First build (almost complete).

[minusthebear]

First I have to say thank you to everyone in these forums for help with building my new computer.

I have a simple question involving transferring a hard drive from my old system into the new one. The drive that I am tranferring into the new system has a bunch of data (photos, music, etc.) that I want in my new computer. It has no OS installed on it, as it was a secondary drive in my old machine. Can I just pull it out and plug it into the new system, or is there more involved? It is a Seagate Barrcuda 160 gig, ultra ATA, and both the old and the current systems run Windows XP.

Thanks.

[jayb1234]

Assuming that you are just using it as a storage drive and don't need to install an OS on it that shouldn't be a problem. Just a matter of setting the jumpers right and putting it on the right connector on the IDE cable. How many IDE channels are on your motherboard, and what is on them now?

[minusthebear]

2 IDE channels. The first has my system HD, the second has an optical drive. I will connect the storage drive to the first and see how it goes. Thanks.

[glc]

Do NOT connect it till you get Windows installed on the new drive.

[DarkPacMan77]

would it ruin the drive? I will also be needing to learn how to do that in the future.

[glc]

It's always best to do the Windows install with ONLY the necessary drives connected - the main hard drive, one optical drive, and a floppy if necessary - and NO USB devices except a keyboard and mouse if you are using USB instead of PS/2. This way you are assured of the system drive taking drive letter C. If you have additional drives connected, you do NOT have this assurance.