Is the new computer a desktop or a laptop?
Trying to install a hard drive from another computer
Hello there,
Somehow I have the feeling I am making this harder than it really is. I had a Toshiba Satellite that I had installed a new 500g hard drive just a month ago, with no issues. It installed everything just fine, including Windows Vista as a OS. Well, long story short, the screen ended up getting broke, and I wont be replacing it for awhile. I went and bought a new computer, using Windows 7, and would like to install the 500g hard drive into the new computer. I have the disks necessary, as well as a SATA cable to make any transfers, and install 7.
I tried various things to make the switch, and so far have had no luck. Can you all tell me what I'm missing here?
Somehow I have the feeling I am making this harder than it really is. I had a Toshiba Satellite that I had installed a new 500g hard drive just a month ago, with no issues. It installed everything just fine, including Windows Vista as a OS. Well, long story short, the screen ended up getting broke, and I wont be replacing it for awhile. I went and bought a new computer, using Windows 7, and would like to install the 500g hard drive into the new computer. I have the disks necessary, as well as a SATA cable to make any transfers, and install 7.
I tried various things to make the switch, and so far have had no luck. Can you all tell me what I'm missing here?
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Hi Sonnymart12,
Please post the specs of the new computer you purchased. What is the exact problem? The 500GB hard-drive doesn't fit? Does the 500GB use the exact connection interface as the other hard-drive on the new computer? Since your 500GB is pretty recent, they should be both SATA.....correct me if I am wrong.
Please post the specs of the new computer you purchased. What is the exact problem? The 500GB hard-drive doesn't fit? Does the 500GB use the exact connection interface as the other hard-drive on the new computer? Since your 500GB is pretty recent, they should be both SATA.....correct me if I am wrong.
The new computer is a Dell laptop. Not sure on all the specs, I got it out of the box at a store, that doesn't deal with computers that much. THe 500 GB hard drive and the one currently installed are indeed both SATA. I simply put the one from the Toshiba into the Dell, and it wouldn't boot at all. I tried using the SATA cable and attempting to wipe the hard drive and transferring operating files from the computer to the hard drive with no luck. I'm kind of dealing with a challenge, as this is the computer I am on now, and it's the only one I have.
Hi sonnymart12,
If the 500GB you took out of the Toshiba had an OS on it and you installed it on a Dell, it would definitely not boot up. You will definitely have to perform a Windows Repair or In-Place Upgrade in order to make the hard-drive work on the Dell computer, because the 500GB had information of the Toshiba and probably had a different OS installed on it. Transferring an HDD from one computer to a different computer is a no-go and for sure it will the computer will not boot up right.
Now, are you able to perform a fresh install on the Dell computer with the 500GB installed on it? Are you able to back up the files on the 500GB HDD?
If the 500GB you took out of the Toshiba had an OS on it and you installed it on a Dell, it would definitely not boot up. You will definitely have to perform a Windows Repair or In-Place Upgrade in order to make the hard-drive work on the Dell computer, because the 500GB had information of the Toshiba and probably had a different OS installed on it. Transferring an HDD from one computer to a different computer is a no-go and for sure it will the computer will not boot up right.
Now, are you able to perform a fresh install on the Dell computer with the 500GB installed on it? Are you able to back up the files on the 500GB HDD?
It tried to do a windows repair, but would not finish. I was trying to figure out how I could get it to come up enough to load the OS from the Dell. I could not get the HD to work at all on the Dell, except for the repair.
I have the 500GB drive hooked up to my computer right now, via the SATA cable.
I have the 500GB drive hooked up to my computer right now, via the SATA cable.
What I have on the drive now is what I attempted last night, and that was to clear the drive, and load my Dell folders into it. I curremtly have the following foldersa on the drive now,
dell
Drivers
Intel
Program Files
Program Files (x86)
Users
Windows
dell
Drivers
Intel
Program Files
Program Files (x86)
Users
Windows
Copying folders from drive to drive is simply moving the data. It does not make the new drive bootable. So while your data was moved, you cannot boot from that HDD.
You would need to boot from an OS installation disc, and install the OS for all of the boot files to be created.
You would need to boot from an OS installation disc, and install the OS for all of the boot files to be created.
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