[question one]

I recently bought a new computer with windows 7 ultimate 64-bit on it and i want to put my hard disks from my old Windows XP SP2 32-bit computer onto this new one, however after i plug them in and turn the computer on windows 7 doesn't load up and all i get is a message asking me to insert the proper dvd or reboot or something along those lines. If i disconnect the drives then turn it on it does load up windows 7 and at that point i can plug in my HD's and the computer can find them through device manager, however this is extremely awkward and requires me to have my case open all of the time. Is there anyway i can fix this that wouldn't revert to me formatting the two hard disks? They are both SATA so its not as if they are ancient.

[fairnooks]

I'm wondering if the boot order is prioritized to a certain order in the SATA ports. Have you tried changing the BIOS hard disk boot order when the other hard drives are attached? Failing that I think you need to change the Windows 7 hard drive SATA cable to the SATA port that is the default 1st boot port.

[Synt4xError]

Backup your data and format. Keep it clean!

[Synt4xError]

Fairnooks, couldn't this be a jumper setting?

[fairnooks]

In this post the OP mentions in the last sentence that they are all SATA drives so its not a case for jumper settings.

[bbearren]

You can edit the BCD stores to recognize the additional drives. You don't have to reinstall.

[hsmit08]

in bios he needs to tell it which disk after they are all plugged in is the boot drive. that would be my first guess with the information provided. so, go into bios with all drives attached, and make sure the drive you want to boot from is listed as the FIRST boot drive. its not a jumper setting on the drives, sata and sas dont have jumpers.

let me know.

[scoutk]

If you are just trying to quickly move over your old data, connect your old drive to a sata to USB converter. Boot normal then plug in your old disk via usb. I have bought under $20 converters for local stores.

You should wipe the drive clean and reformat with the win 7 utilities for long term use since there have been many changes to dynamic disk in win 7.