Install Windows 10 on an empty HDD and transfer old Vista HDD files over

[KreachersHell]

Hey everyone, this may seem like silly question. I just do not want to mess up when I'm building someone a $500 PC. I have an extra WD 1T HDD. I am upgrading their 10 year old store bought Dell pc... by upgrading I mean all new. They currently have lots of files on their current HDD of course (which is Windows Vista) on which they cannot lose. I was making sure if it's possible to hook the extra WD 1T HDD I have into my PC and install a Windows 10 onto that drive specifically and then when building their pc, using that drive as the main drive (because ideally we're tossing the old Vista HDD or using it as back up after formatting) and hooking up the old drive and transferring documents and pictures through drag and drop. If that's out of the question stupid, then what would be the easier safer alternative.
Thank you

 

[smorizio]

with a 10 year old pc there drive may be a 40 pin ide drive and not sata. if they cant lose the files then do a few backups. one use a large usb stick or dvd and copy the files to the usb stick. if it less then 15g of data have them get a google drive account and move the files online. the last step is pick up a 20.00 case for the old hard drive so they can plug it into a usb port if there data that did not copy over. with a 10 year old drive there better off putting the drive and case in a safe spot.

 

[KreachersHell]

Hey smorizio, appreciate the fast reply!
I may have been a few years over the top, well no not really I believe it's a 2006 make. I do not recall seeing a 40 pin connector though ( that would be the big grey ribbon right ). I should have looked more closely and I'll have to look again cause I do not recall seeing sata connector either. It is about 250GB of documents and photos. If it were not a 40 pin connector would my original idea of transferring work or would Windows 10 not be able to use the old HDD with vista as temporary storage until completion of transferring files to the master without being formatted first? As if it were a USB stick / DVD? If not then I guess the best option of data transfer would be DVD right. Another question I would like to throw out there is whether or not I could pre-emptively install Windows 10 on my spare HDD with my PC before building their PC.. or is the OS almost motherboard bound at that point. Almost no point doing such anyway so I"m not sure why I ask that. Thought I had a reason 😛
Sorry somewhat computer illiterate but yet I've built at least 3 gaming rigs for friends and own my own gaming rig O.0' but in those cases it was either all new build and no need of keeping old files and or easy OS upgrades from Windows 7 to 8.1 and 8.1 to 10 is all way too simplified. That's kind of why this throws me off because I never did use Vista or have a really old store bought PC in my life
Cheers

 

[Paperdoc]

Your initial plan for the 1 TB new drive won't work. If you Install Win 10 on it while mounted in YOUR own machine, it will be customized for that machine's hardware, and VERY unlikely to work in the friend's Dell machine. Your best path is to rebuild the Dell machine as you plan, installing only the new 1 TB unit as a hard drive. When it's built, Install Win 10 on that drive. Then install all the software you expect to need. You cannot just copy the software from the old HDD. The software needs to be Installed under Win 10 so the proper entries are made in the new Windows Registry on that 1 TB drive.

When that is all done, then install the old HDD containing Vista, etc. and all old files. Copy all their old data files they want to the new drive. I suggest that then you remove the old HDD from the rebuilt machine and store it. Somebody may find they are missing an old file that didn't get copied over, and that old drive is a complete backup of the old files as long as it is not in use.

AFTER the friends are SURE they have all their old files on the new drive and do NOT need anything from the old drive any more, then you can advise (help) them to install that old drive in their machine, wipe it clean and Partition it (now called Create a New Simple Volume) to be used as a data-only (not to boot from) second HDD.

 

[KreachersHell]

Ok I figured as much but wanted to stay ahead of the game.. everytime I have PC parts on the way I get the build fever, I want to build now! lol. Keeping it as a temporary back up is a clever idea, I would have just formatted it right away for extra storage (not that they even need it with only 250GB of files). Thank you for clearing it all up both of you! Much appreciated 😀