Using old HDD in new build OR transferring data from old to new HDD.

[samis]

Hey everyone, my old computer with windows 7 ultimate just died and now I have to either buy a new desktop off the shelf or build my own.

So is it possible to take my old 250 GB SATA hard drive with win 7 ultimate and all my data, as well as the optical drives, and just connect them with the new build with new mobo, apu, ram, PSU, and case?

Or if the above is not possible, is it better to buy an off the shelf desktop and connect my old HDD to transfer the data?

I really need the old data and was looking to pursue the best route to a new desktop with the most economical means. I prefer to build my own system to keep prices down while having the best components but I also want to incorporate my old drives if possible.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

You can copy data from your existing hard drive but that's all. You can't carry Windows over to your new build, it won't work. Moreover, if it's a factory-built machine which came with Windows pre-installed, that copy of Windows is permanently linked to that computer and can't be transferred to another one. Those are the terms of Microsoft's licencing agreement.

On your new build you will have to install Windows from scratch so that Windows Setup can create a unique, hardware-specific Product ID which is used for Product Activation.

 

[samis]

Thanks Phillip. Another question is will it make the transfer of old data difficult if the new computer has win 8 vs the win 7 on the old hard drive?

 

[samis]

Okay so I have the new computer which I ended up buying off the shelf due to severe time constraints.

Any suggestions on how what the best way to get the data from the old hard drive is to transfer to the new computer?

Thanks again!