Have just bought a new PC but have about 25GB of data from the old one I need to transfer across. This is mainly audio files, but also includes several virtual softsynths (in *.dll) format with large sample libraries. Some of these have a copy protection system whereby you have to obtain a "key" password from the manufacturers website. There's one of two stand alone audio programs as well, such as Soundforge and T-Racks.

So if I want to transfer all this data, can I simply take the hard drive out of the old one and put it in the new one's case for use as a secondary drive?

If so - and I know this may seem a daft question - how will the new PC know which hard drive to boot from, as both drives will have XP installed? And will I need to get new software key numbers from the manufacturers of the copy-portected programs?

Answers in as non-technical a format as possible would be appreciated.

The best way to approach this IMO would be to install the programs you want from installation media (CDs/DVDs) on the PC without plugging in the old drive. So yes, you would need to sort out reactivating the programs/getting new keycodes.

The install process may add things to your PC in places that you probably don't want to be messing with (eg. the registry). Much better top allow the install process to set these up on the new drive rather than risk a badly installed program by attempting to install just by copying the program files.

If your current disk is installed as the primary disk (Master disk on PATA or on SATA port 1) then the system should boot from the current (new) disk when you switch it on.

It's been a while since I've plugged in a second disk with WinXP into a system with an already working WinXP installation so bear that in mind when I say, the system should boot up using the drive already in the machine (providing it is the master disk and the old disk is the secondary).

Install both drives - XP will then ask you to choose which operating system you want to boot from. I have done this - it gives two choices - identical but once you have booted from one you then know which to choose in future.:thumbsup:

Alternatively you could buy an IDE-USB adaptor which will allow you to plug your old Hard-Drive in via USB and voila!

Install both drives - XP will then ask you to choose which operating system you want to boot from. I have done this - it gives two choices - identical but once you have booted from one you then know which to choose in future.:thumbsup:
No it wont, the old HD is from another pc so it wont boot into its xp on the new system.

No it wont, the old HD is from another pc so it wont boot into its xp on the new system.

It could do, but is unlikely. Da foot's advice is usually sound.

It could do, but is unlikely. Da foot's advice is usually sound.
Sorry i should have said "It's unlikely" to boot into the other OS,
I boot from twin HD's all the time and both have xp, but they were both installed useing the same computer.

me-and-pippo - you are probably right there - the config of the new pc will be different from the old one the drive was removed from. Sorry if I misled anyone there.

Classic case of opening gob with brain turned off! However could you could do a re-install of xp on the old drive in the new pc? perhaps? :confused:

During the low level startup the BIOS will check which drive it should boot from. Hopefully your BIOS is set to read the current hard drive before all others. The BIOS will look at the first drive it is supposed to find the MBR.

Once the MBR has been located the BIOS will attempt to launch the OS the MBR points to, which in this case will be the one on the disk currently being booted from.

There should be no need to reinstall Windows after adding the new drive as there is already a functioning OS on the system, no point generating more work for oneself :D

Once that process completes, booting is handed over to the OS. The OS *may* examine contents of the new (to the booting OS) drive. At which point Windows may realise there is another Windows installation on the second drive and may attempt to use it, however I highly doubt it.

The problem comes if the current boot disk is not the primary disk as the BIOS sees the IO system. In that case the drive you added to the machine (from the old machine) may actually appear to the BIOS to have a higher priority in the sequence of looking on drives for the MBR to get OS booting instructions from.

I wanted to avoid typing all that because Basil asked for an English explanation, but thought I'd clarify why I suggested all should be well and without issue if Basil just plugs in the drive for everyone else, so if they find a problem with my thinking they can correct me.


(Cheers for the confidence Dave20046 ;) )