioning, then I guess
it's worth a try.
Anna
