How do I install a newer hard drive to an older computer?

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  1. Posts : 39
    Windows 7 Home Premium
       #1

    How do I install a newer hard drive to an older computer?


    My current tower computer a HP a1640n has a fried motherboard due to a power outage. It had Windows 7 34bit edition home. Hard drive inside is still good an usable. I have an old tower unit Sonia Vaio PVC RX752 which has an old IDE hard drive which crashed, and I went out at that time and just bought a new computer. Everything else still works on it but the hard drive. I was hoping to take out the HP hard drive and put it in the VIAO so that i could transfer all the information I had on it to my external USB hard drive. Can I use the new hard drive in the old computer? I realize that my old computer probably won't be Windows 7 Compatable with drivers and such. But all I want it to do is boot up so I can get the information off the hard drive. The new HD in the HP uses a P10 connector which the old computer does not have. It is an IDE hard drive. How would I go about getting the right connectors if I can? If you need pictures I have them of the inside of both computers. I realize that the easier way would be to buy a new computer and just transfer it that way. But right now, don't have the money to buy a new computer. I have files on the hard drive I do need, so I need to get them off now.

    Thanks!
    Melissa
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 21,004
    Desk1 7 Home Prem / Desk2 10 Pro / Main lap Asus ROG 10 Pro 2 laptop Toshiba 7 Pro Asus P2520 7 & 10
       #2

    Now it sounds a touched muddled to me Melissa am I guessing right you just want data from the old drive onto the new build hard drive. If so mate just hook it up via a USB gadget and transfer over what you want.

    Something like this one there are versions that have IDE one side and SATA the other and most are externally powered (you get an adaptor for that)

    http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=16599&gclid=CJfl8KOf0LgCFQMwpAodFk4A6A

    Plenty of choice here on this page too.

    Newegg.com - usb to sata adaptor
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 9,606
    Win7 Enterprise, Win7 x86 (Ult 7600), Win7 x64 Ult 7600, TechNet RTM on AMD x64 (2.8Ghz)
       #3
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 39
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    Thread Starter
       #4

    I want to install the hard drive that was in my HP a1640n into my older Sony Vaio tower computer which only has IDE hard drive cables. Not SATA. I want to put the hard drive into the older tower computer so I can get files off of it. This way I can then format the hard drive and install windows XP and use the VAIO until I can get a new tower computer. Probably won't be until Christmas. I like having two computers running. This way when one goes down, I have the other to get information on how to fix the one that went down. Makes it useful to download drivers or what not that I need. The Sony Vaio works but the hard drive took a dump. So I was hoping to just swap out the drive and put the newer one in to the Vaio to get the information from it and save it.

    Can this be done? If so how? Or is the hard drive too new, and the old motherboard might not recognize the new hard drive?

    Mel
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 9,606
    Win7 Enterprise, Win7 x86 (Ult 7600), Win7 x64 Ult 7600, TechNet RTM on AMD x64 (2.8Ghz)
       #5
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 39
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Thanks! I'll try that! I did call a local computer place here in town and they have those SATA to IDE converters in stock. I'll have to pick one up on Monday when I'm in town.

    Mel
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 3,371
    W10 Pro desktop, W11 laptop, W11 Pro tablet (all 64-bit)
       #7

    As I understand your issue, neither computer is currently bootable, correct? In order to use one of those IDE to SATA converters and copy the data, you're going to need to boot the computer and I'm not sure that the old computer will boot with the hdd from the new computer. It's not an issue that the hdd is too new, it's just that the Windows 7 install on the hdd may not like the hardware of the old computer and may refuse to boot.

    Good luck with that, it might work but you may need to find a bootable computer to attach that drive to in order to copy the data.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 9,606
    Win7 Enterprise, Win7 x86 (Ult 7600), Win7 x64 Ult 7600, TechNet RTM on AMD x64 (2.8Ghz)
       #8

    Good Point strollin

    She may have to boot with a Linux CD, then copy from one drive to the other.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 21,004
    Desk1 7 Home Prem / Desk2 10 Pro / Main lap Asus ROG 10 Pro 2 laptop Toshiba 7 Pro Asus P2520 7 & 10
       #9

    Yes Melissa the Newegg ref I sent has heaps of those adaptors and you could just use any for transferring data.

    Now may I make a suggestion that Melissa make a bootable Ubuntu -that's how I recover data from drives that are not accessible normally if one does do it this way it is quick and you just need to make sure you use the TRY version at boot up and NOT the INSTALL .

    Ubuntu is just a personal choice for me I find it easier to use than any other Linux type OS.

    Download Ubuntu | Ubuntu use ImgBurn to make the disk doesn't take long and as I said easy to use.
    If you go down this path and run into problems post back I can walk you through it.:)
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 39
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    Thread Starter
       #10

    The only computer I have that is bootable is my laptop. Otherwise I don't have anything else. I figure I'll give it a try and see if the adapter works. If it doesn't, I'm not sure how I'll get the information off the drive. Don't have a lot of money or I'd have gotten the HDD docking station which might have been the easiest to get the information off of.

    Hopefully this will work! If not, I'll be back.

    Mel
      My Computer


 
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