MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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If I bought a new desktop, could I just put my two hard drives and graphics card inside so I end up with a better spec mother board, chip etc without the hassle if reinstalling everything?
Aging Dell a Precision 340 currently, might buy another Precision desktop.
Yes no and maybe...
Depends on your windows version and how old it is.
You might be better off with a new clean install. It would certainly run quicker.
opportunity to get rid of all the crap on your drive you don't need.
Questions are always simple, it's the answers that can be tricky.
The answer to this one is a definite "maybe." Moving between an Intel and an AMD platform will almost certainly explode; other than that you may or may not have stability issues depending on how different the two systems are.
The newer the OS, the more robust it's going to be to this sort of change. However, you'll almost certainly have to re-activate Windows. If you're running an OEM preinstalled version, this may cause you headaches (and if you care, it will breach the terms of the licence agreement).
In any case, it's a good opportunity to start afresh. The risks outweigh the convenience IMHO, I'd always rebuild except in extenuating circumstances.
As Cougar says - also it's a good idea to reinstall (presumably Windows) after a while to get a clean, faster running install.
I think it'll go horribly wrong.
Buy a new windows 7 license if you can get hold of one and reinstall.
Old Pc is running windows 8.
one hard drive just has programs on it, (CAD, surveying processing software, microsoft office etc) the other has the shite on it, music, photos. all my work is on dropbox or a solid state external drive.
was thinking of going to a Dell Precision 5500 from a Dell Precision 3400.