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April 28th, 2009 10:00
Hardware installation sequence questions
Three small questions:
I'm going to have a new HD, video card & memory upgrade installed at the
same time at Best Buy (Geek Squad)
1) I have 2 hd's: a 20 gig (Master) which I want to remove, and replace with a
500 GIG hd, and also a 200 GIG hd (slave on 'Drive F:')
Before having this 20 GIG removed, should I also back up & then erase the F: drive
--since I have some software programs and media files installed on this F: drive,
won't they NOT work after you remove the original OS (on the 20 GIG hd)--
i.e registry entries, etc., or does it NOT make any difference--just leave the F: drive
alone and the newly installed OS on C: drive will 'recognize' everything there??
2) When the new HD (Western Digitial) is installed, will it's own software be able to
run (before the WINXP is installed) to make any adjustments etc. necessary or
must it wait to run AFTER WINXP is installed??
3) Ditto for a Video Card I'll also have installed at the same time.
I know WINXP has it own generic video or display drivers--will they be sufficient
until I can get the VideoTek CD (or DVD) program into the PC??
In other words, again, does the card software go in before or after WINXP is
installed??
Thanks for any info.
DELL-Chris M
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April 28th, 2009 11:00
MAMBO-MAN,
1) the programs will have to be reinstalled in the new operating system so back up the data and format the drives.
2) Own software? Not sure what you mean. When they install the drive, they should make sure it shows up in the bios. Once there, the operating system installation will see it.
3) Windows will load a generic driver for the video card, then, install the latest one from the manufacturers website.
MAMBO-MAN
61 Posts
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April 28th, 2009 12:00
Thanks for the quick resonse
By 'own software', I mean the CD that usually comes with the HD--for example, my F: drive (200 GIGS)
installed in 2005 was a Maxtor & it came with CD software called "MaxBlast 4" which now is on my C: drive
(the 20 GIG drive--installed at the time of the HD installation)--which brings up another question:
Will I have to re-install that software as well to keep the F: drive (maxtor) stable??
I was also told by some other forum to "leave the F: drive alone", just re-install the OS on the new C: drive (500 GIG)
I understand that the programs themselves will have to be re-installed (whether on C or F: drives), but will the newly
installed OS on C: recognize the data (not programs themselves) on F:??
Or will I just have to re-install everything on both drives??
Thanks
Signed--Confused
DELL-Chris M
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April 28th, 2009 12:00
If the programs were installed in the program Files on the F drive, you can must reinstall them, either on the new drive or on top of the old directories on the old drive.
MAMBO-MAN
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April 28th, 2009 15:00
Thanks for the response.
I just came back from Best Buy where I spoke to a tech whiz & garnered the following advice:
1) F: Drive:
Like I suspected, The new OS will recognize the already installed F: drive's data, but programs will have
to be re-installed on either again on F; drive or on the new C: (master) drive.
2) Hard drive Installations:
Apparrently, there is basically one "standard" for home PC's & HD"s, and there is no reason to even
use any enclosed CD-software for it, unless it has some unusual/desired prgram, etc.
In other words, just install the OS correctly and then all the programs/drivers, etc in whatever
Dell deems as the correct order.
You are right: A correct installation of the HD should be recognized by the BIOS and then WINXP
should be able to be installed right after, followed by the programs, etc.
Hope this is informative.
MAMBO-MAN
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April 28th, 2009 21:00
I bought a graphics card (see below for some specs) and am just wondering
when I re-install WINXP, will its enclosed drivers at least be able to
work with the new card to give me a video display until I can get the
VisionTek CD data into the PC??
Have a Dell monitor (P991) from 2000 (presently on NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440
with AGP8X) with a Microsoft driver dated 6-2001 (updated software from
NVIDIA??)
Specs on new video (graphics) card:
RADEON HD 2400 PRO 8X AGP
512 MB DDR2 Memory (800 MHz speed)
HI-DEF with DirectX 10
The box also lists under system requirements:
'correct chipsets'
What do they mean??
Any helpful info appreciated.
Thanks