Adding a HD

Hi,

I want to take my (only) Hard drive in my Pentium 2 and put it in my P3, same with the RAM. HD, RAM and OS (98SE) are perfectly compatible .
I want to make ONE computer with these two.

My questions : can I simply put the first one into the P3 without erase it or partition it ? I would, of course, set the jumpers behind both HD (master-slave) correctly. At the beginning of the cable or at the middle ? (I read that it wasn't important but I'm not sure). If I run a program on the slave, will it read the registry on the slave or the master ? Do my system will rename the old HD or change his letter ? (from C: to Fr G:...) What about the references in the registry ?
Tell me your experiences about it ....

Please pardon my english...

Thank you !

 

This can be done. I have done it many times. But before you do it, you need to back up the original drive. It is best to use Acronis TrueImage or Symantec Ghost. If you have a way to back it up, I will be happy to go over the details. It is a long process.

 

Thanks Close Hauled

I'm not sure I want to do an image and other stuff
I'll think about it.
Just a simple backup of some important files would be enough probably and begin with a clean "old" HD as a slave.

Do I have to format and partition it on my old P2 BEFORE moving it in the P3 ?
Or after ? What is better ?

Thanks again, it's much appreciated.

 

You should not have to re-format.

Lemme make sure that I was interpreting you right. Did you want use the OS that was on the old drive in the new system; without having to reinstall the OS and all the applications? If so, then you would have to do what I was talking about.

If you are going to re-install the OS on the other drive, then you can leave the old drive alone and just use it as a data disk. You can manually delete the Windows directory after you have installed the OS on the other drive. I would recommend having only one drive, the new drive, in the system during the OS install. Install the old drive fter everything is up and runnning; service packs and updated drivers have been installed.

I am also assuming that you are sticking with Windows 98SE.

 

Hello Close_Hauled

I'm sorry for being so slow to answer. I was really busy...
I realize I wasn't clear about the question, I'll do it better now.

-I don't want to use the OS that was on the old drive in the new system. I just want to keep the files on the old one. But if a desaster happens, maybe it would be good to boot from the old one (now slave) if I keep the OS on it, just by switching the jumpers ? Just an idea... Is it possible ? That's why I mentionned my OS (98SE in both, Fat32...)

Anyway, the main idea is to simply put the old drive in the new computer as a slave, preferably without having to lose the files on it and save the chore of formatting and partition it AND MOSTLY don't have to transfer all my files (on the old one) on Cd. But I wouldn't like to reinstall 98SE in the new master HD as it is already on it.
I'm ready to reinstall all my apps on the new master (the content of both HD are not the same...) and keep the slave as a simple file container.

To resume :
1-Open the P2, extracting the RAM and HD
2-Open the P3, add RAM and old HD (as slave)
3-Restart the P3, set the BIOS (do I ?)
(Both HD are as they were before, nothing changed (98SE, Fat32, same files))
4-Boot on P3 Windows 98SE (now master HD) as before.
5-What happen next ? May I have access to files on slave ? Do my master 98SE will recognize the other HD ? will it give another drive letter automaticaly?
6-Can it be so simple ? I would like to

Thanks again Close, it's very appreciated...

 

You can only use the RAM from the old system if the two systems use the same type of RAM. You can got to Kingston and use their memory configurator for each system. If the modules are the same, then it should work fine.

As for the old hard drive, I would not install it until after the system is up, running, configured, and updated. Drive letters are automatically assigned, and you can change them if you want.

The BIOS should automatically recognize the hard drives and RAM as well. Some systems will ask you to go into the BIOS when they see new hardware. In most cases, the system correctly identifies the hardware and you are confirming.

 

Thanks a lot !
I'll try it soon and see what happen...

 

why does closedhauled have a different font than you?

 

There is a Fonts "pick box" just above the editor. I just select the text and change the font to reflect my mood.

When I am serious, I use Courier.

When I am trying to be funny, I use Comic Sans MS.

If it is just a casual conversation, I will use something like Century Gothic

 

interesting.. wished they had more font choices