PC advise

[Ruges]

Ok I am geting ready to install a new HD. However I am going to keep the old HD as a storage device since its 1TB. Now currently windows is installed on the old HD. When I install the new HD what do you guys think is going to be the easiet process of installing windows on the new HD and removing it from the old HD? What I am thinking is remove the old HD, put the new one in and install windows and update it. then install the old HD and delete all the files except for the ones I want to keep.

Anouther option I am considering is coping all the files I want to keep onto a third HD. Then reformating my current hard drive. Puting the new HD in and installing windows on it. Then installing the reformated HD and finally coping all the saved info from the third HD.

Also I am installing a new CPU too. do you guys think I should do it before I install the new HD, at the same time, or after I install it?

[number47]

Personaly, I would put the cpu in at the same time as the new HDD. As for the HDD question, I would just set the jumper on a new one "master" and on the old one "slave". Install the windows on the new hdd and just manualy delete windows and all other things you don't need from the old hdd. Now, these scant suggestions are made presuming you are quite familiar with the hardware/software installation processes. If by any chance that is not the case, then I would write a more detailed course of action (I'm quite lazy at the moment ).

EDIT: "I will not be held responsible for any damage that might occur while following my instructions, any action that you take, you take them on your own responsability" -personal disclaimer

[Ruges]

Thanks. Yea I have replaced many HD's, Although its usualy becouse of a dead one, so its a new concept to me about keeping old data. And as for the CPU I have done it before but not the same time as the HD and wanted to know if they could be done at the same time.

[tkobo]

if something goes wrong,having been introducing 2 new elements to the system at once, could make trouble shooting it that much harder....

[number47]

if something goes wrong,having been introducing 2 new elements to the system at once, could make trouble shooting it that much harder....

If I understood him correctly, there will be no system at the moment of introduction of new elements. He will set up the system on the new hard disk after the "introduction"...

[Fistalis]

If your going to transfer or keep using an existing install of your OS then one at a time. If your going to do a fresh install of your OS then do it all it at once. Personally I'd go with a fresh install on the fastest hard drive. Comparing latency etc not just rpm. Should be no need to disconnect the old one while your installing as long as you can change which one your bios is booting off of.

I actually still have my old install still on my "back up" harddrive. If i ever need the space I'll delete that old windows install but since I mainly use it for files I rarely or never use the wasted space isn't a big deal to me. Plus I inevitably have files all over in any given installation that I probably wouldn't remember to transfer. (that civ IV mod i did 5 years ago, that NWN2 mod i never finished etc etc)

[Ruges]

Ok so what I did was transfered all the old stuff off my old secoundary HDD onto my old primary HDD. I then removed the old secoundary HDD. installed the new HDD. Transfered the primary cable from the old primary to the new primary. (have not plugged the old primary into the secoundary slot yet as I want this HDD up and running first).

At the same time I put in the new CPU. I ended up using the old heatsink instead of the new one as the old one was acualy about 3 times larger. Also at the same time I cut a large hole in the side of the case and installed a new 140mm fan with filter on it. (the cut looks so horrible, but with the fan on the inside and the filter on the out you cannot see the horrible job).

I am quite proud of myself and loving the less then 1min reboots. Now let me load it back up with crap again to bog it back down.

[Fistalis]

Ok so what I did was transfered all the old stuff off my old secoundary HDD onto my old primary HDD. I then removed the old secoundary HDD. installed the new HDD. Transfered the primary cable from the old primary to the new primary. (have not plugged the old primary into the secoundary slot yet as I want this HDD up and running first).

At the same time I put in the new CPU. I ended up using the old heatsink instead of the new one as the old one was acualy about 3 times larger. Also at the same time I cut a large hole in the side of the case and installed a new 140mm fan with filter on it. (the cut looks so horrible, but with the fan on the inside and the filter on the out you cannot see the horrible job).

I am quite proud of myself and loving the less then 1min reboots. Now let me load it back up with crap again to bog it back down.

Good stuff.. the only thing that bothers me is you reusing the old heatsink. If you applied a new layer of thermal grease it should be good.. if you didn't you may want to replace it with the new heatsink since they usually come with a fresh layer of thermal grease on them. (also just cause the old one was bigger doesn't necessarily mean better, efficiency and CFM are the 2 important things here)

[Ruges]

Yea acualy picked up a tube of thermal grease, applied it put the heatsink on pulled it off to look at it and make sure it was an even placement then put it back on. The main reason I went with the old heatsink is it screwed into the mother board where the new one was the standard intel plastic clip into place setup.

[number47]

So, I guess it all went fine? Good. No one likes problems when upgrading