Old HDD same OS question

disturbed13

Daemon Poster
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1,154
okay
i have a POS dell
and i would like to build a new rig, something simple as a small server and bit-torrent machine
when i build my new rig
could i install say XP on it, and once its running add the old HDD from my dell
and keep any files that i wanted to?
or should i just try and transfer them over via LAN?


ive also been thinking about using Ubuntu and just porting over my old files......
there wouldnt be any way to make my new rig a dual boot machine
where i add the old HDD and have that as the second OS could i?
 
Absolutely! You can even Clone the old drive to your new one if your Dell has the ability to hold the new drive, or a friend has a computer to hold the old Dell HDD and the new one. And yes, you can also make dual boot OS machines using Linux and Windows. There's also a CD version of Linux that acts as an OS off of a bootable CD. Grant it, you can't personalize that OS permanently, but it's good for quick booting to check email or something.

EDIT: In addition to the CD version on Linux, there's also a version that runs right off the RAM. Which is incredibly fast if you can imagine. But you need to have a fair amount of RAM to run it. probably about 2Gb.
 
the version that is off of the ram is known as DSL (Damn small Linux)
its only KB in size like 50 or so
and i have the boot CD
im just pondering my options
 
Oh, ok. Well you can certainly get the files off of the old HDD as long as your board has one IDE header which most boards do. Or even clone the drive, but you can't clone to the new drive from the new drive. So it has to be done on a computer using a different HDD.
 
i think im just going to go custom for what i have in mind
it should work out better for me that way
now i just need the $$$$ to do it
 
On a totally new system you would start off with a clean install of XP on another drive. Then you can simply slave the old one in for use of the files and settings transfer wizard if you start backing things up with that.

Due to the drastic change of hardwares which is not simply a swap out of a video card a clean install is advised from the start over cloning. Cloning is done with XP when both see identical hardwares. Plus you need a full install disk not the branded recovery disk if included from the Dell to see XP go on.

As for setting a dual boot of XP with any Linux distro the APC online magazine has a pair of guides for that. With XP installed first, http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_windows_xp_and_linux_xp_installed_first.htm

With Linux installed first, http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_linux_and_windows_xp_linux_installed_first.htm
 
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