Okay quick background.

This week at work I came across a computer in an abandoned apartment building. It seems like a fairly new eMachines PC. I has a 120 GB Western Digital HD (only 1 HD) and a DVD-RW drive. My Dell PC has 2 40GB HD's, a DVD-ROM, and a CD-RW drive.

Question 1:

I want to take the 120GB drive from the eMachine PC and put it in my computer at home. However, I don't have any of the operating system software to re-install. Is there a way for me to install one of my 40GB HD's (my secondary drive has only 250MB on it because it is brand new) in the eMachine computer, copy everything (including the OS and all drivers) from the 120GB drive on to it so that I can take the 120GB drive and install it in my Dell? What software can do this? I'm assuming i'll need to create a boot disk to run the software and tell the BIOS to load off the boost disk?

Question 2:

How do I get the DVD-RW drive to work in my new computer? How do I get the CD-RW drive to work in the eMachines PC?

 

Question 3:

The Administrator user on XP Home has a password on the account. How do I get around that?

Calling all hackers...


EDIT: Can I just use one of the OEM XP CD's I have for one of my PC's? This way I could just re-format the hard disk and install XP. I'm afraid the drivers, etc will be messed up because I have Dell PC's and this obviuosly isn't a Dell product.

 

Yes you can get around it. Do a search for Emergency Boot CD. I belive it is a fairly easy to use bootable Linux CD that contsins a couple utilities for changeing passwords in the windows registry. But, I don't think you need to go that far.

Next, to your hard drive question. Likely, your Dell PC does not have enough physical space to fit a 3rd hard drive. Further most computers support a max of 4 IDE devices so you are out. You are going to have to replace a drive.

What I would suggest is copy everything off your 2nd 40 GB hard drive either to CD or to your first and replace it with the 120GB from the other computer. That way your OS remains installed and setup the way it is now on your current hard drive but you get the extra storage space too.

Just pay attention to the jumpers if you need to set them so that all the drives play nice.

Another alternative is to simply leave your PC alone, setup a network and use the other PC as a kid/wife machine and/or file and print server.

 

Password can be disabled in DOS.

As far as hooking it up, just plug in the new HD...but set the jumper to slave(I believe). Should have the instructions for what is primary & what is slave set-up written right on the HD itself.

Shouldn't be a problem...it should see the new drive on startup and give you access right away(assuming you can get by the password).

 

Here's my plan. Take my secondary 40GB HD and install it into the eMachines PC permanently. Eventually erase everything off the 120GB HD and put that in my Dell PC. Only going to run 2 HD's in my Dell. I have no need for this new PC other than the parts. So I was going to swap them around with my older (2001) Dell PC which i've been slowly upgrading. Then I'm going to sell the eMachines PC to a friend.

Would it be easier for me to just spend the $60 on a new Windows XP Home disk and call it quits?

 

Good idea.

 

Ya know...I have an old emachines with a boot disk & Windows serial number...

Steve...let me know if you want to sell the thing...I could just plug in my old emachines HD & roll! You can keep the 120 gig for yourself.

 

I would do the swap, make sure there aren't any proprietary hard to find drivers on the e-machine, and wipe it in your computer.

NOW, here is a good thing. Look to see if there is a I386 folder on the emachines computer. If so, back that up and copy it onto your old hard drive destined for the emachines computer. A lot of times now teh windowss liscense and key code is on a little green sticker on teh computer. That folder and the number is all you need to reinstall windows on the emachine.

If it doesn't have it, I would just get your setup the way you want and sell the emachine with the 40GB and no OS. If the new buyer wants to spend $60 or install a copy they have obtained elsewhere its not your problem.

 

It's a eMachines W2925 Originally $400 with keboard, mouse, and speakers. I only have the PC. Make me an offer.

I'll keep everything else but the 120GB HD in it (256 DDR, DVD-RW, etc) It boots pretty quick. I believe it has a 2.66 Celeron D processor.