New computer...will it work with my HD?

[Capt_Trips]

Hi guys and gals,

I just got a new mobo. video card, RAM, etc etc...and I want to put my Hard Drives in. Both have Windows XP. I realize that I may have to do a repair installation to get the chipsets loaded. But if I have two HDs both with XP will it give me a chioce of which one to boot from?

One Hard Drive will have a fresh XP install, the other I want to just slap in as a slave and be able to retrieve data from. Will this pose a problem?

 

[The General]

You can't just put your harddrives with XP in a computer and expect it to work. Windows XP throws a fit if you change hardware.

 

[Capt_Trips]

I realize this, thats why I do a Repair Installation, I've done this before with no problems at all...all i want to know is:

If I have one HD that has a new install of XP, can I put another XP HD in as a slave, just to get data from?

 

[Bruce]

Not necissarily, one of my present drives has been in 3 different boxes already, each time it booted up like its always been in there.Give it a shot before you reformat. I wouldnt put in the data drive till you get everything else set up.

 

[Capt_Trips]

No...this data is VERY important....if I have to I will do a Repair Install...which only over-writes the C:/WINDOWS folder. Yes, most of the applications will need adjusting but no data is lost. I had to do this once already with the same mobo (was defective, so I just got the new replacement today).

I will go slow, as I have learned over the years...CPU and memory first...get a beep, than video, then OS blah blah blah then bing bang boom, I should be up and running.