Please Help

  • Thread starter Thread starter Polish Prince \(Szynka\)
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Polish Prince \(Szynka\)

My old PC's OS refused to boot.
The PC was over 6 years old so I invested
in a new Compaq.

I removed the HD from my old PC and
I have some valuable files that I want to transfer
to my new PC. What is the easiest and safest way to do this?

Thanks Much,
Larry
 
Polish Prince (Szynka) said:
My old PC's OS refused to boot.
The PC was over 6 years old so I invested in a new Compaq.
Click to expand...
I removed the HD from my old PC and
I have some valuable files that I want to transfer to my new PC. What is the
easiest
Click to expand...

Install it into the new Compaq assuming its a desktop system.
and safest way to do this?
Click to expand...

Its a bit safer to get an external USB2 or firewire
housing and put the old drive in that and do it that way.
 
Thanks Rod.
I lost the original installation disk
that installed the HD in the old computer.
Do I need this disk? Or can I install
it without the disk?

Also, how do I designate the old HD
as a slave?

Larry
 
Polish Prince (Szynka) said:
Thanks Rod.
I lost the original installation disk that installed the HD in the old
computer.
Do I need this disk?
Nope.

Or can I install it without the disk?
Click to expand...

Yeah, just physically install it in the new Compaq.

Presumably you are running XP in the new Compaq.

It should see the old drive fine.
Also, how do I designate the old HD as a slave?
Click to expand...

Depends on the hard drive. Its usually marked on the
label of the drive. Just a jumper close to where the
ribbon cable plugs in with most but not all drives.

If you post the hard drive details off the label, it should be
quite easy to show you the web site that lists the jumpers.

Just be a bit careful plugging the old drive into the new system,
particularly make sure you get the power plug the right way
around, yellow wire on the outside edge of the drive, and
the ribbon cable the right way around, tho often the connector
is keyed so you cant get it in backwards. If its not keyed, just
make sure that the red stripe on the ribbon cable goes the
same way as it does on the drive already in the new Compaq.

With a little care, its easy enough to do.
 
Rod Speed said:
Yeah, just physically install it in the new Compaq.
Click to expand...

Is there a danger that the new Compaq might try and boot from the old HD
instead of the new HD?
 
Previously "Polish Prince \(Szynka\) said:
My old PC's OS refused to boot.
The PC was over 6 years old so I invested
in a new Compaq.
Click to expand...
I removed the HD from my old PC and
I have some valuable files that I want to transfer
to my new PC. What is the easiest and safest way to do this?
Click to expand...

INstall it as second drive in the new system and copy the
files over. Since you claim the files are valuable, think
about a backup strategy for them immediately. HDDs do
fail catastrophically on occasion.

Arno
 
Is there a danger that the new Compaq might try
and boot from the old HD instead of the new HD?
Click to expand...

Shouldnt do if its installed as a slave. Even if that isnt
done successfully, it shouldnt boot off the old drive if
say both are configured as master. And even if you
do manage to boot it accidentally, shouldnt matter
except that its not what you want to do.

Its a bit safer using an external USB2/firewire enclosure,
but thats more because that doesnt involve molesting the
ribbon cable in the Compaq at all so that cant be damaged
by rough handling etc and there is no possibility of accidentally
unplugging anything else inside the Compaq either.
 
Thank You Arno.

Larry

Arno Wagner said:
INstall it as second drive in the new system and copy the
files over. Since you claim the files are valuable, think
about a backup strategy for them immediately. HDDs do
fail catastrophically on occasion.

Arno
Click to expand...
 
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