Can XP be transferred through HD swap

  • Thread starter Thread starter Matthew Speed
  • Start date Start date
M

Matthew Speed

I've got a relative I'm trying to help out. His system is an XP home
running on a PIII 800 that he want to run faster. He would like for
everything on his new system to be just like his old system, just
faster. My thought is that he could buy a new computer, take the HD
out of the old computer and put it in the new one. Then his programs,
setting and data are no different than what they were before the swap.

I'm not too sure what will happen when the system is powered up. All
the system drivers are going to be wrong so I could either let XP try
to figure them all out or boot off the XP CD and do a repair.

Anyone have any suggestions? BTW...I really don't want to try and do
a reinstall of everything. He has licenses for everything on the
system but tracking down media and serial numbers might be
problematic.

TIA
 
With the old hd (C:) in the new computer,xp would need to be reinstalled (
boot to xp cd),then format,and reinstall xp.However,being a new machine xp
will not be able to register with microsoft since it was installed to another
machine already.1 copy of xp per machine,its not transferable....
 
After he Places his old HD into the new Machine he could try doing a Repair
Installation........this would keep his settings and most likely change
whatever Hardware Drivers needed changing.Then he needs to install his
motherboard drivers and double check his video/sound/etc drivers to make
sure they match what he has.
I Know people this has worked for as well as people this has not worked for.
peterk
 
After he Places his old HD into the new Machine he could try doing a Repair
Installation........this would keep his settings and most likely change
whatever Hardware Drivers needed changing.Then he needs to install his
motherboard drivers and double check his video/sound/etc drivers to make
sure they match what he has.
I Know people this has worked for as well as people this has not worked for.
peterk
Click to expand...

I assumed I'd have to contact MS because the system isn't going to
like all these changes. I've got a copy of the HD so I am not too
worried about losing anything, I just wan't too sure how to do the
transition. Repair makes sense though to save user setting and
existing apps.
 
Andrew E. said:
With the old hd (C:) in the new computer,xp would need to be reinstalled (
boot to xp cd),then format,and reinstall xp.However,being a new machine xp
will not be able to register with microsoft since it was installed to another
machine already.1 copy of xp per machine,its not transferable....
Click to expand...

That is totally incorrect, as usual.

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm
 
Matthew Speed said:
I assumed I'd have to contact MS because the system isn't going to
like all these changes. I've got a copy of the HD so I am not too
worried about losing anything, I just wan't too sure how to do the
transition. Repair makes sense though to save user setting and
existing apps.
Click to expand...

You'll probably have to activate again after doing the repair install, but
if it's been long enough, it will go through on the internet just fine.
Otherwise you call. This is assuming it's not a bios-locked oem version that
isn't capable of being installed on a different computer.

After the repair install, most apps will run just fine. I've seen a few
exceptions, most notably the MS Office programs which sometimes need to be
reinstalled and other times just need a reactivation. And sometimes they
just work. Other than that, sometimes Norton products will throw up an error
after a repair install. Not always, but sometimes.
 
Matthew Speed said:
I've got a relative I'm trying to help out. His system is an XP home
running on a PIII 800 that he want to run faster. He would like for
everything on his new system to be just like his old system, just
faster. My thought is that he could buy a new computer, take the HD
out of the old computer and put it in the new one. Then his programs,
setting and data are no different than what they were before the swap.

I'm not too sure what will happen when the system is powered up. All
the system drivers are going to be wrong so I could either let XP try
to figure them all out or boot off the XP CD and do a repair.

Anyone have any suggestions? BTW...I really don't want to try and do
a reinstall of everything. He has licenses for everything on the
system but tracking down media and serial numbers might be
problematic.

TIA
Click to expand...

If you move the hard drive to a new computer you would need to do a
Repair Install of Windows XP as per the instructions at
http://michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

Pay particular attention to the comments about OEM versions of Windows
XP. Note that BIOS Locked OEM versions are only usable on computers
from that specific OEM.

You will need the Windows XP Installation CD for the version (Home,
Pro, etc) and type (OEM, Retail Full Install, Retail Upgrade, etc)
that is installed on the computer and if the installed XP has been
upgraded to Service Pack 2 and the installation CD is original release
or Service Pack 1 then you will have to create a new installation CD
with Service Pack 2 slipstreamed into it.

If you need to determine the Product Key for the installed XP then you
can determine that with
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml


Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm
 
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