Computer Knowledge Needed

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 4:42 pm

My computer CPU finally quit yesterday. I have gotten my new christmas present computer (Windows 7) operating now so have much to learn about Windows 7. I would like to take the 1TB hard drive (C) from my old computer and put it in an external hard drive case. It has Windows 98 system on it. Do I need to remove all the windows stuff to safetly use this extra hard drive or is it possible. Hopefully the programs can still be read as a new drive. There are many programs on it that I do not have a hard copy and would like to use again.

Any suggestions or ideas are appreciated. Thanks.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 4:56 pm

billmayo wrote:My computer CPU finally quit yesterday. I have gotten my new christmas present computer (Windows 7) operating now so have much to learn about Windows 7. I would like to take the 1TB hard drive (C) from my old computer and put it in an external hard drive case. It has Windows 98 system on it. Do I need to remove all the windows stuff to safetly use this extra hard drive or is it possible. Hopefully the programs can still be read as a new drive. There are many programs on it that I do not have a hard copy and would like to use again.

Any suggestions or ideas are appreciated. Thanks.

As long as the '98' external drive is not in the boot sequence, it should do what I believe you want.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 4:57 pm

billmayo wrote:My computer CPU finally quit yesterday. I have gotten my new christmas present computer (Windows 7) operating now so have much to learn about Windows 7. I would like to take the 1TB hard drive (C) from my old computer and put it in an external hard drive case. It has Windows 98 system on it. Do I need to remove all the windows stuff to safetly use this extra hard drive or is it possible. Hopefully the programs can still be read as a new drive. There are many programs on it that I do not have a hard copy and would like to use again.

Any suggestions or ideas are appreciated. Thanks.

If your old drive is installed (as is) and it is identified as a slave, the computer should ignore the fact that it has an operating system (Windows 98). The system boots only from the master HD.

The old files should then be available to you.

There is such a thing as a dual boot configuration in which the operator gets a choice of booting from either one of the drives but doing that setup is beyond my skills to orchestrate.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 5:03 pm

Down under windows is the bios. It determines who gets first refusal re being a 'boot' device, and the pecking order.

joshh · Post by **joshh** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 5:48 pm

Here is a good write up with detailed instructions on the process.

skou · Post by **skou** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:01 pm

billmayo wrote:My computer CPU finally quit yesterday. I have gotten my new christmas present computer (Windows 7) operating now so have much to learn about Windows 7. I would like to take the 1TB hard drive (C) from my old computer and put it in an external hard drive case. It has Windows 98 system on it. Do I need to remove all the windows stuff to safetly use this extra hard drive or is it possible. Hopefully the programs can still be read as a new drive. There are many programs on it that I do not have a hard copy and would like to use again.

Any suggestions or ideas are appreciated. Thanks.

Bill, I'm going to make a couple assumptions here.

1, your old (1TB) drive is SATA.

2, you have an extra SATA slot on your new computer, if it is a desktop.

If 1 and 2 are correct, you can just install the drive in the new computer, as a second HDD.

Otherwise, get a toaster-looking HDD docking station, with either a USB or Firewire connection, and put the drive in that.

If you want some personal help, let me know, computer hardware, is one of my hobbies.

steve

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:17 pm

Bill
No sure but I think you asked about using programs that are not installed on your computer but on the old hard drive that came off your old computer.

Right?

If so they won't work. For a program to work on your windows 7 computer it must be in the window 7 registry which is done at program installation.

Even though they are installed on XP that registry is not used by windows 7 and Windows 7 will not know about them.

Love MicroSoft they make sure you have the old install disks or install key so you can download, anything less and you have a rock.

You may try calling the company that made the program if you can tell a convincing enough story they may send you a new install disk, give you an install key to download the program or may cut you a deal. I have had all three happen.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:53 pm

Ed in Tampa wrote:Bill
No sure but I think you asked about using programs that are not installed on your computer but on the old hard drive that came off your old computer.

Right?

If so they won't work. For a program to work on your windows 7 computer it must be in the window 7 registry which is done at program installation.

Even though they are installed on XP that registry is not used by windows 7 and Windows 7 will not know about them.

Love MicroSoft they make sure you have the old install disks or install key so you can download, anything less and you have a rock.

You may try calling the company that made the program if you can tell a convincing enough story they may send you a new install disk, give you an install key to download the program or may cut you a deal. I have had all three happen.

And some folks shake their head at my negative attitude towards MS.

I guess I am spoiled, I remember the days when 'backward compatibility' was something we all assumed, always!

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 10:37 pm

Ed is right and I was going to point that out myself. That said, there may be programs that you can still run. Of course they won't show up in your start menu. You'll have to dig for the .exe file, double click on it and see what happens. It probably won't work. Win 7 doesn't really like Win95/98 programs even they don't have a typical "install" and can be run just from an exe file. You'll have to decide if it's worth going through the trouble. Proceed at your own risk.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:09 pm

heathicus wrote:Ed is right and I was going to point that out myself. That said, there may be programs that you can still run. Of course they won't show up in your start menu. You'll have to dig for the .exe file, double click on it and see what happens. It probably won't work. Win 7 doesn't really like Win95/98 programs even they don't have a typical "install" and can be run just from an exe file. You'll have to decide if it's worth going through the trouble. Proceed at your own risk.

How about booting 98 from the 'external' disc? Might have to redefine 'system disk' in the registry?