Existing C: Drive and a new system

On 6/6/2011 9:06 PM, Loren Pechtel wrote:
On Sat, 4 Jun 2011 18:00:24 -0700 (PDT), Omicron
wrote:

Hello all,
Can I take an existing C: drive running Windows 7 32-bit and place it
into a brand new computer?
This new computer will have a completely different motherboard, video
card, etc., etc from the existing system.
If it CAN be done, what potential problems will I face and/or what
changes or modifications will I need to do to get it to run properly?
I'm trying to avoid the hassle of re-installing all my software,
email, etc., etc.

To summarize:
Can I build a new system from scratch, BUT take my existing Windows 7
C: drive from my old system and put it into my new box, thus becoming
the new machine's C drive?
Thank you for an help and advice.
Regards.

Expect to have to do a repair install. I've never done it with 7 but
I've done this with XP more than once, no problem beyond the repair
install.

Ive done it with Win7. It still has the same "warts" of any NT-based OS
on this, expect to play massive driver games.

You may be in for about 3 days of "redrivering". The M$ drivers often
don't do well on advanced hardware functions.

I'm not going to get into the "nit-pick" legalities of moving an OEM Win
install onto new hardware (if this is the case). From my own dealings
with M$, they really don't give a rat's ass if you used one of the
(open) Dell OEM opsys discs (available about anywhere) to install
Windows on a home-built machine (or to straighten out a really botched
box). The only downside is that you *can't* get support out of M$ for
anything on that.... but that's what "websearch" is for.

Just something to be aware of:

SATA "modes"
Too many permutations on that to get into on just a post, but you may
have to play "BIOS Games" on things like "IDE Simulation", AHCI, etc.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance...ller_Interface

Be prepared to muck around in BIOS if the drive doesn't boot; and be
ready to update the BIOS on your new mobo.

--
"**** this is it, all the pieces do fit.
We're like that crazy old man jumping
out of the alleyway with a baseball bat,
saying, "Remember me mother****er?"
Jim “Dandy” Mangrum