Brand new hard drive installation questions

[Mister Lemons]

I've looked into the matter quite thoroughly and have come up with answers all across the spectrum. So now I'm asking those who know most about the situation. I've been told simply putting a fresh HDD into the computer with no drivers or files of any sort has about a 50/50 chance of installing the hardware and allowing an OS to then be installed.

Question 1) I have a fresh hard drive formatted by windows 7. Obviously with nothing on it, if I were to remove my current HDD and install the new one, would my hardware (MoBo, GPU, WiFi card, Etc) automatically install their own drivers allowing the system to function enough to install the OS?

Question 2) If I removed my old hard drive, installed the same OS on the new one, then removed the new HDD and inserted the old one again, would it still work as it did before (software speaking, just in case of failure)?

Question 3) Let's assume everything has worked as planned, The new HDD has the same exact OS installed from the same exact windows disk, being that the OS's have the same code would I be able to access one from the other (connected by USB for file transfer) as the systems are essentially clones?

Any information on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

 

[byza]

1) I have no idea where you heard the 50/50 thing, if you've got the windows CD you should be good to go with installing windows on a new HDD. Otherwise 50% of people building new computers would be running into trouble.

2) Yes it will work, you should even be able to set up a dual boot system, but i've never tried this using the same OS + same key so I can't say 100% whether dual boot will be possible but I don't see why not. Also it's wise to install Windows in it's own partition on the HDD so if it get's corrupted you don't lose your other files and programs and can do a fresh install over the top.

3) You should be able to access one from the other.

 

[Paperdoc]

You have become confused from so many stories, so that you misunderstand how it is supposed to work.

1. If you start out with a new computer with NOTHING on the hard drive, not even an Operating System, you do NOT need to install drivers or anything else on that drive first. (You may not need these details, because you already have a hard drive with a version of Windows on it. But this is just FYI stuff.) The first step, actually, is to place your Windows Install CD in the optical drive unit and boot the machine from there. The Install process searches around and finds where it could put Windows, then asks for your OK. That process does ALL the work - it Partitions and Formats the HDD (so you do not need to do this ahead of time), it Installs Windows on that, and then it ensures that ALL the drivers you need also are installed. In fact, only the OS can install drivers. You cannot install drivers on an empty HDD.

2. If you want to add a second HDD to your system later so that you have more storage space (while keeping the old HDD still in use as your boot device), you do NOT need to install any software. The second HDD does NOT need its own copy of Windows - in fact, it should NOT have that! - and does not need special drivers. The Windows already running on your machine has all the drivers it needs. (There are few types of hard drives, and Win 7 and 8 have drivers "built in" for most of them. In fact, it is HIGHLY likely that the new HDD you bought is the SAME type as your old one, and the driver is already in place for it.) Even if you add a new type of device (say, a DVD Rewriter drive), Windows will detect that and help you to find the driver required and install it for you. However, there ARE a few steps you need to take to get a totally empty HDD working. BUT it appears you may have done those already. You say you HAVE "formatted" the new HDD under Windows 7. If that is the case, the "installation" of that second HDD is easy. You leave the old HDD in place. You shut down, disconnect power, and mount the new unit physically inside the case. Connect a power supply connector from the PSU to the HDD. Now connect a data cable between the HDD and a SATA port on the mobo. (I'm assuming your new HDD is a SATA type.) Make sure you have not bumped any other cables loose, then close up, connect power, and boot normally. When Windows is running, look in My Computer. Your new HDD should be right there as a new drive, ready to use.

3. You post is not clear on this point, so let's just check. Is it your intention to keep running your machine with the old HDD as you boot device, and the new HDD as just more storage space in a separate drive? That is what Section 2 above will do. But MAYBE your intention was to REPLACE your old HDD with the new one completely, and remove the old one. If that is your plan, post back here, because the procedure is different. OR, if you are trying to upgrade to a newer version of Windows, or if you WANT a Dual-Boot system with different Windows OS's installed on separate HDD units, that is different again, so post here.

4. Just so you know about some of your confusion, let me comment on the "50/50 chance of ..." stories. I expect this comes from discussions of a particular type of equipment change, one you are NOT doing so it does not apply in your situation. If you have a computer already set up and running, and then are forced to make a significant change in hardware - like, replacing the motherboard - there CAN be a problem like this. As I said above, when Windows first is Installed on a machine, one thing it does is to survey the hardware currently attached and make sure to load onto the HDD and install in Windows all the drivers for the devices it finds. "Devices" is more than hard drives, optical drives, video cards and sound cards. It includes a large number of devices that actually are located in chips on the motherboard for lots of tasks. So that version of Windows is customized for that set of hardware. Now, if some significant hardware change is done later - mother board replacement is a BIG change, for example - The next time Windows boots from the HDD it finds out there are two types of mismatches. It has drivers installed for devices it does not find, and it finds new devices with no drivers for them. In a few cases like this, Windows can sort most of this out all by itself. But more commonly you actually need to get out your original Windows Install CD and reboot from it, and do a special process called a Repair Install. This completely re-does the survey of devices and drivers and tries to solve all of the mismatches. Many times this works perfectly, sometimes it needs a bit more help, but too often it fails and Windows simply can't fix the problems. In this last case, the only solution is to wipe the HDD clean and re-Install Windows. BUT that means losing all your application software (which you must re-Install) AND all your data files unless you have made a backup copy of everything before you started. As you can appreciate, this is a MAJOR problem so it gets a lot of attention. But you are NOT doing that, so don't worry about it.

 

[Mister Lemons]

You have become confused from so many stories, so that you misunderstand how it is supposed to work.


2. If you want to add a second HDD to your system later so that you have more storage space (while keeping the old HDD still in use as your boot device), you do NOT need to install any software. The second HDD does NOT need its own copy of Windows


3. You post is not clear on this point, so let's just check. Is it your intention to keep running your machine with the old HDD as you boot device, and the new HDD as just more storage space in a separate drive? That is what Section 2 above will do. But MAYBE your intention was to REPLACE your old HDD with the new one completely, and remove the old one. If that is your plan, post back here, because the procedure is different. OR, if you are trying to upgrade to a newer version of Windows, or if you WANT a Dual-Boot system with different Windows OS's installed on separate HDD units, that is different again, so post here.

On the topic of installing a secondary OS, that is not what I plan to do. Allow me to clarify.

My situation is abnormal and the work I plan to do is almost entirely unnecessary. With my questions answered the procedure becomes a lot easier and I am a lot more confident in doing this. I intend to remove my current HDD, insert the blank formatted one, install windows and use the old HDD as a sort of backup of my things. \

The whole reason I am doing this is due to the OS getting so far beyond repair on this HDD that I essentially am going to do a clean install, minus the 'delete everything you own' part by keeping the old HDD handy so I can transfer all my important files via USB hookup. (If you must know, 'beyond repair' in my case means downloads stop halfway through, CPU usage unnecessarily high for simple tasks, everything down to the internet has slowed to a crawl on some occasions. Either I or the previous owner was the cause of this.I've done everything I can to reverse the problems but have failed on nearly all attempts.)


Secondly, I do not intend to have two HDDs in use. I'll have the new drive hooked up in the case and the old one as a sort of backup for all my stuffs.



Anywho, thank you WORLDS for the information, replys in the way of your answer give people like me the confidence to mess with things I wouldn't touch ordinarily.

 

[Markkk]

In Answer to your questions

Q1 ?? You will have to install everything (requires Windows 7 DVD & Programs installation programs drivers etc)

Q2 Yes

Q3 You can Access the Files - But Games or Programs won't Run off it as they will need to be installed on the new one.

Note: If you plan on using a Drive from an Enclosure - Check first that is NOT a power saving one (most are Green) these power saving Green Drives not ideal for primary Use as they are slow drives.

> People do this all the Time the main drive gets to small so they buy a New Big Drive then Put the Old one into a USB Case for backup...

 

[Paperdoc]

OP, your last post makes things much clearer. I endorse your decision to start fresh with an empty new HDD. I'll make a few suggestions.

1. When you start, disconnect the old HDD. Perhaps remove it completely from the case if your intention is to use it as a safe backup of old files. Or maybe, leave it in place but disconnected until you get to the "copy over all old files" job. What is important is that, when you are Installing Windows on the new HDD, that unit should be the ONLY HDD connected in your machine. This is a way to avoid a future problem that has caused people trouble, even though it interferes with an automatic trouble recovery system.
2. Your new HDD, you say, already has been Partitioned and Formatted. When you start to do the fresh Install on it, your might be best advised to tell it first to Delete any and all Partitions already on that unit. Then Install can start with a truly empty HDD and organize it the way it prefers.
3. After you have Win 7 (or whichever) installed, be sure to get all the most recent updates to it. Also check whether there are recent and better drivers for some added devices like DVD drives or video cards, etc.
4. This is a good time to install any protection systems - antivirus software, etc. - before installing anything more, because you will be using internet connections extensively from here forward.
5. As you are probably aware, you will have to re-Install all your application software. You cannot simply copy their software from old drive to new. For this, you will need the software's installation disks, of course. You MAY have to contact the software maker's support lines if there is any confusion about a second installation of the same software. Again, check for updates made available since the date of the original Install disks.
6. After you have done that, you can get to copying your user files from the old HDD. After that's done, you could remove the old HDD and store it safely elsewhere. Then what to do with it? Well, nothing, if you plan to just let it be a safe backup of those old files. But if you are sure you got everything off it you need, you can wipe it clean, test it to be sure it is still performing well, and make it your regular storage unit for backups. For that purpose, mounting it in a separate external enclosure is good. That way you connect it to make or use backups, then disconnect it and store safely elsewhere.

 

[Mister Lemons]

OP, your last post makes things much clearer. I endorse your decision to start fresh with an empty new HDD. I'll make a few suggestions.

1. When you start, disconnect the old HDD. Perhaps remove it completely from the case if your intention is to use it as a safe backup of old files. Or maybe, leave it in place but disconnected until you get to the "copy over all old files" job. What is important is that, when you are Installing Windows on the new HDD, that unit should be the ONLY HDD connected in your machine. This is a way to avoid a future problem that has caused people trouble, even though it interferes with an automatic trouble recovery system.
2. Your new HDD, you say, already has been Partitioned and Formatted. When you start to do the fresh Install on it, your might be best advised to tell it first to Delete any and all Partitions already on that unit. Then Install can start with a truly empty HDD and organize it the way it prefers.
3. After you have Win 7 (or whichever) installed, be sure to get all the most recent updates to it. Also check whether there are recent and better drivers for some added devices like DVD drives or video cards, etc.
4. This is a good time to install any protection systems - antivirus software, etc. - before installing anything more, because you will be using internet connections extensively from here forward.
5. As you are probably aware, you will have to re-Install all your application software. You cannot simply copy their software from old drive to new. For this, you will need the software's installation disks, of course. You MAY have to contact the software maker's support lines if there is any confusion about a second installation of the same software. Again, check for updates made available since the date of the original Install disks.
6. After you have done that, you can get to copying your user files from the old HDD. After that's done, you could remove the old HDD and store it safely elsewhere. Then what to do with it? Well, nothing, if you plan to just let it be a safe backup of those old files. But if you are sure you got everything off it you need, you can wipe it clean, test it to be sure it is still performing well, and make it your regular storage unit for backups. For that purpose, mounting it in a separate external enclosure is good. That way you connect it to make or use backups, then disconnect it and store safely elsewhere.

This coming in from essentially a new computer. OS was installed, avast followed immediately after, and i'm currently copying all important files from the old HDD via USB. Thank you so much for your help, and I hope this thread can be of use for anyone else attempting the same thing.

 

[Paperdoc]

Glad you're on your way to full operations!