Hi everyone!
It might seem a bit odd writing this in here but being not sure what to do, I've been suggested to ask in a general manner.

I've had a little problem lately. My Power supply blew on my XP 32 bit system, I had bought a new one since then but it's on Windows 7, 64 bits. I was wondering if I could plug my old hard disk (500GB Western Digital) into my new system, being equipped with pluggable slots. What would happen and would it be safe to do it? Would the new system accept it, like a dual boot or shouldn't I do it? I also have old programs in there that I guess would not work on 64 bit environment, but I need them for now.

I've got all my songs and important files in there and I don't want to lose them. My idea was to transfer the songs and whatever I can to the new system and reformat the old Disk to use it in my new PC.
If someone has an advice on this, I'd be happy to know. I'm not so experienced in this. If you need more infos from me, go ahead and please ask.

My old system(the one that blew its power supply) was Pentium 4, 1,7Ghz, Celeron, with 1GB RAM (SDRAM), 2 hard Disk, (WD 500GB, 80GB) running on Windows XP Pro SP3, 32 Bits.
My new system is Acer Intel i7, 870, 6GB DDR3 RAM (DIMM), ATI Radeon HD5570 1GB, 1.5TB partitioned in 2> 690GB each, running on Windows 7 Family Premium, 64 Bits with 2 plug in slots for Hard Disk.
Thanks everyone for any answer and good day!
Happytrek

As long as you do not change the boot configuration in the Windows 7 PC it should boot Windows 7 normally. It will assign the new drive a letter past C like E or farther along if there are other drives in there already. Someone else may know better but I think that being 64 bit is not the real issue. The problem might come up if the old XP or Win 98 programs will not run in a Vista / Windows 7 OS. I see, looking in control panel, that under programs there is a wizard that will help you get older windows programs to run in Vista \ Windows 7.

I thought that, being a drive with windows XP already installed on it, it could create a conflict between both systems. I see that, from what you mentioned it will only assign it to a drive letter and ask me which one to boot first. I've read about compatibility issues and the Wizard because I have tried it a few times and it worked perfectly or fetched me an update and installed it.

You mean I should never choose Windows XP as my first boot, but always keep Windows 7 at first, is that it?
Will I be able to transfer my files from one to another, I mean those that are not installed or installable, like my MIDI or Wav songs?
If yes, then I will try at my next boot.
Thank you Kenneth_of_Borg!
Happytrek

I've done this before Happytrek. Your computer will ignore the operating system on the other drive. As far as your computer is concerned, it will just be another drive with files on it just as Kenneth said. Go ahead and take your files off and then reformat it using the utilities within Windows 7. There are options for formatting the drive and how you would want to format it, is dependent on what is the most efficient for the drive size. I think Wikipedia has a good explanation on this under "NTFS" or something. The 64 bit operating system is independent to reading the disk structure. Windows should be downward compatible with old formats. 64 bits just means it can address a larger disk and more RAM. It will still read the old disk.

I have a question for everyone. I have old Powerpoint files that my current version won't read. I keep hearing there is a Microsoft utility for converting them. Can someone send me the URL for where I can find this utility (if it exists)?

64 bit Bashir

Thank you so much for all your help!
I just realize while trying that I cannot plug my hard disk from the removable slots. The pins configuration does not match. There's a 4 pins power cable plug on my HD that is not present in the slot casing. I probably have to install it from inside the PC, and there is a jumper setting which I'm not familiar with. I suppose I should use the slave jumper setting which is indicated on the disk itself. If you are experienced in this, I can tell you it's a WD 500GB Caviar Blue. The model number is: WD5000 AAKB, PATA, 16MB cache, 10 pins jumper configuration.
I found an image on the WDC site about the jumper settings. here it is. I pointed to what I think should be the configuration for a slave drive. I have tried it in my other XP PC and it was not detected in the BIOS, even by trying with F3 or on AUTO Detect.. I tried different settings without success, and now I hesitate to try it in my new PC.

I'm sorry! I must look dumb to you all but I never had to change or install a Hard Disk before. I clean them, configure them in Windows change many settings, those kind of things.
This is completely new to me. If I have to install it from the inside, I must make sure it will work. I will open the Computer tonight and check inside if there's a free slot to use.

I'll be back to you soon after that.
Happytrek

After opening up my new PC, I found out that I cannot install my WD 500GB in it.
The cable configuration is completely different. Furthermore, I do not have any multi-wire cable present except the ones that are already sealed in the removable casings and the one that is (almost) glued in the internal HD casing. I didn't see no 4 pins power plug added with the new HD. I believe it is included in the 40 pins cable. Inside, I have another slot but the cables are missing. From here, I suppose I would need to add a cable and/or an adapter to fit with the pins of my HD and to make it fit into the removable slots. I guess they made it so that you have to rely on them to change or add more components.
The cables are properly tucked and strapped together with plastic seals though. It's nice to look at, so ordered and neat. But there is no surplus wiring, apart from those I mentioned earlier.

Could it be that my hard drive is too old??? 4 years is a long time for technology and progress. Am I that old?
I could try again to install it in my other PC (my XP one). It failed the first time maybe because I didn't do it right.
Unless there is another solution, I guess I will have to bring it to the tech center.

ConfusedTrek

The nature of the hard drive wiring has changed over the years. If the new PC does not have an expansion slot for an older hard drive controller card you are in trouble. If there is a open slot in the new PC and your old drive ran on a removable card the whole thing could be installed in your new PC. You would still need the power cable as well. I have heard of someone running a hard drive on power from a second PC just long enough to boot and copy files. It is odd there are no extra power plugs. You had said in your PM that you hand a second old XP PC. If you could boot the drive in there at least you could copy the files onto a usb thumb drive to import to the Windows 7 system.

The only change that I know of happening in the world of Hard Drives is the move from ATA/EIDE to SATA. What that actually means though I haven't got a clue.

...

Bashir, I know of a Microsoft tool that allows old versions of Microsoft Office to open and edit the new file formats, but i've never heard of a tool that does it the other way round - because one shouldn't be needed. The new versions of Office are backward compatible, and allow you to save files in the old formats, so they really should work.

Here's the tool anyways: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyId=941B3470-3AE9-4AEE-8F43-C6BB74CD1466&displaylang=en

I guess the other way it might work is if you had an empty ATA/EIDE socket on the mother board of the new system. If the hard drive runs off the mother board and not off a card in a slot you might find a retro socket for the old hard drive ATA/EIDE ribbon cable.

Yes Kenneth, that would be great. But since I haven't found any other plug on the motherboard except the one that is used already for the drives, I thought of trying to install it into my other old PC. And sadly, I can't get it to be detected by the BIOS. I tried changing the jumper settings to what I saw, took out the jumper shunt, as mentioned in the picture, but nothing happened. It just wouldn't boot. And when I press F3 in the BIOS, it scans and then reverts to "Not installed". I installed my old 10GB drive back in it, gave it a BIOS scan and it detected it on the second scan (my old 10GB).

Thinking of it now, I had to install a tool in my other old PC to change the BIOS limitation of the system (128GB). It wouldn't hurt if I tried it on this (old) one.

Yes, makes sense!
I'll be back in a jiffy!
Happytrek

If this is all because of a burned out power supply you could always us a different power supply. I did that once. After removing the power supply from one PC I plugged it in all the parts of the damaged PC, booted, backup and shut it down for the last time.

I prefer, by looking at it, not to take any chances. I looked at both power supplies, and they don't look the same. I think that finally, I will bring the whole thing to the tech guys.
It's funny because when I install my 10GB disk alone, everything works fine, and as soon as I install both, none of them is detected. The BIOS keeps on marking "Not installed" for both of them! I did all the possible settings on the jumpers, Dual Master, Dual slave, Single Master, Single slave, Cable select, Standard setting, but no boot. Installed only the 500GB in all settings, none better.
For now I don't know what else to do, since I don't wish to, if it's not dead already, juggle too much with the power supply and risk that something bad happen.

I"ll try to think of something else but I believe my best option for now is to bring it in for repair.

Thank you so much for your help Kenneth, and all the others.
If ever a miracle happens, I'll let you know unless there is another option popping up.
Happytrek