New computer / old computer
Aug 27, 2020 12:09:03 #
I just bought my wife a new i5 to replace an earlier i5 that is about 5 years old. I would like to house the old C-drive in a box because it has a lot of useful info and I don't want to migrate everything to the new hard drive and fill it up. I want to be able to use the old drive as an external drive. Here is the question: The old drive will have a complete operating system on it using Windows 7. The new computer will have Windows 10. Will the two systems compete with each other. Will having two different systems connected to the same computer create problems?
Thanks in advance for your words of wisdom. I find better info here than most places.
Thanks in advance for your words of wisdom. I find better info here than most places.
Aug 27, 2020 12:13:51 #
It will not be a problem, the old drive will be a secondary drive and not interfere with the main drive, Bridges.
Aug 27, 2020 12:16:00 #
Your boot drive and OS is IN the new computer.
Adding the other as an external, it will just be an external.
There should be no software contention between the two.
(I cloned a boot drive, made it an external. It looks just like a regular external drive, with multiple partitions.)
Adding the other as an external, it will just be an external.
There should be no software contention between the two.
(I cloned a boot drive, made it an external. It looks just like a regular external drive, with multiple partitions.)
Aug 27, 2020 12:26:29 #
Aug 27, 2020 12:45:59 #
Longshadow wrote:
Your boot drive and OS is IN the new computer.
Adding the other as an external, it will just be an external.
There should be no software contention between the two.
(I cloned a boot drive, made it an external. It looks just like a regular external drive, with multiple partitions.)
Adding the other as an external, it will just be an external.
There should be no software contention between the two.
(I cloned a boot drive, made it an external. It looks just like a regular external drive, with multiple partitions.)
For that matter, you can erase the system from the old drive to give you more available space.
Aug 27, 2020 12:49:57 #
RonD wrote:
external drive will need some type of power supply and data cord.
Good point. I knew about the data cord -- there are cords that connect to the multi-pin input/output connection on the drive and converts the info to USB but the power supply I had not thought of. I have external drives that need to be connected via 12v. power adapter and others that are powered through the USB cord alone. I would imagine since the drive I'm removing from the old computer is reliant on the power from the old computer's power source a more robust voltage would be required than power transfer through the USB cable. I will have to check and see if an external box is available that carries voltage through a power adapter. If this starts to get too expensive, I'll just get a 2gb external drive for around 60.00 and download everything onto that and scrap the old hard drive. It takes a long time to download 1.5tb and I was trying to avoid going through that. Sometimes the simplest answer is the best though.
Aug 27, 2020 13:00:12 #
There are boxes available that will house your drive and have the power supply built in (although a lot of them are powered by a wall wart, my least favorite form of power supply. The only advantage of the wall wart is that many of them are interchangeable [just pay attention to the power output from the wart]).
Aug 27, 2020 13:23:11 #
DirtFarmer wrote:
For that matter, you can erase the system from the old drive to give you more available space.
Yes you can.
That's what I did to three hard drives from friends computers-
Deleted files;
Ran cipher to obliterate deleted data;
Re-partitioned to one drive (if required);
formatted.
These are internal drives that I use in an external two drive dock.
Aug 27, 2020 17:04:03 #
Bridges wrote:
I just bought my wife a new i5 to replace an earli... (show quote)
You may access the data on the old drive via a USB/Sata cable. One end attaches to the drive and the other to a USB port on the computer.
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-SATA-USB-Cable-USB3S2SAT3CB/dp/B00HJZJI84/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=USB.Sata+cable&qid=1598562001&sr=8-1
Or, purchase an enclosure which also attaches to the drive and to a USB port via the enclosed cable.
https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-5-inches-SATA-Drive-Enclosure/dp/B01MZC303G/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=hard+drive+enclosure&qid=1598562075&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExQUgwTThYN01JSkJQJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDQyNzMyM01GTzJLS1VNTjZGOCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTE2Mjc0MTlHTFlSM0FQWkMxRCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
Good luck!
Mark
Aug 28, 2020 09:28:17 #
I had a similar decision. When Microsoft abandoned Windows 7, a friend of mine put together a good computer for me using a Dell Optiplex 7010. My old computer is an Optiplex 760 and I had used it for a long time. Same as you, I have things on the older computer that are useful, for example some programs that will not work in Windows 10.
The two computers have different cable connectors for the monitor. I got a 'split' cable with an end that works on the old computer and an end the works on the new compulter. That cable goes to the monitor. The computers are sitting side by side on my desk and both are turned on and in sleep mode when not being used. The old computer is not connected to the internet. I have a wired mouse on the old puter and wireless on the new one. When I need to use the old one, one click of the mouse wakes it up and the other remains in sleep mode. I use the keyboard to wake up the computer with the wireless mouse. So far no problems. If they both manage to get woke up, the first to wake up takes control of the monitor.
The two computers have different cable connectors for the monitor. I got a 'split' cable with an end that works on the old computer and an end the works on the new compulter. That cable goes to the monitor. The computers are sitting side by side on my desk and both are turned on and in sleep mode when not being used. The old computer is not connected to the internet. I have a wired mouse on the old puter and wireless on the new one. When I need to use the old one, one click of the mouse wakes it up and the other remains in sleep mode. I use the keyboard to wake up the computer with the wireless mouse. So far no problems. If they both manage to get woke up, the first to wake up takes control of the monitor.
Aug 28, 2020 10:56:31 #
Newegg.com sells hard drive enclosures that allow you use your hard drive as an external drive. They come with a power adapter and you connect it to your computer just like you would connect an external drive. You install your drive in the enclosure and your are ready to go. I have a couple of them that I have used to upgrade the hard drives on my PC. Once I complete the upgrade, I install the old drive in the enclosure and use it as a backup drive.
The fact that the old drive has an different OS version is not a concern since you are just accessing the data on the old drive and are not trying to boot your computer from it. I usually wait a few week after the upgrade and then I reformat the old drive so I can use it for backup storage.
Here is a link to an enclosure that looks like the ones that I have:
https://www.newegg.com/vantec-nst-366s3-bk-office-products/p/N82E16817392075
The fact that the old drive has an different OS version is not a concern since you are just accessing the data on the old drive and are not trying to boot your computer from it. I usually wait a few week after the upgrade and then I reformat the old drive so I can use it for backup storage.
Here is a link to an enclosure that looks like the ones that I have:
https://www.newegg.com/vantec-nst-366s3-bk-office-products/p/N82E16817392075
Aug 28, 2020 11:27:12 #
Thanks to all who made recommendations! I appreciate the help and have some good ideas on how to proceed.
Aug 28, 2020 17:21:51 #
You can buy the cases from Amazon or other computer parts store. I have one for many years.
Aug 28, 2020 20:04:59 #
OleMe
Loc: Montgomery Co., MD
Another ootion: Your new computer may have an open bay and ports / power cabkes inside. If so, you can install the drive internally. Much better than external. Windowscwill detectbit and assign acdrive letter, e.g., D:.
Just unscrew thevcover and peek inside.
/Roger
Just unscrew thevcover and peek inside.
/Roger
Aug 29, 2020 12:18:17 #
Rick-ws
Loc: Seattle or North Idaho
Bridges,,
I have at least 6 2.5 inch drives in various external enclosures that i took from old laptops before donating/recycling/selling. From win 95 to Win 7 all ignore the old OS and present the files without interference from the original host OS. All the advice offered that i read is accurate . Good luck!
I have at least 6 2.5 inch drives in various external enclosures that i took from old laptops before donating/recycling/selling. From win 95 to Win 7 all ignore the old OS and present the files without interference from the original host OS. All the advice offered that i read is accurate . Good luck!
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