Will this boot?

Nitrojan · 21 Mar 2010 at 18:45

If I take an old HDD with my OS on from an old PC and fit it into a USB HDD Enclosure, will I be able to boot straight from it on my new modern PC?

Do I need to make it a master drive by changing the jumper on the back?

iamtheoneneo · 21 Mar 2010 at 20:37

should be able to , it just becomes a usb drive so i dont think the jumper matters....

Nitrojan · 21 Mar 2010 at 23:18

Yeah but I thought windows resets the USB controllers on boot? I just didn't know if there was a way around this

Liamalxd · 21 Mar 2010 at 23:19

i doubt it, your old OS will be tuned to your old pc hardware, windows will just keep loading and rebooting, it wont allow you onto windows without maybe repairing/reinstalling the OS.

MagicBoy · 21 Mar 2010 at 23:22

I doubt it. You'll probably get a blue screen stop error as Windows can't find the HDD controller it expects.

JonJ678 · 21 Mar 2010 at 23:51

If you're talking about windows, then no. Persuading windows to boot from a usb drive is certainly possible, but it takes more effort than that. Then you have the issue that windows really doesn't like hardware changing around. Either problem would be a dealbreaker by itself.

If you're talking about linux, then sure. It'll boot quite happily.

jagga · 23 Mar 2010 at 01:07

windows 7 or linux will work but not any other o/s

weird_dave · 23 Mar 2010 at 09:20

Not sure why you'd want to boot via USB, why not just put it in the new PC? Far more chance of it actually loading windows without failing.

unp|dissy · 23 Mar 2010 at 09:21

MagicBoy said:
I doubt it. You'll probably get a blue screen stop error as Windows can't find the HDD controller it expects.

Best answer.

My experience with this is hit and miss. It'l either boot and be fien (maybe some flakey problems) or a bluescreen.

Linux should be fine.