new build + rock + hard place = stuck

[jnc007]

so I've decided to upgrade my computer. I just bought a biostar a770 a2+ with an amd atholon 64 6000+. Just came in the mail and I'm pretty pysched. However it's late I'm tired and not thinking straight. With this system I got a 160g HD all loaded with the bios stuff. However I have a ton of stuff (papers, saved games, and music) on a 80g HD I obviously want to keep. Here's the part I'm having a hard time with; the new HD is only sata and the old is only IDE. Each have their respective new or old bios on them. What's the lquickest least painful way tojoin these two systems while not losing any data. I'm sure it's easy and I'm just not thinking it through thanks

[joshrogoff]

First, the BIOS is not stored on a HD, its in the "internal memory" of the motherboard. All you need to do is use the new HD to load your OS on. When that is done just shut the comp down, Plug in the old HD and wholla, you have access you all your old files.

[pam123]

Essentially what Josh says, with a little embroidery.

Set up the new build first ( The bios is on the CMOS chip on the motherboard not on your hard drive. )

When it's up and running you can do one of two things, connect the old drive to the IDE connector on the motherboard ( Use cable select if your optical drive is going to be on it-for both drives- and make it the second drive. ) and pull the data you need from it that way.

Or : get a simple USB enclosure (Bytecc) and put it in there and pull the data off that way.
When you're done you can format it and you'll also have a usb backup drive for future use.