Can Windows XP run on two hard drives?

[Guest]

My new computer arrives tomorrow - Dell P4, 2.8GHz, 512 DDR SDRAM. I want to
take the hard drive out of my existing computer (I have lots of programs and
data I don't want to lose or move) and install it as either the master or the
slave. Both HDs have Windows XP home SP2 and the old one is compatible, a
W.D. EIDE 10MB. I know well how to do the install. My questions are: Should
I
remove one instance of Windows XP? Will it cause a problem at any time
having both instances on. How do I remove one instance if I want to free up
HD space? Or, should I leave both on just in case I have a HD failure in the
future? Thanks.
-Roland

 

[Guest]

From roland-
Correction: my old HD is a 10GB, not a 10 MB.

 

[Guest]

You really dont need 2 xps installed,free up slave by going to my computer,
R.click on the drive,select,format.Or go to run,type:diskmgmt.msc In msc
R.click,format,then after,highlite,actions,all,make active,restart computer.
You should also set slave as a page file for xp,system properties,advanced,
virtual-memory,change button,highlite a drive,select,let windows manage,click
set 2X,then do same for other,close-out,restart computer.

 

[Jetro]

If you don't need second Windows delete Windows directory.
If you don't want to lose data do not format anything.
If you think about a lot of programs you should boot Windows from the "old"
disk.
If you think about a disk failure leave the system as is but edit the
boot.ini file on both disks.
OEM license isn't transferable.

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=315341
How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP

 

[Guest]

I don't want to format it because I don't want to lose the data on my old
hard drive. That's why I am putting the old HD in the new computer and going
through this entire process. But thanks anyway.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your reply Jetro - it's actually helpful. If I delete the Windows
directories from the old hard drive, how would I pull my Start menu icons and
shortcuts to the new XP start menu, and everywhere else they need to be?

Maybe I should make the old disk the primary boot disk (master) and use the
new disk as a secondary storage disk and then just delete WinXP from that
disk since that is all it will really have on it. But will all the old Win
..ini and .sys settings get updated. Booting into the old disk will contain
"old" settings from my "old" computer. Will they update automatically? Some
guy told me they would cause my system to hang or crash.

Also, what do I update my boot.ini file with?

Thanks!

 

[Jetro]

You better clone the old disk onto the new one and leave the old machine
untouched. If both computers are ACPI-compatible and both chipsets are the
same brand (Intel or SiS or whatever) you would need to reactivate Windows
only.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q314082
You Receive a Stop 0x0000007B Error After You Move the Windows XP System
Disk to Another Computer

 

[Guest]

Cloning the old disk to the new one sounds great! How do I do that? Is
there a web page or link that will give me directions? I am an experienced
user and a novice builder but I've never cloned before.

Thanks,
Roland

 

[Guest]

Andrew, would you explain the "page file" changes a bit further? What is the
objectie/benefit also?

 

[DL]

If your old HD is 10gb you are wasting your time using it for anything other
than a backup drive.
Also if winxp on this disk is an OEM version it will not be licensed for the
new pc and you will not be able to activate it. If its a retail version you
will still have to run a win repair in order to get it to boot.
You can install it as a slave and recover data to the new sys. You will not
be able to transfer programs, you have to reinstall these on the master
drive