[giaegon]

I have a hard drive with Redhat Linux 7.3 install and running fine on one machine. Now I want to move the hard drive to a new machine without new installation, is it possible? If yes, how can I do it?

I have tried to move it directly to the new machine without changing any configuration, and the machine reboot after I click the Redhat Linux on the GRUB screen. Can anyone help me with this problem?

THANKS!!

[saikee]

Yes it can be done but you need to edit the /etc/X11/xorg.conf to pick a display driver suitable for the new machine. Also you hard disk partition reference should remain the same, i.e. hda in the old machine and hda in the new PC.

You can use Red Hat installation disk in rescue mode to chroot into the distressed Linux and edit the system files.

I have transferred a hard disk with a XP and 16 Linux from one PC to another. Only XP died all the other 16 distros fired up again. Usually just one line in the "device" section of /etc/xorg.conf to edit. You should find Red Hat re-adjusting the hardware as it detecting the new environment.

[giaegon]

Thanks, Saikee. I was able to use the CD to boot in rescue mode, but i can not find the file "/etc/X11/xorg.conf" you mentiioned about.

THANKS!!

[Whiteskin]

And, you will have to install a new kernel, or at least move to a generic kernel. Chances are that when it rebooted in the new machine, it's because the kernel was oopsing because of new hardware. So, what I reccomend, is back up all your important files (/home, /etc/), then reinstall redhat from the new machine.

If you feel like a challenge, you could boot the rescue cd, chroot into your old drive, and recompile/install a kernel from there, but that could end up being more work than a reinstall.

[lynch]

RH 7.3 came out in 2002 and if your hardware is newer than that, well that dog wont hunt.
You cant expect the installed version on that hard drive to magically configure hardware that did'nt exist when 7.3 came out.
If it's older than 4-6 months since RH 7.3's release date then Kudzu would probably recognized all the new (read; different) hardware and re-configure everything.
I've done that before and it will work, but the version of RH your using must have support for the hardware.
HTH
lynch

[saikee]

/etc/X11/xorg.conf is used by recent versions of Red Hat and Fedora. It can also be named /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 or just /etc/X11/XF86Config if there isn't one ending with -4.

I have moved Linux from PC to PC, hard drive to drive and partition to partition and so far managed without installing a kernel separately.

Lynch got a good point as my Red Hat is version 9.

[giaegon]

Thanks everybody! I have solved the problem, RH is pretty smart actually. It has detected the hardware change and configure new hardware without problem. The problem that i had is just hardware issue. Nothing to do with Linux :-)