Question about upgrading to brand new assembled PC while using previous PC's HDDs in the new one

WILDLEGHORN

Journeyman
So currently I'm using a very ancient rig-

xfx radeon hd 5750 1 gb gddr5 gfx card
p5gc-mx/1333 mobo
core 2 duo e7200 wolfdale CPU
1 x 100Mbps NIC pci card ( LAN networking card)
2 x 2GB DDR2 RAM
2 x 7200 rpm SATA drives (one used solely for Win7 x64 & other for gaming & storing data)
1 x optical dvd rw drive
win 7 x64 OS
500W iBall PSU (crappy psu i know)



Within a week or so I'll be selling that entire rig above with the exception of those 2 SATA HDDs as they contain my data & will be getting a brand NEW gaming computer!

So I was basically thinking of just putting in the new HDDs into the NEW PC without formatting them or installing windows 7 ultimate x64 all over again!

So my question is how do I go about doing that? I know first I'll have to uninstall all my current mobo,chipset,audio & gfx card drivers from my system. Then install all the drivers & stuff for my current cpu,gpu,audio,chipset,etc......Will that be enough? Will that do it?? Will all my programs & games run normally?

Basically I just wanna keep running my system the exact same way it is running right now but with just upgrading the computer to new one. Don't feel like installing windows on the HDD all over again, installing updates, games, programs, utilities, etc....

I hope I've made my query clear in this question.....
 

kisame

King of Heroes
Will go fine.Just ensure that you boot from the drive which has win 7 installed.Of course,drivers for new devices will have to be installed.
 
OP
W

WILDLEGHORN

Journeyman
Will go fine.Just ensure that you boot from the drive which has win 7 installed.Of course,drivers for new devices will have to be installed.
Yes, understood!!!
So glad you understood my problem & answered the question
This problem was killing me inside in my head cuz installing windows, updates, programs & everything from the ground up means a pain in the behind especially when I already have perfectly set up everything including the games, programs, softwares, etc for all these past years.

Wow I'm so happy now reading your answer :-D
 
Last edited:

d6bmg

BMG ftw!!
You may use the HDD which is only used for data storing purpose even without formatting.
 
OP
W

WILDLEGHORN

Journeyman
You may use the HDD which is only used for data storing purpose even without formatting.
Yes but what about the other HDD that contains the Win7Ultimate 64 bit OS & has all the windows updates, programs, etc... installed & up to date as well???

Is it a MUST for me to format the OS drive & install win 7 + all updates & programs all over again?? Is there no other way other than re-installing everything?
 

kisame

King of Heroes
^Go ahead.Use your hdds on new rig as you are using them on present rig.Will do fine.
 
OP
W

WILDLEGHORN

Journeyman
^Go ahead.Use your hdds on new rig as you are using them on present rig.Will do fine.
OK!!!

Just need to uninstall the drivers for my current hardwares & after putting them back into my new PC & booting into windows, I just have to install the new drivers right? Thanks :)

Is there any validation needed for genuine windows, etc after putting the OS HDD in new PC?? Do I need to have the DVD key for Win7 x64 as well??
 
Last edited:

kisame

King of Heroes
^Yes.Just install new drivers.
Regarding windows validation,I think it will ask you to validate since you are changing most of the hardware.Keep your DVD key handy,Just in case.
 
OP
W

WILDLEGHORN

Journeyman
^Yes.Just install new drivers.
Regarding windows validation,I think it will ask you to validate since you are changing most of the hardware.Keep your DVD key handy,Just in case.
Ok, thanks a lot!!!
Got it perfectly crystal clear now!
 

d6bmg

BMG ftw!!
OK!!!

Just need to uninstall the drivers for my current hardwares & after putting them back into my new PC & booting into windows, I just have to install the new drivers right? Thanks :)

Is there any validation needed for genuine windows, etc after putting the OS HDD in new PC?? Do I need to have the DVD key for Win7 x64 as well??

Its not a safe bet. OS may or may not work. If it doesn't work, it can screw the whole system up.
best suggestion would be to format the partition where you have installed the programs & the OS.
 

ico

Super Moderator
Staff member
I've done this. In Linux there is NO problem. In Windows as well, there is no problem. All you'll need to do is, install drivers for the new equipments. But you should prefer getting rid of drivers of old equipments using Driver Sweeper.

Is there any validation needed for genuine windows, etc after putting the OS HDD in new PC?? Do I need to have the DVD key for Win7 x64 as well??
May or may not. Windows *can* detect hardware change and might ask for validation/activation again.

If it doesn't work, it can screw the whole system up.
If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work. It won't *screw* the whole system up. :|
 
OP
W

WILDLEGHORN

Journeyman
I've done this. In Linux there is NO problem. In Windows as well, there is no problem. All you'll need to do is, install drivers for the new equipments. But you should prefer getting rid of drivers of old equipments using Driver Sweeper.


May or may not. Windows *can* detect hardware change and might ask for validation/activation again.


If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work. It won't *screw* the whole system up. :|
Thanks a lot man :) & yes I've already been using Driversweeper for a long time so I'll definitely use that in 'Safe Mode' after uninstalling all the current hardware drivers.
 

sumonpathak

knocking on heavens door
^^good luck...
but be prepared...since yer jumping to new platforms...G41 to whatever u are buying :p
 
OP
W

WILDLEGHORN

Journeyman
^^good luck...
but be prepared...since yer jumping to new platforms...G41 to whatever u are buying :p
Yes but that shouldn't really matter since I'll already have all the hardware drivers for the old PC uninstalled with driversweeper before putting it in the new PC & booting it up in Win7 x64
 
Top Bottom