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Can I Reuse My Old Hard Drive?...
This is an important question. After all, you don't want to lose anything that you've saved in some arcane folder, and besides, the familiar is just plain comfortable. The immediate answer that comes to mind is 'why don't I just plug it into the new computer?' However, your operating system might not even start up due to an entirely new set of hardware.
It really would be an amazing feat that the new operating system and old hard drive would work fully in tandem. If you have the patience to tinker with every configuration in the OS, you could eventually get the two parts working together, but after a lot of trial and error (and swearing). The older the system and hardware is, the harder it would be for the system to adapt. I've actually tried doing it with Windows 98, and if you have all of your driver discs on hand (but how many people really do?), it's really not that bad.
Another strategy would be to simply buy a new drive and use the old drive as your backup drive, getting files off it when needed. But again, you never know how many months that drive has left in it.
In the section on how to Upgrade your Hard Drive, I explain the best method on how to go about doing it, namely by cloning your old hard drive. This is the best way possible as you keep all your data, get a bigger and faster drive, and don't have to worry about your drive dying on you (at least for a loooong while).
If the cloning doesn't work (for some odd reason), you'll still have all your old data safe and sound and can figure another strategy on how to move it onto your new Fast PC.
Make sure to test all your applications and data on your newly cloned hard
drive to make sure it works with your computer. Run Scandisk to make sure
everything is still fine, and also run any hard drive utilities your manufacturer
might have.
If you clone Windows XP or Vista, however, be ready to reactivate the operating
system! This itself can be a huge pain, as occasionally if you've had to
reinstall Windows enough and the new system is dramatically different from
the old one, you may be forced to dial up ol' Redmond, Washington (home
of Microsoft) and get them to reactivate it for you.
Here are my complete recommendations for a replacement hard drive at a low price!
Next - Choosing a CD-ROM Drive »
Tip: I've generally found it is a lot easier to start with a clean slate, operating system-wise. I suggest before taking your old system apart, to categorically list every installed program and utility that you feel you'll need on a sheet of paper. Relocate the disks (hopefully you've kept track of them; if not, you can probably find a copy on eBay that's not too expensive). After installing Windows on the new computer, copy all of your pictures, music, etc. onto the new computer.
