Need some advice on (re)-build

[sQuid]

Mods: If this post isn't the right place just move it (as I know you will)

 

OK, a brief recap is in order from a thread in the "Recommendations" forum. I had an AMD/socket 939 mobo die in my son's computer and am about to do a rebuild with an Intel setup before he starts college late spring. The new core is:

 

Gigabyte EP35-DS3P mobo

Quad 6600

4 GB G SKill

Corsair 620 HX (hopefully more quiet than old PCP&C)

 

...the rest of the old system is two opticals, Raptor 74 GB, BFG 6800, floppy, and XP PRO.

 

First question: I have plenty of experience with replacing failed hard drives and OS installs in that scenario. But this is the first time with a mobo failure/replacement, and a little birdie is singing...careful, careful. I'm thinking I DON'T want to boot the system with the old OS install on the HD, not because of config issues (which there might be), but primarily because the old OS install is going to see a new mobo/cpu/ram setup and may lock me out or do something weird to screw the pooch (for the record, its a legal purchased OEM version) . Am I right on this concern, and if so, how do you recommend I proceed. I need to get the data files off the hard drive before I wipe it, but I'm thinking I better wipe it in another rig as a slave drive so the OS doesn't know what is happening, and then proceed with a clean OS install?

[SpeedEuphoria]

I wouldn't worry about it,

 

If you want just boot it up w/ no HD connected to see it works. If you need stuff off the HD then hook it to another computer, then you could wipe it if you want. Then just plug the HD in and put the windows CD in and go.

[dr_bowtie]

yes....it will NOT boot with the AMD loaded OS on the drive...

 

If you need the info slave the drive into another pc and move all the stuff you wish to keep...while it's slaved reformat it inside windows...it will be much faster to load windows that way as it will just load files because you already formated it...

 

I usually do this as I will format the drive on the fastest PC I have and then load it after that....

[Branjo]

Was the drive formatted entirely as a C drive or did you partition it? You should always make your C drive a small partition at the start, that way its only the OS partition you need to format and the rest of the drive will remain intact. 10 - 20Gb should be plenty for XP and any hardware drivers that are best going on your C drive, anything else should be kept on another partition.

[Kingfisher]

I always keep my important stuff on an external enclosure and if it is fits, zipped on a formatted DVD.

That way I can rebuild or overclock without worry of corruption.

[sQuid]

Thank you all. I'm now really glad I asked.

 

doc-I think you just confirmed my fear, and thanks for the reminder that I can format while it is slaved...its crazy how the simplest things get forgotten in the heat of the moment.

 

branjo-And a tip of the hat to you for THAT reminder...YES...the drive is partitioned with a 12 GB OS partition. Crap, I had forgotten that too...damn alzheimers after you reach fifty!

 

king- righto on the backup...that's what I do...but this is my 17 year old son...take a guess at his backup strategy.

 

OK. So do you agree this is the way to go ==> Remove HD from rebuild and slave it in another computer. Then offload data to another drive, cd, whatever. Then reformat the old HD and reinstall XP. Another option hinted at by branjo is to just reformat the OS partition and be done with it--that should work, but heck after three years reformat the whole drive probably won't hurt.

 

For the record, part of my original concern was that the OS would see the new mobo/cpu/ram and lock down as an illegal multiple install on another machine. I may have phrased that wrong, but I seem to recall it as some kind of copy protection issue as well.

 

O yea, another question. Since we went SATA I have only had single drives (about to change when I experiment with RAID, but that is another topic) and if I recall you don't /can't slave them like the old IDE drives using the order on the cable. The master/slave setup is a bios option isn't it? I'll probably slave it in the rig in my sig (DFI).

Thanks again to all.

[Kingfisher]

Well, there is no slave or master jumpers on Sata disks nor a slave/master in BIOS, they just use their own sata port on the motherboard.

[wevsspot]

sQuid,

 

just power down the spare computer. plug the sata hdd from the rebuild machine into one of the available sata ports on the spare. reboot the spare machine, enter BIOS and make sure the new sata drive is detected, then make SURE your boot sequence is set so that the original hard drive in the spare machine is still the first boot device.

 

boot into windows. copy files for backup. wipe existing partitions from old drive, create new partitions and format each. power down, pull sata drive from spare rig and install into rebuild rig.

 

alternatively, you can leave the existing partitions in place and just format the primary partition that will hold the OS, leaving the other partition in place. no harm in doing it that way either.

 

OR, the really easy way to do it if you have both computers networked, just transfer the backup files to the spare machine via your network connection

[sQuid]

wev - Got it... good directions. Its all beginning to come back. Thanks man.

 

Looks like I'm gonna get familiar again w the DFI BIOS...and I'm getting the urge to play again. WAIT- I've got a job to do first!

 

I'll let you know how it goes.

[wevsspot]

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Cheers

[slick2500]

Why shut the pc down to connect a sata drive? I thought they were plug and play?

[Branjo]

Better safe than sorry is my motto...lol