I think yo are just out of luck. Your steam games folder is modular though.
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what happened to the q6600 sytem? did the mobo died?
if you are upgrading to an intel system (1150/1155) then just plug it all the same. Port0 for the OS, then the other drive as it is. Windows 7 will automatically update its driver database. So no need of reinstallation :)
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Really? That would be a dream scenario. It's a 4770k Haswell, so definitely an 1150.
The q6600 system is still alive, kicking, and destined for another of my less used PCs where it can grow old gracefully :)
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Thanks for the info. I'm using a couple of PCI RAID controllers to give extra storage. The disks attached aren't system disks, so it's not critical that they are recognised on the initial boot. I'm guessing that the key is that the boot disk is located in the same place (SATA0) and everything else can be given the correct letter once [or perhaps if] Windows comes back to life?
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i got a 3ware 12port pci controller for my added hdd collection. Yep only the boot device should be needed on the correct ports as the original. The data drives don't matter (you can change the drive letters in windows for better management)
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yep, i have done this (using a 150gb raptor from my Asus commando) overclocking SATA drive, then got an upgrade to 1156 (R2Gene) so i tested it if it can work.
nice, those 4770k is a great proc. OC'ed one to 4.8ghz :)
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Thanks for your help. Hopefully it works out the same way for me too :)
I've got an old Arctic 7 Freezer Pro cooler lying around, which should provide enough chilliness for a modest overclock, although nothing like the 4.8Ghz you're rocking, I imagine!
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Not really. Half the installation discs and serials I used to install software are buried in boxes, lost in transit during relocations, etc. I still use a variety of old programs, and the software is spread across a number of HDDs. I hear what you're saying, and see the virtues of a fresh installation, but if there is any way of avoiding the scenario of locating and reinstalling ALL of the software I use for work and non-work, I'd take it any day of the week.
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Memory is cheap, get a new drive. If that's really not possible, I'd spend the time weeding through what you really REALLY need to save, and uploading it to cloud storage somewhere (google music allows you to upload like 20,000 songs for free, google+ can handle your pictures, google docs can handle a reasonable number of documents... or use microsoft skydrive or whatever else you want) and just scrapping the rest. I don't know why you'd want to make the new install exactly the same, a clean install of windows is one of the best feelings in the world! And the week afterwards where you slowly remember the things you tweaked, and re-learn how to tweak them back are brilliant. Sorry if I couldn't be more help, I don't really do it the pcmover way very often.
And since we're on the subject of clean installs: http://ninite.com/
You're welcome
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You could always clone the partition, using something like EASEUS Partition Manager. Keep in mind that there might be some issues, so make a repair flashdrive/CD/DVD/goat and use it if you get any funky errors. However, it will create an "identical" copy of your old drive. If you're moving onto a smaller drive, just make sure to get the total file size below the size of the new drive, and unless you want sector by sector cloning, it won't be an issue. If you're not using the old drive for anything, you can throw it somewhere safe for a backup just in case you need one that has all of your stuff on it.
EDIT: I misread the question. If you're just swapping the drives across the two machines, it should work fine. Don't throw anything out. You might want to do some driver installs, but if you get any problems, run Windows in Safe Mode with Networking and track down the drivers for the new hardware. You'll definately want new graphics, etc. drivers if you change out any cards, but the mobo shouldn't need particular drivers. Safe mode would have a generic driver which would help.
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I intend to keep Windows on the same drive as it is now. Alas, I don't have any spare old disks right now, so the current C: drive will need to stay that way in the new PC. If I had a spare 2Tb+ drive lying about (or the spare cash to go and buy one) I'd simply use PCMover again, install a fresh version of windows, apply the PCMover backup, and everything would be hunky dory :)
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you should NEVER have the C: partition bigger than you need for stuff you don't need to backup after. If you have a 2tb C: partition, I can't really recommend you much besies trying to backup as much as you can to other hdd's/partitions and divide the HDD with C partition into at least 2 partitions in future...
What's so difficult about reinstalling the software though? That's kinda part of the reason why you would reinstall windows in the first place - to clean up stuff. Start with a clean slate, install everything you need and enjoy your much faster system.
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As I said below, I don't have the faintest clue where some of the disks/serials for regularly used software are, and aside from that, my PC is all laid out the way that I'm happy with. I don't want the disruption and wasted time involved with starting from scratch again.
I'm not after a clean slate at all - just a seamless transition, similar to if I were changing my graphics card, or adding some RAM :)
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Umm you could use Windows Easy Transfer, buy a s**t load of DVD-R's and copy the files that way.
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After 6 years of long and distinguished service, my trusty Q6600 will be retiring in a week's time [ripple of respectful applause]. I'm replacing the motherboard, CPU and RAM, but keeping all 7 HDDs in place (a mix of SATA/PATA drives, all containing program files referenced from the main Windows 7 installation on the C: drive.
Last time I upgraded, I replaced the 1Tb system drive with a new 2Tb system drive, meaning that it was a simple process. I think I installed a fresh version of Windows 7, then used PCMover to reinstate all the program files, settings, personal docs and links from the Windows old installation.
Unfortunately I don't have any spare drives kicking around this time. I appreciate that a new Windows installation is likely to be necesary, but is there a simple [idiot proof] way of doing the same thing as last time around, so that the hardware upgrade is as seamless as possible, and the new PC feels exactly the same as the old (except for being immensely faster, of course!)?
Bearing in mind that I've no way of copying all the near-2Tb of files on the C: drive to another HDD, would it be possible to use PCMover again, or is that out of the question? It's been so long since I last reinstalled Windows: Presumably a fresh installation could not be made to pick up the data from the existing one, and would necessitate a reinstallation of all my software, etc?
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