Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Hosting Security and Technology : Moving HD's between Windows Servers

[mj4589]

Has anyone ever moved a hard drive with Win2k installed on it from one machine to another machine? Is there anything special that needs to be done in order for this to work properly? I have been told that it simply "won't work", but it seems as though it should. Anyone with experience in this?

[JDMundo]

You can't do it (well, you can but it won't work), if the hardware is the least bit different between the two machines. Theoretically you could get Windows up in safe mode on the destination machine and start replacing drivers etc, but it'll never be as good as a clean install.

I'd suggest you simply backup all the necessary settings and files, and start fresh on the new box. Depending on what you have to move, it can be done very quickly.

[etplanet]

don't know why it won't work (but it may in some case)

i've done this before because i got a newer computer, so everything was new (mobo, video, sound, etc) except for the cd drive and hard drive, it boot up and load the previous windows fine, but you may need to install the driver for some hardware

for xp and probably 2003, doing this = you will probably need to reactivate your windows, but 2000 don't,

[stftk]

I doubt this would work, maybe 95% chance it wont work.

Like JDMundo mentioned, windows automatically installs drivers based on the hardware you have, so moving hard drive to a different machine would most likely just fail.

Try if you want.