Reinstalling windows to another HDD

[donkey33]

Ok. I'm having a problem.

I had a 40GB HDD with windows XP installed on it. Got a 80GB HDD put in and had windows XP installed on that instead of the 40GB HDD.

The problem is, I can't run anything off the 40GB unless I reinstall it onto the 80GB. For example, I tried running Live 2003 from the 40 GB via a CD but it won't run. I copied all files from the 40GB to the 80GB but still didn't work.

I then installed it again but not on the 80GB, over the old files and it worked so all the files were still on the 40GB but it ran.

I know it probably has something to do with the registry or something like that.

The thing now is I want windows back on the 40GB so I can just use the 80GB for storage and installing programs on.

All the files from when windows ran from the 40GB are still on there as well as all the windows updates which I don't have on the 80GB.

So, is there any way I can configure windows to start up like the old way and have the 40GB the master HDD with the 80GB just storage.

In the bios, the 80GB is the master and the 40GB the slave. Is there a way to switch them around. I looked in the casing but I wasn't sure if just switching the connections is right.

Sorry it's long but any help is appreaciated.

Thanks

 

[hulksterjoe]

if you never Uninstalled windows from the 40gig then yes you could just switch the cables or change the boot order or just change the jumpers on the drives and everything on the 40 should run again minus anything you installed on it using the 80gig version of windows

your correct about the registry and why programs installed on the 40gig version of windows didnt just run on the 80gig version of windows.