Swapping data only HD from Win98SE pc to XP pc

  • Thread starter Thread starter surefire1
  • Start date Start date
S

surefire1

Hi all
after searching the forums unsuccessfully for an answer I decided t
register and post my question.

Here's the scenario..I've got a Dell Optiplex GX100 pc runnin
Win98SE. It has 2 harddrives: the master for running the OS and othe
apps, and the 2nd is data storage only (photos, mp3s, spreadsheets
etc)

I'm finally upgrading to a newer Dell with Win XP. Can I transfer tha
2nd hd from the 98SE pc to the XP pc as a 2nd (data only) hd and hav
the stored data still be readable

I know that Win 98SE and Win XP are incompatible (built on differen
architecture - fat32 vs NT..or whatever;-)) but I read somewhere tha
data should still be readable, after all, a jpg is still a jpg, etc
etc.

I'd burn the data to cds first but lately my pc has turned into
coaster making machine

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank
 
surefire1 said:
Hi all,
Click to expand...

All killed himself, got to many posts addressed to him.
after searching the forums unsuccessfully for an
answer I decided to register and post my question.
Click to expand...

You didnt need to register.
Here's the scenario..I've got a Dell Optiplex GX100 pc running
Win98SE. It has 2 harddrives: the master for running the OS and other
apps, and the 2nd is data storage only (photos, mp3s, spreadsheets, etc).
Click to expand...
I'm finally upgrading to a newer Dell with Win XP. Can I transfer
that 2nd hd from the 98SE pc to the XP pc as a 2nd (data only)
hd and have the stored data still be readable.
Yep.

I know that Win 98SE and Win XP are incompatible (built on different
architecture - fat32 vs NT..or whatever;-)) but I read somewhere that
data should still be readable, after all, a jpg is still a jpg, etc, etc.
Correct.

I'd burn the data to cds first but lately my pc
has turned into a coaster making machine.
Click to expand...

Thats because it knows you are planning to toss it in the bin.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Even advice to shove your head up a dead bear's arse ?
 
surefire1 said:
Hi all,
after searching the forums unsuccessfully for an answer I decided to
register and post my question.

Here's the scenario..I've got a Dell Optiplex GX100 pc running
Win98SE. It has 2 harddrives: the master for running the OS and other
apps, and the 2nd is data storage only (photos, mp3s, spreadsheets,
etc).

I'm finally upgrading to a newer Dell with Win XP. Can I transfer that
2nd hd from the 98SE pc to the XP pc as a 2nd (data only) hd and have
the stored data still be readable.

I know that Win 98SE and Win XP are incompatible (built on different
architecture - fat32 vs NT..or whatever;-)) but I read somewhere that
data should still be readable, after all, a jpg is still a jpg, etc,
etc.

I'd burn the data to cds first but lately my pc has turned into a
coaster making machine.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...


Hi,

Since your old machine is/was WIn98SE, both the 1st and 2nd drives are
going to have FAT32 partitions (and NOT NTFS) on them. WinXP can access
both FAT32 and NTFS partitions, so you should be fine moving the 2nd
drive from your old machine to the new XP machine.

Alternatively, assuming that you have USB on the old machine, you could
go get an external USB2 enclosure and put the 2nd drive into the
enclosure, then you can access the drive from both the Win98SE and XP
machines (but not at the same time), by connecting the enclosure to
whichever machine.

If you expect/desire to be able to continue to access the 2nd (data)
drive from both machines, do not convert it to NTFS, as the conversion
is one-way (from FAT32 to NTFS) only, and then you won't be able to
access that drive on the old computer, even if you moved it back
physically.

Jim
 
Hi all,
after searching the forums unsuccessfully for an answer I decided to
register and post my question.

Here's the scenario..I've got a Dell Optiplex GX100 pc running
Win98SE. It has 2 harddrives: the master for running the OS and other
apps, and the 2nd is data storage only (photos, mp3s, spreadsheets,
etc).

I'm finally upgrading to a newer Dell with Win XP. Can I transfer that
2nd hd from the 98SE pc to the XP pc as a 2nd (data only) hd and have
the stored data still be readable.

I know that Win 98SE and Win XP are incompatible (built on different
architecture - fat32 vs NT..or whatever;-)) but I read somewhere that
data should still be readable, after all, a jpg is still a jpg, etc,
etc.

I'd burn the data to cds first but lately my pc has turned into a
coaster making machine.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Make sure you continue to back up your data (on any disk), especially
an aging one....
 
Hi, and thanks for the replies.

I backup everthing to cd every month so luckily there's not much to
backup since my 98SE pc's CD burner started acting up.
Alternatively, assuming that you have USB on the old machine, you
Click to expand...
could go get an external USB2 enclosure and put the 2nd drive into
the enclosure, then you can access the drive from both the Win98SE
and XP
machines (but not at the same time), by connecting the enclosure to
whichever machine.
Click to expand...
- I think I'll eventually do this and get a brand new larger hd to
permanently install as the 2nd drive in the XP pc. I'll get an
enclosure and use this for mobile data. For now I'll just temporarily
install it in the XP pc until I get that new hd.

I guess my main concern was whether or not the XP pc would be able to
read the data on the drive if I did put it in. Your answers confirm
that it will, so thanks again. :)
 
Back
Top