Hi guys,

Got a quick question about my second HDD.

Firstly, situation: Current harddrive, has windows XP, is on its way out. Many things don't install properly and things already installed end up getting corrupt. This really wasn't a problem at first but got worse.

I have a different harddrive that i have from my old PC. It has windows 7 on it. i don't have the XP disk nor a Windows 7 disk so i'm stuck this.

Problem: I only have one connection thingy (:shy for my harddrive so only one harddrive can connect at any one time. If i put the other harddrive in will it get drivers for motherboard, graphics card or anything else? Will i have to get these drivers before hand? Is it a case of taking old HDD out and putting new HDD in?

Anyones help would be greatly appreciated.

Only driver u really need is for the network/wifi card. everything else u can get once windows is installed...

You will be better downloading a Windows xp Sp3 integrated install from M$ as it has new drivers built in for a lot of hardware compared to a rtm or sp2 disc...

Quote from Foilpact :

Only driver u really need is for the network/wifi card. everything else u can get once windows is installed...

If that's the case how do i find out what network card i have?

Quote :

You will be better downloading a Windows xp Sp3 integrated install from M$ as it has new drivers built in for a lot of hardware compared to a rtm or sp2 disc...

So you're saying overwrite the windows 7 that's already on this other HDD with XP SP3?

If i can find out my network card i will just stick to your first idea for now.

Quote from 91mason91 :

If that's the case how do i find out what network card i have?



So you're saying overwrite the windows 7 that's already on this other HDD with XP SP3?

If i can find out my network card i will just stick to your first idea for now.

if you have a reg code for the OS'. you can download either OS and install it fresh. the reg code must match the OS though. a win7 home code will not activate win7 corp.
to find your network card, you could check the device manager.

EDIT: i'm not sure if M$ still do this but if you make more than 4 hardware changes(in your case, swap hard drives), the OS will think the HDD is stolen and will need to be reactivated.

Quote from dadge :

if you have a reg code for the OS'. you can download either OS and install it fresh. the reg code must match the OS though. a win7 home code will not activate win7 corp.
to find your network card, you could check the device manager.

EDIT: i'm not sure if M$ still do this but if you make more than 4 hardware changes(in your case, swap hard drives), the OS will think the HDD is stolen and will need to be reactivated.

Well i'm going to **** your plan up. Pc is second hand. Thus don't have code for XP. My 7 install isn't... legit.

But as Foilpact said, if i put the other HDD in will microsoft find drivers automatically?

Quote from dadge :

EDIT: i'm not sure if M$ still do this but if you make more than 4 hardware changes(in your case, swap hard drives), the OS will think the HDD is stolen and will need to be reactivated.

Yes it will do that.

Quote from 91mason91 :

But as Foilpact said, if i put the other HDD in will microsoft find drivers automatically?

You will not come that far. It immediately asks for an activation code @Win7