# Piggybacking hard drives



## LittleRedHen (Apr 26, 2006)

I bought a new computer after a surge took out my power supply and motherboard. I have a lot of things saved on the hard drive and it is a relatively new hard drive. I still have the manual for it but I do not know where the CD is for it. 

Do I absolutely need the CD to add the hard drive to my new computer or can I transfer information over without it? I don't need the hard drive for space or anything. My new hard drive is 80Gb and so is the old one. I can't think of anything I could use that much space for. I Just want my pictures off there and some other files. 

How easy would it be to transfer?


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

ChickenLittle said:


> I bought a new computer after a surge took out my power supply and motherboard. I have a lot of things saved on the hard drive and it is a relatively new hard drive. I still have the manual for it but I do not know where the CD is for it.
> 
> Do I absolutely need the CD to add the hard drive to my new computer or can I transfer information over without it? I don't need the hard drive for space or anything. My new hard drive is 80Gb and so is the old one. I can't think of anything I could use that much space for. I Just want my pictures off there and some other files.
> 
> How easy would it be to transfer?


Yes, you need software to transfer the operating system and drive contents intact. I use Norton Ghost 2003, but there are others. It seems to me that Kung posted once about a free downloadable one once, but I don't remember what the name of it was. Maybe he'll stop in later and post it again.

Most "boxed" hard drives come with a CD that can transfer your entire disk contents.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

If you have a new computer with an operation system on it you can put the old hard disk on your new computer without any CD. It will appear as another drive letter and you can copy data between both drives. If your new drive doesnt have an OS then you will need to load the new drive and then copy over data.

If the computers are close enough and your running XP you MIGHT be able to boot the new motherboard with the old DISK but you will then most have basic functionallity and then need to pull down all the device drivers for your new motherboard.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Gary in ohio said:


> If you have a new computer with an operation system on it you can put the old hard disk on your new computer without any CD.


Yes, certainly the new machine should work fine with the old hard drive. While I assumed that he had a good reason to migrate to the new hard drive, I may have been jumping to an unfounded conclusion. 

Of course, if the old hard drive has been in service for a while it would be nice to start fresh. Hard drives do suffer bearing failure with time, although that's not as common as it used to be.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Nevada said:


> Yes, you need software to transfer the operating system and drive contents intact. I use Norton Ghost 2003, but there are others. It seems to me that Kung posted once about a free downloadable one once, but I don't remember what the name of it was. Maybe he'll stop in later and post it again.
> 
> Most "boxed" hard drives come with a CD that can transfer your entire disk contents.


I did in fact post on this....I think it was DriveXML.


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## LittleRedHen (Apr 26, 2006)

i dont need anything on the old hard drive except for some pictures really... i figured i would just add the old hard drive and attach it to the port area behind my first hard drive in my new computer. I just didn't know if i had to use the old hard drives software to get my new computer to reconize it. (its a year old and was generic at walmart so it should be useable despite going from compaq to dell)


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

ChickenLittle said:


> I just didn't know if i had to use the old hard drives software to get my new computer to reconize it.


If it's an IDE (ATA) hard drive, which is a 99% probability, then you don't need any software to get your computer to recognize it.


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## LittleRedHen (Apr 26, 2006)

Thank u very much!


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## 14yearpcmaker (Mar 11, 2007)

Make sure your power supply has enough power to run two hard drives before you pop it in! Most generic computers only have a bare minimum of power to run the basics. If your computer is a Dell or a BIG name brand, you should be fine~!


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