1. #1
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    Could use some help!

    Hey guys,

    I'll try to make a long story short to not take away too much of your time. I have a computer, it's about 6 years old and is obviously, by now, outdated and crappy. A friend of mine had a computer in the original box and decided to send it to me!

    He's used it before in the past though, but only barely. It's about 3 years old and a sick upgrade compared to my old PC! So I got it in the mail, took off the lid and I put in my video card, and plugged in my hard disk, I turn it on, it starts up to the windows screen for a split second then blue-screens and starts up again.

    All fine I guess, but I'd kind of want it to work. Would it be usefull if I went out to buy a new hard disk and a new windows CD? Cause I'd like to keep my old computer as a back up in it's current state. Besides, the hard disk has like a 250gb capacity, which is shit when you're torrenting movies!

    TL;DR > Will my second hand computer start working if I buy a new hard disk and a new windows version?

    If any of you lot could help, it would be greatly apreciated!

  2. #2
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
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    The problem is that your 6year old computer's windows install is not set up for the new computer. You have a couple choices.

    1) Does the 'new' computer not have it's own hard drive and OS? If it does, you can just set your old computer's drive as a slave drive (or not put it in at all)
    2) The new computer ought to have it's own Windows license key somewhere on it (The back or side, usually). You COULD just reinstall windows using the new computer's key, on your old computer's drive (that is now inside the new computer)

    You really don't need a new hard drive, or even a new OS, unless I'm missing something, or unless this 'new computer in original box' somehow doesn't have an OS license OR a hard drive. THEN you might need to buy windows (As your old system probably only has an XP or Vista license, I imagine)
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  3. #3
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    Thanks for replying Chazus, and to answer your question; The old PC doesn't have a hard drive, and no recovery disk/or codes on it. So I'm probably stuck with having to buy new things. Which doesnt'bother me that much, I just want it to work if I do. Is there any reason for it to bluescreen me with a new hard drive/OS? Or will it work?

  4. #4
    No need for a new hard drive, your old one should be fine if it was working in your old computer. Because of hardware drivers you can't really take a boot drive from one computer, put it in a different computer with different hardware and have it work correctly. On occasion it might work out but most of the time you'll need to format your hard drive and reinstall the OS.
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  5. #5
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
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    I'm a bit confused. The OLD computer doesn't have a hard drive, or the NEW computer doesn't? Also, the NEW computer doesn't have a license key? You should ask why not >.> it's a bit odd to have something that's supposedly more or less brand new be... missing important stuff.
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    IT'S ALWAYS BEEN WANKERSHIM | Did you mean: Fhqwhgads
    "Three days on a tree. Hardly enough time for a prelude. When it came to visiting agony, the Romans were hobbyists." -Mab

  6. #6
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    The old PC has a hard drive. Which I'd prefer to just leave the way it is now, as a sort of 'back-up' hard drive. The new one doesn't. It doesnt have an OS, nor a hard drive.

    My idea: Buy a new hard drive, buy a new OS, put it on there, end of story.

    Would it work? Or will it just bluescreen me again?

    I could possibly clean out my current hard drive, put it in the new PC, and use the OS I have on my old PC (I have that code) - But, it's Vista, and Vista is kind of shitty. :/ Wouldn't it be smarter to just upgrade it to Windows 7? (Heard 8 wasnt great either) And get a bigger drive?

  7. #7
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flakezz View Post
    My idea: Buy a new hard drive, buy a new OS, put it on there, end of story.
    Would it work? Or will it just bluescreen me again?
    This works. I still don't quite understand why it has no drive or OS, and personally would make me suspicious, but I'm weird like that.

    The entire reason it's bluescreening right now is because you are trying to put your old operating system, which is set up for your old computer.. on the new one.

    Also, I'd recommend Windows 8. It's better than 7, and also works better on older hardware in general as well, and will be suppported longer.
    Gaming: Dual Intel Pentium III Coppermine @ 1400mhz + Blue Orb | Asus CUV266-D | GeForce 2 Ti + ZF700-Cu | 1024mb Crucial PC-133 | Whistler Build 2267
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    IT'S ALWAYS BEEN WANKERSHIM | Did you mean: Fhqwhgads
    "Three days on a tree. Hardly enough time for a prelude. When it came to visiting agony, the Romans were hobbyists." -Mab

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by chazus View Post
    This works. I still don't quite understand why it has no drive or OS, and personally would make me suspicious, but I'm weird like that.

    The entire reason it's bluescreening right now is because you are trying to put your old operating system, which is set up for your old computer.. on the new one.

    Also, I'd recommend Windows 8. It's better than 7, and also works better on older hardware in general as well, and will be suppported longer.
    Thanks a lot for the pointers, and well, the OS is on the hard-disk right? So if the PC doesnt have a hard disk it can't have an OS .. right? :P

  9. #9
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flakezz View Post
    Thanks a lot for the pointers, and well, the OS is on the hard-disk right? So if the PC doesnt have a hard disk it can't have an OS .. right? :P
    I meant the license key sticker. license key and OS are synonymous to me since you can technically just download the OS onto a cd and install it, but it's useless without a license key.
    Gaming: Dual Intel Pentium III Coppermine @ 1400mhz + Blue Orb | Asus CUV266-D | GeForce 2 Ti + ZF700-Cu | 1024mb Crucial PC-133 | Whistler Build 2267
    Media: Dual Intel Drake Xeon @ 600mhz | Intel Marlinspike MS440GX | Matrox G440 | 1024mb Crucial PC-133 @ 166mhz | Windows 2000 Pro

    IT'S ALWAYS BEEN WANKERSHIM | Did you mean: Fhqwhgads
    "Three days on a tree. Hardly enough time for a prelude. When it came to visiting agony, the Romans were hobbyists." -Mab

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by chazus View Post
    I meant the license key sticker. license key and OS are synonymous to me since you can technically just download the OS onto a cd and install it, but it's useless without a license key.
    Ah, I see.

    Yeah, I frickin' hope it'll work, thanks again bud.

  11. #11
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
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    There's really no reason it wouldn't, unless there's a hardware issue, which up until now there has been no reason to suspect.
    Gaming: Dual Intel Pentium III Coppermine @ 1400mhz + Blue Orb | Asus CUV266-D | GeForce 2 Ti + ZF700-Cu | 1024mb Crucial PC-133 | Whistler Build 2267
    Media: Dual Intel Drake Xeon @ 600mhz | Intel Marlinspike MS440GX | Matrox G440 | 1024mb Crucial PC-133 @ 166mhz | Windows 2000 Pro

    IT'S ALWAYS BEEN WANKERSHIM | Did you mean: Fhqwhgads
    "Three days on a tree. Hardly enough time for a prelude. When it came to visiting agony, the Romans were hobbyists." -Mab

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