[faniggler]

So I'm trying to build a new pc and I was wondering if it was at all possible to just use the hard drive I'm using now. I'm trying to harvest what I can from my old computer, like the hard drive and the blue ray player. Only reason I ask this for two main reasons.
1. So I don't have to buy another hard drive
2. If there was a way to keep the OS from the old computer and move it to a new one so I don't have to buy it again as well.

I know that switching a hard drive to a new motherboard can be kind of tricky. So that's why I'm looking for help.

There is a slight problem however. The computer came with vista pre-installed and I got a free windows 7 upgrade on the internet. So I have no boot cd. Would there be a way to use a flash drive to perhaps reboot the computer? I don't really know much but any help would be deeply appreciated.

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Re-using the HDD depends on the type it is IDE or SATA and the types of slot that the new MB has, the Blu Ray player will depend on your new case but it should not be a problem with a modern case.

Please see my canned speech below regarding your operating system;

Just a cautionary note, unless your OS disk is the full retail edition you cannot use it with a new MB as an OEM disk is tied to the original MB it was paired with, to use an OEM disk with a new MB is software piracy and therefore illegal.
Exceptions to the above are 1: If your MB is replaced under warranty and 2: If your MB is replaced out of warranty with an alternative type but same brand due to the original model no longer being available, an upgraded MB however will require the purchase of a new OS licence.

Microsoft can waive the above and quite often do if you contact them first as this makes it apparent that you are have acted honestly.

Can I ask where you got the free Windows 7 upgrade from.

Do not worry about doing the build on your own as there are plenty of us here who will guide you step by step and there are tutorials for you to also study.

http://www.geekstogo...r-own-computer/ courtesy of Troy and Artellos and http://www.geekstogo...rface-material/ Digerati respectively.

[phillpower2]

Re-using the HDD depends on the type it is IDE or SATA and the types of slot that the new MB has, the Blu Ray player will depend on your new case but it should not be a problem with a modern case.

Please see my canned speech below regarding your operating system;

Just a cautionary note, unless your OS disk is the full retail edition you cannot use it with a new MB as an OEM disk is tied to the original MB it was paired with, to use an OEM disk with a new MB is software piracy and therefore illegal.
Exceptions to the above are 1: If your MB is replaced under warranty and 2: If your MB is replaced out of warranty with an alternative type but same brand due to the original model no longer being available, an upgraded MB however will require the purchase of a new OS licence.

Microsoft can waive the above and quite often do if you contact them first as this makes it apparent that you are have acted honestly.

Can I ask where you got the free Windows 7 upgrade from.

Do not worry about doing the build on your own as there are plenty of us here who will guide you step by step and there are tutorials for you to also study.

http://www.geekstogo...r-own-computer/ courtesy of Troy and Artellos and http://www.geekstogo...rface-material/ Digerati respectively.

[faniggler]

I got the upgrade to windows 7 free with my computer when I bought it a while back. It is a legit windows 7 just to be clear.

If I were to move my hard drive to a new motherboard then I would have to buy a whole new OS?

And how could I tell if the hard drive is IDE or SATA?

[phillpower2]

I got the upgrade to windows 7 free with my computer when I bought it a while back.

Is this the computer you are upgrading from and if so do you have a link to the specifications.

It is a legit windows 7 just to be clear.

Has anyone suggested otherwise?
You asked a question about using the OS on another computer and the answer you received will ensure that you do not unknowingly break the law, one of the first things that you must do with a new build is go online and activate Windows, install all important updates and update drivers, if the OS you are using is in use on another system it will be flagged up by Microsoft as illegal and you will be prevented from completing the installation of the OS leaving your system pretty much useless unless you install a free OS such as Linux.

If I were to move my hard drive to a new motherboard then I would have to buy a whole new OS?

Possibly but I did explain earlier;

Microsoft can waive the above and quite often do if you contact them first as this makes it apparent that you are have acted honestly

And how could I tell if the hard drive is IDE or SATA?

Do you know the brand and model, how old is it, is it in the same PC that you are upgrading from (as asked above)

[faniggler]

I bought the computer off ebay. The free upgrade thing was or all HP computers for a certain time.



As for the hard drive brand or model, I do not know. All of the parts (hard drive and blueray) are coming from the same computer.

[phillpower2]

I bought the computer off ebay. The free upgrade thing was or all HP computers for a certain time.

As for the hard drive brand or model, I do not know. All of the parts (hard drive and blueray) are coming from the same computer.

This does suggest that it will be the more modern type SATA HDD, if you do not have a link to the PC can you tell us the model name.

[faniggler]

The model of the pc itself?

[phillpower2]

Yes that will allow us to get the system specs and see what can be re-used to save money.

[faniggler]

Slight problem with that. I know what case I'm using now HP Compaq dc7700 Small Form Factor PC. I had issues with the computer I had prior to this one. So I had a guy at a local computer repair store move some stuff into this computer.

I THINK he moved the hard drive and blue ray player only. But I had to go through a whole scenario to get windows 7 and Microsoft office back (6 straight hours on the phone).

[phillpower2]

You can find your hardware specs using Speccy http://www.piriform.com/speccy

As your present case is the SFF type your options depend on what the rig will be used for, is it for gaming?

Your previous topic http://www.geekstogo...30#entry2124430

[faniggler]

Wow that's a really cool program.

Here is the summary of my computer.

Operating System
MS Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
CPU
Intel Pentium E2160 @ 1.80GHz 31 °C
Conroe 65nm Technology
RAM
4.00 GB Single-Channel DDR2 @ 398MHz (6-6-6-18)
Motherboard
Hewlett-Packard 0A54h (XU1 PROCESSOR) 52 °C
Graphics
HP w1907 (1440x900@60Hz)
Intel® Q965/Q963 Express Chipset Family
Intel® Q965/Q963 Express Chipset Family
Hard Drives
977GB Seagate ST31000340AS ATA Device (SATA) 45 °C
Optical Drives
No optical disk drives detected
Audio
High Definition Audio Device





Here is the hard drive specs
Hard Drives
ST31000340AS ATA Device
Manufacturer Seagate
Form Factor 3.5"
Heads 16
Cylinders 16383
SATA type SATA-II 3.0Gb/s
Device type Fixed
ATA Standard ATA8-ACS
LBA Size 48-bit LBA
Power On Count 1701 times
Power On Time 521.9 days
Speed, Expressed in Revolutions Per Minute (rpm) 7200
Features S.M.A.R.T., NCQ
Transfer Mode SATA II
Interface SATA
Capacity 977GB
Real size 1,000,204,886,016 bytes
RAID Type None
S.M.A.R.T
01 Read Error Rate 113 (099 worst) Data 0003085CE7
03 Spin-Up Time 091 (089) Data 0000000000
04 Start/Stop Count 099 (099) Data 00000006D6
05 Reallocated Sectors Count 100 (100) Data 0000000000
07 Seek Error Rate 068 (060) Data 000967265E
09 Power-On Hours (POH) 086 (086) Data 00000030ED
0A Spin Retry Count 100 (100) Data 0000000003
0C Device Power Cycle Count 099 (037) Data 00000006A5
B8 End-to-End error / IOEDC 100 (100) Data 0000000000
BB Reported Uncorrectable Errors 100 (100) Data 0000000000
BC Command Timeout 100 (099) Data 000000000C
BD High Fly Writes (WDC) 089 (089) Data 000000000B
BE Temperature Difference from 100 055 (039) Data 003117002D
C2 Temperature 045 (061) Data 000000002D
C3 Hardware ECC Recovered 046 (018) Data 0003085CE7
C4 Reallocation Event Count 100 (100) Data 0000000000
C5 Current Pending Sector Count 100 (100) Data 0000000000
C6 Uncorrectable Sector Count 100 (100) Data 0000000000
C7 UltraDMA CRC Error Count 200 (200) Data 0000000000
Temperature 45 °C
Temperature Range ok (less than 50 °C)
Status Good
Partition 0
Partition ID Disk #0, Partition #0
Disk Letter C:
File System NTFS
Volume Serial Number BC2E4497
Size 917GB
Used Space 437GB (48%)
Free Space 480GB (52%)
Partition 1
Partition ID Disk #0, Partition #1
Disk Letter D:
File System NTFS
Volume Serial Number 9CA46A86
Size 14.2GB
Used Space 12.2GB (87%)
Free Space 1.95GB (13%)





I'm sorry it's all garbled up. It says I have no optical drive when I do.

[phillpower2]

Ok not much there to take to a new build,

If me I would leave the blu ray player in the Hp, add a smaller HDD and use it as a HTPC, use the larger HDD with your new build.

[faniggler]

So I should take the hard drive out of this one (the one in question) and put it in a new one? Should I just start over fresh with a new system?

[phillpower2]

So I should take the hard drive out of this one (the one in question) and put it in a new one? Should I just start over fresh with a new system?

Do you watch or indeed collect films or music videos?
If you do then keeping your present system as it is with the exception of putting in a smaller HDD is a good way of making use of the components, the only worthwhile re-usable parts that you have at present are the HDD and the B/Ray player.

From my post #10;

As your present case is the SFF type your options depend on what the rig will be used for, is it for gaming?

What is the answer please!
If gaming then it is all the more reason to keep the other system as a HTPC as that way you will have the best of both worlds, basically the present system is worth more to you as a HTPC than what you could expect to recoup if you sold it + you do not need a B/Ray player for gaming.

Some HTPC info @ http://en.wikipedia....Home_theater_PC

[faniggler]

Oh, sorry! Yes I will be getting a new system for gaming.