transfer HDD from non bootable XP to good Vista

  • Thread starter Thread starter meamjw
  • Start date Start date
M

meamjw

I have two computers; one with Home XP that will not boot. Other is Vista and
works fine. The XP machnine has two hard drives and I would like to put the
one containing Windows into the Vista machnine so I can copy everthing except
Windows XP to the Vista machines HDD. Would I encounter any problems with
that? Or perhaps there is a way to leave the drive in place and just hook a
cable from the dead machine to the healthy one? They are only three feet
apart. The XP machine uses IDE cables. Have never had the Vista apart, so
don't know what it uses.
Thanks for any advice about keeping my data.
 
In meamjw typed on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:06:43 -0700:
I have two computers; one with Home XP that will not boot. Other is
Vista and works fine. The XP machnine has two hard drives and I would
like to put the one containing Windows into the Vista machnine so I
can copy everthing except Windows XP to the Vista machines HDD. Would
I encounter any problems with that? Or perhaps there is a way to
leave the drive in place and just hook a cable from the dead machine
to the healthy one? They are only three feet apart. The XP machine
uses IDE cables. Have never had the Vista apart, so don't know what
it uses.
Thanks for any advice about keeping my data.
Click to expand...

The easiest way is to buy an USB PATA enclosure. They can be had for 20
bucks or less.
 
In meamjw typed on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:06:43 -0700:

The easiest way is to buy an USB PATA enclosure. They can be had for 20
bucks or less.
Click to expand...


You took the words out of my mouth. I completely agree.

Let me add that mounting the drive in the enclosure is extremely easy
and will take no longer than five minutes, even for someone who is all
thumbs.
 
You took the words out of my mouth. I completely agree.

Let me add that mounting the drive in the enclosure is extremely easy
and will take no longer than five minutes, even for someone who is all
thumbs.
Click to expand...

I would also add the using a USB enclosure would possibly be "safer"
than attempting to place the XP drive onto an internal connection.
With two bootable drives inside the PC, both would attempt to start
"their" installed version.
 
I would also add the using a USB enclosure would possibly be "safer"
than attempting to place the XP drive onto an internal connection.
With two bootable drives inside the PC, both would attempt to start
"their" installed version.
Click to expand...


Not correct. The BIOS knows which to boot from.
 
as long as you change the jumpers on the drive to secondary, it should work
fine.
lust leave the primary drive in the working machine, and install the non
working pc drive on the secondary position on the drive cable with the
jumpers set to secondary. or slave, depending on how it's labeled.
 
In sgopus typed on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:56:01 -0700:
as long as you change the jumpers on the drive to secondary, it
should work fine.
lust leave the primary drive in the working machine, and install the
non working pc drive on the secondary position on the drive cable
with the jumpers set to secondary. or slave, depending on how it's
labeled.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the Vista machine has SATA and the XP machine has PATA. If
true, then that idea won't work.
 
Not correct. The BIOS knows which to boot from.
Click to expand...

Hi Ken,

That is not totally correct. If both drives jumpers are set to cable
select and the Vista drive is first on the cable then what you say is
correct.

Unfortunately most of the machines I have opened the drives are jumpered
as master. If you have 2 drives that are both jumpered as master, then
(with most of the machines I have repaired), the system does not
complete the POST since its not sure which drive is which. In the few
cases where the POST completed, the system simply sat at a blank
terminal screen.

Sincerely,
C.Joseph Drayton, Ph.D. AS&T

CSD Computer Services

Web site: http://csdcs.site90.net/
E-mail: (e-mail address removed)90.net
 
Back
Top