upgrade hard drive

yeah that's what I've always done when working inside the computer, I ground myself on the case and also work on an uncarpeted floor.

Yeah, the wrist-straps are for gullible geeks. :cheeky-sm

Are you going from Home to Pro or are you just wanting to change the serial number to a "legit" copy?

Pro to Pro, ill-legit to legit.

Pro to Pro, ill-legit to legit.

Genuine Microsoft Software (http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/selfhelp/pkuinstructions.aspx)

Genuine Microsoft Software (http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/selfhelp/pkuinstructions.aspx)

I researched this initially but then my cousin-in-law (if there is such a thing) works for Microsoft and gave me a copy obtained through his employee purchase program. Would you still go with your suggestion?

But then Matty's post got me thinking about getting a new HD (I have a 20GB 7200RPM Seagate) and installing the new XP onto that one and then booting up with that drive. Eventually I'll move all of my files to the new hard drive.

I researched this initially but then my cousin-in-law (if there is such a thing) works for Microsoft and gave me a copy obtained through his employee purchase program. Would you still go with your suggestion?

But then Matty's post got me thinking about getting a new HD (I have a 20GB 7200RPM Seagate) and installing the new XP onto that one and then booting up with that drive. Eventually I'll move all of my files to the new hard drive.

If you have room in the case, you can keep the 20GB for system for program files (including Windows) and use a bigger one as a slave for files. Then you won't have to reinstall and you can just drag and drop files over, plus you'll have an extra 20GB for free.

All you need it this cable:

Newegg.com - Link Depot IDE Round Cable - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16812104038)

and possibly a $2 power cable splitter, but chances are that you have a spare power cable in the case already. You just have to set the jumper on the new drive to "slave".

If you don't have room, you could always remove your floppy if you don't use it. You could always pick up an external laptop floppy (USB or serial port) for next to nothing from eBay in case you ever need it. Windows installs on the CD-ROM drive now anyways and some computers don't even come with floppys anymore, but I always put on in when building. They're like $7 now. :D

Seagate is good, but I've always gone with Western Digital drives and never had a problem. They're VERY reliable and the best in my opinion. Price-wise, they're about the same as Seagate too.

I just put a 160GB WD drive in a computer I built for my dad last week, cost $52.99 from Newegg. (weekend sale)


Just be sure to get the right kind of connection, although there ARE adapters. Your 40GB drive is most likely an IDE connection and your mobo probably doesn't have the faster SATA drive connections, so make sure you buy an IDE drive (slightly cheaper than SATA drives anyways).

I have a WD 120GB drive in a PC I built myself nearly 3 years ago and have had ZERO problems with it.

Buy from Newegg, they're awesome...cheap, FAST shipping, GREAT customer service...

Don't buy from a store like Staples or Office Max, you'll pay double.

I'd get THIS one:

Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar SE 160GB 3.5" IDE Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive - OEM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144203)


WD drives are rife wth issues. They are the least reliable drive company I have seen personally.

I 2nd Western Digital HDDs. I have 2 drives in my machine now (8.4gb, 40gb), and have never had any problems with them. I built my current machine about 3 years ago, and it's still running like a charm (AP Athlon XP 2400+, 1 GB DDR (recently upgraded from 512), 40 GB Master, 8.4 GB Slave (HD from old machine), ATI Radeon 9600XT Video Card). All the pieces together probably ran me about $600 (includes recent upgrades of memory, video card and DVD burner).

but slapping in a HD is pretty easy. just stay grounded and you'll be good to go.

WD drives are rife wth issues. They are the least reliable drive company I have seen personally.


Any details? I've always used and loved them...NEVER an issue for me.

Ok so once I get the new HD in what happens from there? I keep reading online about people complaining about having to partition the drive.

WD drives are rife wth issues. They are the least reliable drive company I have seen personally.

Very true. We have three year old Dells that are crappy out with WD on a weekly basis.