Transplanting a hard drive

[ozom]

What steps do I need to take to install a SATA HDD from a system with a bad motherboard to a system which also has a SATA drive? The "new" drive has Vista installed as well as more space whereas the "old" drive has XP on it. The "new" drive is coming out of an Acer computer which I want to install into an HP machine. Will the "new" drive from the Acer boot (to Windows) once installed in the HP or do I need a Vista cd (which I don't have)? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[EzyStvy]

1) Its illegal to trasfer an OEM OS from one machine to another.

2) Are you familiar with the term DRIVERS?

[ozom]

Why would it be illegal since Ive already purchased the Acer with Vista pre-installed (a little over a year old), have the key code sticker on the tower, and plan on purchasing a Vista recovery disc (if needed) from the same people who sold me the original OS (The Great and Almighty Microsoft)? I only want to be able to recover and use what is mine. And yes, I know what a driver is. Do I need to install all of the HP drivers? I happen to have that disc. Is my question out of line? Please help since I'm somewhat new to this "art".
If all else fails, I intend to purchase a full install Vista disc or wait till Oct. 22 and buy Windows 7. What would you do? Thanks in advance.

[glc]

You purchased the Acer with a Windows license for ONLY that Acer. The operating system is legally not yours, it still belongs to Microsoft and you are licensed to USE it on THEIR terms. Sorry about that, disrespect not intended, but that's the reality of the situation.

Pull the drive out of the Acer, connect it to the HP as a second drive, and recover your files. Then you can reformat it for additional storage, or you can clone the small one to the big one and use it as your primary drive with XP on it. If you clone it, make sure you also clone the recovery partition.

[ozom]

Thanks again GLC. I will certainly heed your advice.

Ozom

[systempat]

This is the other reason that I don't like to have a pre-installed OS. First reason is it tends to come with stuff I don't want like trail offers, advertising for software products. some version of Norton AV or system protection. Which I just have to delete.
And the other is all the crummy restrictions on install and reinstall of Windows. I dont want to have to worry about things like -- if the motherboard dies and I put in another one, or upgrade and switch from Intel to AMD processor, can I reinstall the copy I paid for or not. So I will buy full versions of the OS. One copy is only ever installed on one system at a time. But it may not be the same machine that it started with.
The other option is to go to Linux of course. Download and install wherever you want. But you have to be ready to move away from Windows products.

[glc]

The only OEM Windows that you can move from one machine to another is the "generic" OEM sold by places such as Newegg. It's a genuine holographic Windows CD, not a "restore" CD from a system builder such as Dell, HP, or Acer. It comes without manufacturer-specific drivers and can be installed on anything. Technically, you are only supposed to use it ONCE, but in reality, as long as you don't abuse the privilege, you can reinstall it on a new or different machine and reactivate it. You still may not have it on more than one machine at the same time.

[ozom]

I'll be doggone!! Pigs do fly!!.....Hey glc. You doing ok?
Thank you so much for your input........it really makes a difference when someone who is in the know really gives a crap about the one's that aren't. I forgot what I was going to ask.....oh yea.... What is your opinion on the performance (so far) of Windows 7? Do you, in your professional opinion, think it is superior to Vista in all of it's capabilities? Trying to make a decision as to 7's worthiness. I'm an XP kinda guy but not afraid of change. Never was a Vista person.
BTW, whe'rer them pigs flyin' to? You crack me up!!

[David M]

There are always problems with new operating systems and I don't think this time it is going to be any different. I'm going to wait for them to get the major bugs out.

[glc]

Well - here's the story on the flying pigs.............

I am a FIRM believer in "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". I also am a firm believer that the only purpose of an operating system is to support your software. I do not like an operating system that is obtrusive. This computer has Windows 2000 on it, and I haven't reformatted in 8 years. I am completely happy with Windows 2000.

People were bugging me and wondering why I refused to upgrade to XP. Why not? Because if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Not only that, it took M$ about 5 years to get XP right. I wound up telling people that I'll get XP when pigs fly.

I decided to build a new computer last year. I didn't really need one, but I figured what the heck. Windows 2000 was not supported on the motherboard I chose, so I put XP on it. It's also finally getting to the point where some software I want to run won't run on 2000, XP is required. I have no regrets - XP is solid now. I still haven't moved everything over to the new box, I have them both on a KVM.

So, that's why pigs are flying - glc went and installed XP. Do note that I have absolutely everything set to classic view and all visual effects turned off.

Vista? I can't stand it. I do not like the interface, and there is no classic view. It also doesn't work right.

Windows 7? I installed the RC on a bench box and I still don't like the interface. However, it looks like Windows 7 fixes almost everything that's broke in Vista. I feel that it's going to be a good OS for the long haul, but I'd advise you to wait till you HAVE to. Run XP till it no longer serves your needs. By that time, Windows 7 should be thoroughly debugged and solid.

For reference, I installed the 7 RC on an Asus P5L-MX with an E4700 and 2gb ram. It performs VERY well, and Aero even runs on the onboard video.