Question about switching hard drives

I currently have a p-6860fx with a raid 0 array. I just got a p-7805u really really cheap and I was wondering if i could just switch my hard drives (raid 0)from my old fx to my new fx since the only real difference is the graphics card and memory type. Does anyone know if the will work? Anyone have experince with doing this? Thanks for your help in advance.

Also what are the best video drivers for the 1gb 9800m gts?

 

You can always give it a try... but i doubt it will work.

Though you might get lucky, i swapped a fully installed ubuntu hard drive from my 6860 to a dell 1720 and it worked flawlessly (which blew my mind) but i'm not sure how a raid'ed windows pair will work (i expect it will fail though)

 

Would it harm the hard drives if i try it and it doesn't work?

 

You risk losing your data of course..
Although there will be no physical harm to the actual hard drive itself, no.
Absolute worst case scenario is your data becomes corrupted and you have to redo everything just like it's all brand new.

The graphics and memory type = a different board. A different board = many different devices.

IF it boots, it will probably reinstall 10-20 devices. Obviously I can't say what will work and what won't. Some programs may be looking for different devices and may need to be reinstalled.

There is no "best" driver. There are great drivers for benchmarks, gaming, etc. Lots of people use lots of different drivers, I prefer the Dox 182.46.

Are you using XP or Vista/7?

 

I'm using vista 64.

I tried it and everything is working great except for a missing mass storage controller? can't seem to find this driver on gateway's site. Anyone have any ideas?

 

O2 media card reader for that item.

 

thanks shinji

 

You probably use a generic non-customized ubuntu kernel. I was quite surprized that his swap worked in Windows. If I'm not mistaken, there are significant hardware differences between the two computers. In XP I don't think it would have worked, but perhaps there is something about Vista (and their file based image install?) that allows different devices to be installed and recognized without having to do a re-install. A Vista install does take up a large amount of space. Very cool if true.

 

Yeah Ubuntu is pretty good at detecting and rearranging itself to fit a computer. It still surprised me it was so effortless. Just swapped the HDD and then Ubuntu found and changed its own settings to work with the new system. Pretty nice if you ask me.

Vista might be able to do that as well... i know XP wont, but like you said maybe Vista has something that will do it for you.

I only now worry that what happens during an update, because the Vista install is under a different key than the computer now has. Wonder if it will register as a pirated copy?

 

It may require reactivation, not only that, but his programs might as well. Like I said before "Some programs may be looking for different devices and may need to be reinstalled."

Vista has more of a chance of working because there are many more drivers incorporated into Vista, so it will have a better chance of recognizing and reinstalling the new devices on the motherboard. XP will work also (Maybe not in this exact situation), however if it's SP2 or older it has less of a chance of working due to some missing drivers. I've successfully switched hard drives between XP computers many times before. It's a shot in the dark whether it will work though, it depends on the motherboard and the components on the motherboard compared to what it was being used with before.

 

I was able to successfully complete on update for vista64 today after switching the drives from my 6860 to my 7805u. with a few exceptions (sound, video, media card reader) vista updated all the drivers perfectly. I was extremely surprised vista actually did a good job. VERY SURPRISED LOL

 

How/why did you change your key? Did you buy a retail upgrade DVD? The retail Vista install DVD contains an image file for each version of Vista; I don't know if Gateway's disc is the same, but I suspect it might be. In any case, the key you use during install determines which image gets installed on your computer.

If you are using a different key now, but the key you are using is for the same version of Vista that you originally installed, I don't think there will be any problem.

If your key is for a different version of Vista, and you upgraded from a Vista install DVD, you should be ok, since it would apply changes from the upgraded image.

However, if you simply changed the key expecting Windows Update to detect the new key and automatically update your PC to the new version, I think it would detect a problem and tell you that you have a pirated copy of Windows installed and refuse to provide anything other than critical updates, though I'm not sure.

 

What? I was talking about his install. I dont even use Vista anymore

 

He didn't re-install or change anything in his OS, other than maybe d/l some new drivers, he just swapped the HDD's. Why would you think he changed his key?

 

He never said he changed his key.

Vista anti-piracy will recognize a change in hardware and require reactivation. If his didn't, he got very lucky, it definitely should have since he changed the entire computer.

 

Correct. It was Kamin who said the install was under a different key. I was pointing out that there would be no need for a changed key.

Really? I know I've changed (and added) hardware on my computer, and I've never run into this problem. I have had to re-activate after an HDD wipe and re-install, but not if I've just modified the hardware or OS components or app's. I would think that Vista would be able to recognize hardware or app changes automatically and register those changes internally on it's own.

 

You would think so, and you'd also think that other software would recognize this as well. Adobe seems to be the worst, I have to reactivate their products any time I change components. I've had Vista deactivate from something as simple as adding a 2nd video card. Setting up SLI was impossible as Vista refused to activate with a 2nd card installed. We did not feel like dealing with MS over the phone and the user was fine with 1 video card so we simply removed the 2nd and when we turned the PC back on, what do you know Vista was genuine and activated once again. We also tested this after because we were shocked and sure enough when we added a 2nd card it changed from Geniune to 3 days to activate, and back to activated when we removed the card. Obviously changing hard drives and components such as the motherboard will require activation, in my line of work I deal with this all the time since I deal with a network of over 60 computers, about 30 of which have Vista. Hardware failures are inevitable in this enviornment (Oil in the air), and I go through this quite often.

 

You guys miised something here, it most likely s an OEM install and since they are both Gateways OEM................

 

So do you think he would be able to clone his image onto 2 OTHER hard drives, put the newly created imaged hard drives into the older laptop, and have 2 working installations with no activation problems? Continuously cloning and using in Gateway notebooks?

 

Does your network include notebook PC's? Have you run into this issue with notebooks?

John066, you still around? Did you have to re-activate anything?

 

We have about 10 notebooks in use here daily, however I haven't had to replace any of the hard drives. *knocks on wood*