Transfer of Computer Hard Drive to another computer

[chat408]

Since I am new to doing things like this I am asking for help prior to turning the computer on. I had an old hard drive that i removed from a computer. My daughter has a computer and would like more space to be able to play games (like SIMS) on. She is not connected to the internet, and the old computer was connnected. My problem is this, I need instructions to help me when we turn the computer on to recongnize the "new" hard drive from the old computer. Does it need to be set up as a slave/master and if so how do I do this. If not when we turn the computer on should it automatically reconize the "new" hardware and install it? She is operating under Windows 98. Will she have to change drives to play games, and how will she do this.

As you can see, we are new to this area and dont want to mess up what she does have, but would like to increase her storage capabilites so she can install games without using all her space.

Thanks for any help

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Start with reading this illustrated article on how to make more space on the existing harddisk:
http://consumer.installshield.com/kb.asp?id=Q108409

Then pick your choice for instructions on how to add another disk, some with video-footage even:
http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Hardware/Storage/Hard_Disk_Drives/

 

[chat408]

Thanks for the help, after the drive was installed, we turned it on and did not have to do really anything. She now has 2 drives on her computer. We make the "new" drive the slave, but when the computer boots up, we can see where the new drive is. I was wondering if we should format both the drives, then reinstall the windows 98 to clear up the mess that is on them? Will this help, and if so, will I have to have the discs to reinstall them, or by formating them will I just clean them out and have to reinstall the programs for the printer, and other stuff she want on them.

Also, since we have one button as the slave, does she have to switch drives when she does the installation of program, or is there a way to have it automatically fill up one drive (4GB) before going to the (12GB)?

Again, thanks for the help.

 

[RealBlackStuff]

When you open Windows Explorer. you can see what drives you have.
A: for a floppy drive
C: for the first harddrive with W98 on
D: (probably) the newly added harddrive
E: your CD-Rom.

Assuming D is the new drive, you should format that, to clean up the mess from the previous computer. Rightclick D: in Explorer and select Format. This will wipe out anything that was on that drive.

If your Explorer shows different drivelettere and you are not sure what is what, report back first.
Warning: if you format the C: drive, you will lose all your Windows 98, as well as everything else on it!
If you want to start afresh, you will need all the CDs and floppies for all programs and drivers that are on it now. You should also make a backup of your personal files.
Perhaps ask some friendly computer-savvy neighbour?

 

[chat408]

I am going to format the D:drive, however probably not the C: Drive. I do want to reinstall windows 98 and not have all the extra stuff on it. We have a back-up disc made for the c:drive can this be used to reinstall the information if we do decide to format the c:drive?

Thanks again

I kinda know what is going on but since this is my first actual time I do like to review with someone who has done this before

 

[RealBlackStuff]

What sort of backup disk? What is on it?
Unless you are talking about an 'image' of that disk, you can only use your backup for copying back user-files such as your Email and My Documents and other personal files.
If you copy back more, you would get all your old 'junk' back.
Re-installation requires ALL CDs for W98, motherboard-drivers, printer/scanner/mouse drivers and whatever else you have.

 

[chat408]

It is a start up disk that was made when the computer was first acquired.
It should have all the information without the junk

My other thought is this - i formatted the "new" drive that we put in last night. I was going to try to install windows 98 on it and then the printer hardware, and 2 other programs for printing and photo's that she uses. Can I then make that one the master since it is the larger drive, and format the ohter drive to let her use it for games? I dont know if this will work since it is currently the master. Will we need to take the drives out when the other items are installed on the "new" drive and make it the master and the other the slave in order to do this? Also by doing this will it affect the monitor and speakers and should they be put on the "new" drive also?

I really appreceiate all of the help you have given me.

 

[chat408]

I did have another thought after I posted the last reply, just to make sure we are doing this right, we would have to take the hard drive out if we did change the slave/master setup and switch the pins on the back. Is there anything on the windows software that will let me change the set up without switching the pins?

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Before you get into trouble: You can install W98 ONLY on the Master=first harddisk in the FIRST partition = C:
Your startup disk is only a floppy-disk (3.5") and is of no use to install W98. For that you need a CD (8").
Once you have the W98-CD, swap the harddisk-jumpers. Make the largest disk the Master and the smaller disk the Slave. Then install W98 on it (you have already formatted it). Then install whatever else you want, including your daughter's games.
If everything is up and running, you can copy your emails, My Documents etc. from the old HD into the corresponding folders on the big HD. When you are sure you have everything you need, you can format the small old HD, and use that for backups.

You cannot do the swap as you suggested in your last post, and Windows also has no settings for that.

 

[chat408]

Thanks for the help, we now know what we should do. Hopefully if all goes well we will not have more questions. But if I do, I will be sure and contact you.