New system-old hdd

[viperdiver]

Hello,
I am building a brand new system from scratch (i5-2500k, asrock extreme 4 gen 3 mobo, ddr3 ram, etc)

My old system (core 2 duo e7300 and hp mobo, ddr2 ram, etc) has a hdd I had wiped and installed a clean win 7 ultimate on. The hdd is perfect and what I want, so I want to simply use it in my new system as is (the boot and only drive)

Reading around, it seems that the system can have trouble with this kind of swap, so how do I prime my hdd for success in my old system before moving it over and what should I do once it is moved over (assuming it works)

Not looking for a 'wipe it and reinstall your data' answer here-I already know how to do that one...

If more specs are actually necessary let me know.

 

[viperdiver]

To clarify, the win 7 install was years ago and much data and programs have been added since

 

[jsc]

You are moving the drive from an old system to a completely new system. I'd say the odds are better than 50-50 that you will need to wipe the drive and reinstall Windows when you build your new system.

 

[viperdiver]

So I did even more reading than when I posted this so let me change the question then.

What is the easiest way to get all my programs and files off and back on the hdd?

Baseline way: manually move all folders and files to a separate hdd, reinstall windows and all programs from CDs, then manually bring back all the files and folders. Giant pain but works-easier way that won't lose anything?

 

[alyoshka]

You will and should not have a problem at all.
If you have your new rig all built up and working without a HDD, then, all you need to do is connect this Win 7 HDD to the SATA_1 connector on the Mobo, disconnect all the other drives except the ODD with your Win 7 Disc at arms lenght from you, just in case we need it.
Boot the rig straight into BIOS.
Set up everything like you need it, disable all other boot devices and make the Win7 the One and Only Primary Boot Device.
No Booting fro others, no usb boot, no boot from LAN etc etc.
Save exit and get into Safe Mode immediately.
Once in safe mode , remove old unnecessary drivers of the old mobo and software, lan chips and software.
Basically, remove everything that concerns the older mobo and gpu chipsets...
Reboot into safe mode a few times if necessary. How will you know it's necessary? well in safe mode windows will setup default drivers for the new architecture and components of the new mobo. This might take a few reboots as critical components need to be reconfigured by the OS. Also make sure that the RAM and processor are correctly recognized in the OS in safe mode.
After a few reboots and you feel that the rig is not doing anything new when it boots into safe mode, you can, reboot into normal mode.
Then install the necessary drivers either from the Mobo driver disc or the Windows Update site. You'll not have a problem.
I have been through a dozen rigs in the past 4 years and am still using the same HDD with the same OS that I installed 4 years ago, been thru AMD boards, changed over to Intel Boards, changed complete generations of CPUs and GPUs both Nvidia and ATI back and forth, and have not a single issue in terms of compatibility or speed every......

 

[viperdiver]

Nice...sure would save a lot of other headaches if it works smooth

 

[alyoshka]

It's saved me a zillion times and use the same programs on all the rigs, beats reinstallation and updating installing them 3 times everytime I change the core components.

 

[viperdiver]

Best answer selected by Viperdiver.