Transferring Hardrive to New PC

[kokoriku]

Hello! First post here!

-I just finished building my new pc, and my intentions are too take the hardrive from the PC i'm using now, and putting it into my new pc that I just built. I want to do this so I can keep my windows 7 and all my files.

-I'm wondering if this is possible and how I should go about it. I'm skeptical because I have all new parts and in my new PC and I am unsure of how all the drivers and stuff would transfer over...

-I've seen some posts involving "sysprep" but I'm still very confused. I want too be able to keep my files and my Windows 7. I want too make sure it recognizes all my new hardware as well..

-Is this possible? How should I go about it?

-Thanks in advance!

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

That's not possible, you can't "move" Windows 7 that was installed on one PC to another PC.

You can certainly move the drive to your new PC but you must then re-install Windows 7 by reformatting the existing Windows partition that's on that drive. You then install a fresh Windows 7 on to that empty partition.

 

[ArtPog]

Here's how to go about it...

1. Install your HDD in your newly-built PC. Ideally it should be the only drive installed in the PC at this time. Presumably you'll be connecting the drive to the motherboard's first SATA connector (usually designated SATA 0 or SATA 1).

2. Boot the system.

Generally speaking Windows is very good at picking up the drivers the system needs, however, it may be necessary to install this or that driver from your motherboard's installation CD/DVD.

Of course there probably will be an OS activation issue so be prepared for that.

In any event there's nothing to lose and a lot to gain by simply installing your old HDD in your new system and see the results.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

Windows will never run properly unless you re-install.

It's not just the wrong drivers, the registry contains the wrong hardware ID - this can only be rectified by creating a new registry. Windows Setup does this during the installation.

By all means give previous poster's suggestion a try, but I'll be very surprised if it runs without persistent issues.

Good luck.

 

[ArtPog]

Phillip:
All I can tell you is that we've done what I've suggested to the OP scores of times involving modern Windows OSs to no ill effects. Naturally this involves generic PC builds, not OEM machines. In the vast majority of cases (in our experience) the new build will boot & function without any significant problems whatsoever. Does it work 100% of the time? Of course not, but the simple expedient of installing the old (presumably a bootable, non-defective) HDD or SSD is always worth a try.

And of course, as I have indicated, driver issues may arise (although even that has become less common in recent years) that can be easily resolved via the new motherboard's CD/DVD installation disk, together with the necessity for activating the Windows OS in the new build.

 

[kokoriku]

That's not possible, you can't "move" Windows 7 that was installed on one PC to another PC.

You can certainly move the drive to your new PC but you must then re-install Windows 7 by reformatting the existing Windows partition that's on that drive. You then install a fresh Windows 7 on to that empty partition.

Phillip thank you so much for your response! Alright so let's say I have the key and stuff to re-activate windows, how should I go about keeping all my files on the HDD and for it too recognize all the new components on the new PC I would put it in? I really just want to keep all my files and I want to be able to install/have the right drivers of my new PC.

 

[kokoriku]

Here's how to go about it...

1. Install your HDD in your newly-built PC. Ideally it should be the only drive installed in the PC at this time. Presumably you'll be connecting the drive to the motherboard's first SATA connector (usually designated SATA 0 or SATA 1).

2. Boot the system.

Generally speaking Windows is very good at picking up the drivers the system needs, however, it may be necessary to install this or that driver from your motherboard's installation CD/DVD.

Of course there probably will be an OS activation issue so be prepared for that.

In any event there's nothing to lose and a lot to gain by simply installing your old HDD in your new system and see the results.

Thanks so much for replying! So you're saying I should just be able to take the HDD and put it in the new PC, boot and just have to do something with re-activating windows 7? Will all the drivers reset so I can install the right ones for the new components on the PC? I pretty much just want too make sure I keep all my files, and to be sure that the correct drivers would be installed. I'm not too sure what I would do about the drivers, do I uninstall them before I move it over to the new PC?

 

[ArtPog]

Assuming that your HDD boots there's a better-than-even chance that Windows will pick up the necessary drivers for your new system. You can check Device Manager to determine whether any drivers are necessary. If they are, you will use your motherboard's installation CD/DVD to install whatever drivers are necessary. You need not have to delete any drivers from your old system in most cases. Just install your old HDD as is.

By & by the likelihood is that you will receive a MS msg to activate the new system so have your product ID handy. It's possible you may never receive such a message - it happens.