Windows XP Hard drive files

[S_Seward]

Ok need some information
Basically I had an old computer running Win XP . It died.
I now have a new computer on it's way here. It has Windows
media center edition installed, what I want to do is take the hard drive
out of the old computer hook it up in the new one as a slave so I can access
my old files. Yes I realize I should have been backing up my files but call me lazy.
Now the problem here is I remember hearing that Win XP changes it's security
settings and when hooked to another computer doesn't read the hard drive...not sure If I am correct or not. Now I figured once the files from the old drive are on the new one I can then erase the old drive and use it as storage space.......So basically what I am asking is. Will Win XP
let me get my files and if so how ?
Scott

[ktkendall]

Just because XP is on that old drive will not mean anything because your new PC will be booted up from it's harddrive with its own load of XP, you will have no trouble reading your old drive from within the new PC as long as the drive is still healthy, but the problem may occur with security settings. When I did exactly what you are going to do with my new PC it gave me a hard time accessiing my files on my old drive, but I simply have to go into security settings and take ownership of those folders and then I was able to copy over my files I needed. I'm not sure how that will work for you though if you had XP home version on that old PC, because that is one difference between XP home and pro is the available security options. Basically it was not letting me access my old files because I was not the original owner of them since they were created on my old PC and now I was trying to access them from the new PC with a new and different login.

[S_Seward]

Well it was in fact Win XP home, It should still theoretically work though.....atleast that's my hope I guess I will see in a couple of days.....Thanks for the info.
Scott

[ktkendall]

Should actually be no problem unless of course that the reason that old PC died is because the harddrive is shot, but you will find that out whan you slave it in there to the new PC.