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How to use IDE Drive

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  • 14-05-2009 3:21pm
    #1
    Noviceman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 176 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I have a Dell PC with a wiped SATA Hard drive, I happend to have a spare IDE Hard drive with an OS pre-installed, my question is can I use this in my Dell PC and if so, how?

    thanks


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    waraf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,326 ✭✭✭waraf


    Noviceman wrote: »
    Hi,

    I have a Dell PC with a wiped SATA Hard drive, I happend to have a spare IDE Hard drive with an OS pre-installed, my question is can I use this in my Dell PC and if so, how?

    thanks

    Yeah you'll need to get a SATA to IDE connector to connect the IDE drive to your motherboard. Try ebay


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    #3
    Noviceman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 176 ✭✭Noviceman


    ok, cool thanks


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    #4
    Anti
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,401 ✭✭✭✭Anti


    Unless the OS has the exact same driver set from another dell which is identical it wont work.


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    #5
    fox65
    Registered Users Posts: 144 ✭✭fox65


    I have some what of a similar issue, i've read that the new OS REM versions are locked to the mother board. Is this true. Have xp on a computer i'm looking to upgrade, would involve a complete re built almost


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    #6
    Noviceman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 176 ✭✭Noviceman


    ah, the other drive is actually from a Compaq, so has completely different drivers, i just thought i could update them all, is each hard drive to a motherboard, and it is xp on it also and i suppose the activation is tied to mobo...

    i could just format ide drive and re-install xp again...


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    #7
    Anti
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,401 ✭✭✭✭Anti


    the activision will be tied to the hardware, btu you can get that reactivated without a problem, it possibly will boot, but probably wont be very stable. OR it may not even boot at all.


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    #8
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    Anti's right, and your best bet is to go into Safe Mode and use any old driver disks you have for the Dell to try and get at least some stability (and working network/internet!) before you go into Windows proper and go on an updating spree ;)

    Activation is a much thornier issue I'm afraid. You could reactivate XP over the phone quick-smart and just keep going with the updates, but wouldn't you prefer to have the OS loaded on the faster SATA drive anyway? In which case it'd be full-reinstall time anyway reject.gif


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    #9
    thepcgp
    Registered Users Posts: 64 ✭✭thepcgp


    I have done a lot of work with this, and I have found the following issues may apply:

    Processor driver
    Chipset driver
    Hard drive controller driver
    graphics card driver

    If the OS was installed on an Intel PC, and you're putting that drive into an Intel PC, your chances are better. Same with AMD. If they're the same, your chances are better. I've found you can boot from XP Recovery Console and use LISTSVC to display the drivers being loaded, then you can disable Intel/AMD, whichever is not needed, and Windows will detect the new processor and load the correct one. If you get a different driver conflict that results in a blue screen, this may be more difficult to fix. Sometimes you have to manually delete and/or copy driver files into systemroot or system32 and it can get messy.

    Take it from an old hand. Save yourself time and hassle, do a clean install. If you want you can slipstream service packs, updates, drivers and software with N-lite; saves a lot of time.


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