HD From VIA Chipset TO Computer With Nforce Chipset

I'll be amazed if someone has a solution to this one.

With a Shuttle MOBO and a VIA chipset, I re-installed WinXP and all of the software I need. It was a HUGE job and I'm trying to avoid doing it again, at least for awhile.

My problem is, I want to build another computer with an ASUS MOBO and Nforce chipset.

Is there any way to transfer the software and WinXP from the first HD, exactly like it is, to the new HD?

OR, similarly

Take my HD from the VIA chipset computer and install it and have it work in the new computer?

Thanks for your time

 

In theory you should be able to do it. I'll just throw some ideas out there.

I'm thinking one of two ways. Either get some really good backup software that allows you to do a full recovery.

or

If you have another computer that is operational. Hook the two hard drives up to the same computer. You'll need additional computer for this to work because windows won't let you copy files that are in use. Then just copy everything from the drive to the new one. You should be able to format and partition the new drive from within windows.

 

Thank you NowNThen and DDP.

OK I do remember putting my VIA HD in my ASUS Nforce computer as a slave and I could not get it to be recognized at all.

But....what if I had 2 hard drives in a new ASUS computer. The MASTER with a just WinXP temporarily installed and a 2nd formatted drive as the SLAVE.

Then using either backup software or a direct crossover cable with a network connection and transfering a mirror of the hard drive I want to use [which is in the VIA chipset MOBO computer] to the slave drive.

Then change that slave to a master and install it back into the 2nd new computer.

Since, apparantly one can do a full mirror backup to a server and re-install everything as it was to a new HD [if the other one crashes] then I would think I could do the above plan.

What do you guys think?

 

The HDs are all western digital.

I forgot about that VIA drivers would be installed in the first HD.

I don't mind re-installing WinXP, so if I understand you correctly......are you saying after an installation of windows in the new computer, i can network the 2 computers are simply transfer all of the other data to the new C Drive etc. INCLUDING ALL OF THE INSTALLED SOFTWARE IN THE PROGRAM FILE FOLDER?

Would that actually work? I'm skeptical about that. Too simple of a solution. I'm guessing you're just refering to the transfer of the basic text, video, music files. Correct?

 

It sounds like since the VIA drivers that would be installed in the 1st HD, will not be read by an Nforce chipset.

I just find it hard to believe that there is no MOBO I could buy with that chipset that would read the first VIA HD.

It takes along time but I guess I'll have re-install everything one more time, or twice when I switch to Vista.

On that last point. Do you or anyone happen to know if Vista has to be a new install? I know that answer is probably all over the place but I just had the thought so I may as well ask it here.

Thanks

 

I haven't been having any problems with Vista. I even did an upgrade install without any problems.

Upgrade Chart from Microsoft