2nd Hard Drive installation

[perplexed1983]

I need help on how I install a second Hard Drive onto my PC, I know there is a way to install XP without having to reinstall the whole thing, I'm just not sure how.

[dlh6213]

I need help on how I install a second Hard Drive onto my PC, I know there is a way to install XP without having to reinstall the whole thing, I'm just not sure how.

Assuming you already have a hard drive with WinXP on it, and you just want to add another drive, you won't need to reinstall XP at all. If you're trying to do something else, please clarify. Here's a link with instructions on how to do it, complete with pictures! http://www.infohq.com/Computer/adding-second-hard-drive-review.htm

A few things I'd like to mention (they may or may not be in the instructions):
1.) Backup your data before doing anything... just in case.
2.) Protect your computer from static eletricity by using a wrist strap or by touching a metal part of the case frequently while working in it.
3.) While you have the case open, clean it if it hasn't been done recently (vacuum and/or blow with canned air).

Good luck!

[perplexed1983]

Assuming you already have a hard drive with WinXP on it, and you just want to add another drive, you won't need to reinstall XP at all. If you're trying to do something else, please clarify. Here's a link with instructions on how to do it, complete with pictures! http://www.infohq.com/Computer/adding-second-hard-drive-review.htm

A few things I'd like to mention (they may or may not be in the instructions): 1.) Backup your data before doing anything... just in case. 2.) Protect your computer from static eletricity by using a wrist strap or by touching a metal part of the case frequently while working in it. 3.) While you have the case open, clean it if it hasn't been done recently (vacuum and/or blow with canned air).

Good luck!

Thanks, its an old hardrive from my last PC and it's been completely wiped I just didn't want to have to screw around with it all again

[dlh6213]

If the drive has been completely wiped, you have no choice but to do a fresh install of WinXP -- unless I'm missing something here?

[GrimJack]

If you are going to reinstall XP - and it sounds like you are, then you should contact MS. Re-installing XP will appear to the registration folks as a pirated copy (I think -- I am not sure what all the tests are). You can't just copy the old drive to the new drive and expect XP to work. It might be to your advantage to leave XP on the old drive and install everything else to the new drive.

Grim

[alc6379]

Nope, it will just ask you to re-register. I've done it before.

But, back to the question that dlh6213 asked: Is this a secondary hard drive (ie, one just to keep stuff on), or are you making it the system drive?

If it's just secondary, there's no need to reinstall Windows. You might have to re-activate it, maybe, but not reinstall. You do have to reactivate Windows XP if you change 3 "key" hardware components in your system (MS hasn't released which ones, though), and boot your machine. Windows XP thinks your machine isn't the same one it used to be, so it has to reactivate.

[Chipps]

well to install it, all you have to do is have your IDE cables, and a power supply hooked up to it. (make sure you look at your primary drive and see how that is also.) You will have to make sure your jumpers in the back are set up properly. the main for primary, the 2nd for slave. after that, you should have no problem. :). The 2nd harddrive will just be like a storage drive, you can install stuff over to it, and save stuff to it, but if you ever wanted to use that as a primary drive with your stuff on it, you would have to have a windows install on there b4 you save stuff. Hope that helps answer your question on how to install it ;).