Need to access some data on my old XP intact HDD

[Griffmaster]

Hi,

Windows 7 64 bit successfully installed on a new 1TB HDD and I am totally happy with it now.

I kept my previous 500MB HDD with XP OS intact should I have had any problems with W7.

My question is this: I do not intend to use my previous XP HDD now as an alternative boot HDD but would like to access some files from it which I forgot to back up elsewhere.

How should I connect it such that I can just access my files without it booting XP or maybe it wont try to boot XP anyway?

Don't want to let XP boot and maybe upset things.

Thanks.

 

[brady]

Either slave the drive (does that still exist?) or put that drive into an external case and use via USB -

You'll need to take ownership of the entire drive and give the "Everyone" group full access to the drive so your new SID will have access to the data.

1000'th

 

[Maguscreed]

If windows 7 is on the device 0 channel for your motherboard plugging in the xp drive shouldn't affect boot.
Even if it somehow did, tossing in the win 7 disc and running a startup repair could revert things back.

...oh, are both drives sata? or is one ide?

and I haven't seen a slave/master jumper since IDE brady.

 

[brady]

and I haven't seen a slave/master jumper since IDE brady.

I'm old now

 

[Maguscreed]

and I haven't seen a slave/master jumper since IDE brady.

I'm old now

Don't feel bad my first computer was a trs-80 model III.
My first harddrive was 40 meg and we couldn't figure how we'd ever use all that space... we're getting a bit off topic though.

 

[Griffmaster]

Don't think there are any jumpers.

Do have an external USB case so could put it in that and access the files I want that way.

In fact, when 100% sure that I do not need to access any other files from it, I was going to wipe it and install in the external case for offsite backup purposes.

How is the best way to wipe it such that I can just use it for backups.

I used to use 'Format' with XP in previous times?

 

[Maguscreed]

The usb case is the best option. That way you can plug in the drive after 7 has already loaded.

 

[brady]

Might want to keep the drive unplugged until you boot the machine up, incase for whatever reason the Bios is set for USB boots over local drive (highly unlikely though).

After you get the permissions setup to where you have access, just copy the important stuff over to your local drive.

Once you are 10000000% sure you have all your important things, simply right click on the external through disk management or windows explorer and select Format. Call the drive what you want, select NTFS and off you go.

 

[gregrocker]

As long as Win7 remains set to boot first in BIOS setup, you can plug in the XP HD to access data.

You may need to share files to copy them over to Win7.

 

[Griffmaster]

Looks like the USB external HDD is out of the frame as it is IDE, the 500GB XP drive is SATA so is not going to fit.

If I have Windows 7 running and then connect the XP drive will it be seen or does it have to be connected before 7 is booted?

 

[kodi]

Connect the drive first do not try to hot swap it.
It should boot to Windows 7 first if the bios is set correctly.
If it boots to XP just copy what you want to the new drive
It won't do any damage booting to the XP drive.

 

[Maguscreed]

Plugging in hardware while the machine is powered on can cause anything from your power supply locking up to protect from damage, to damaging the device controllers, and is not generally recommended.

Plus the system generally looks for new internal hardware at boot time, and may not even see it properly if done this way.

It can be done, I've seen it done, but it's very risky and I don't really suggest it.

Kodi is right, if it boots xp, you can simply copy from that side, and the likelihood of it interfering with the windows 7 bootmgr is practically non existent.

 

[1Bowtie]

Again once you have the data you want removed, go to disk mgmt and rt click the drive and delete the volumn, then it will go to unallocated space, then click the unallocated space go up to action and create a new volumn follow the wizard and your done

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

   Note

Contrary to popular belief, doing a format with Windows 7 does not remove any data at all, it just checks for sector errors and marks the space to be over-written as needed, all the data is still there including all the code from previous/failed installation attempts.

​

The only real way to remove, over-write data from a Hard Disk Drive is to do a complete wipe (secure erase) to the entire drive, have a look at this tutorial at the link below, you'll want to do the clean all listed in step #7 from an elevated command window.

Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command