Computer hardware question....?

Question

can i use the ram from a old windows 98 & the harddrive from it in a windows 2000 computer? and would i need to clear the harddrive?

Answer 1

Ram memory from a Win98SE computer will probably be SDR Sdram.

(Single Data Rate Sdram) There are sum variables involved with SDR Sdram, that are not so much involved with DDR Sdram, DDR2 Sdram, and DDR3 Sdram today.

1.You can use PC133,(133MHz SDR Sdram) in a computer that uses PC100. It will clock the ram down to 100MHz.

2.You cannot use PC100 SDR Sdram in a computer that uses PC133MHz,(Sdram) Rule of thumb is clock down one step. Not up.

(However you can try it anyway. What the heck, right?)

3.When SDR Sdram was made, back in the day, ram manufacturer's didn't all follow the 'same page'. There was no set standard at that time for ram manufacturers to follow. (And/or they didn't care, and did what they wanted!)

A.Voltage varied on ram sticks manufactured.

B.Chip Configuration varied.

C.Ram timings varied.

So if one stick of ram has PC133MHz on it, and another does also, it doesn't mean both are the same ram stick. You just have to try it/them and see. I suggest you start with one at a time. Insert into Slot 1,(Also known as Slot 0), closest to the processor. The processor reads this ram slot first.

The two computer ram style may differ completely also.

You may have SIMM,(Single Inline Memory Module) in one, and Sdram in the other. (Really SDR Sdram. Sdram is a misnomer used to simply mean Sdram. SDR Sdram is also DIMM memory.

Dual Inline Memory Module)

1.SIMM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIMM

2.SDR Sdram: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SDRAM

3.DIMM:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIMM

4.Ram memory:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_acce...

5.Ram Timings:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAS_latency

6.DRAM: Dram chip that's used in the chip configuration.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_ran...

7.http://members.tripod.com/pc_tutor1/ram....

Edit: You can use the harddrive, BUT!,

1.When Windows is put on a harddrive it assigns codecs to major component hardware inside the computer. These assigned codecs, are seen by Microsoft when Windows is activated. The main hardware components involved are:

1.Processor.

2.Harddrive.

3.Motherboard. (More specifically the BIOS program.)

Change any two components, and Windows wants to be activated again. Change just the motherboard,(Such as you would be doing in reality. You're putting a harddrive on a different motherboard), and Windows wants to be activated again. Windows 'reads' the graphics chip, and BIOS in these years of computers)

You may be lucky, and have an 'Activation' screen come up, where you can call Microsoft for free, and go through the activation process. If you have the Win98 installation disk, just set the First Boot Device in Boot Order to CDROM, and pop that CD disk in as soon as you press the Power On button.

1.http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/bios...

2.http://www.fluteloop.com/PCHC/bios

3.http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

Answer 2

The hard drive you could use, and you would not necessarily need to clear it.  Whether or not you can use the ram depends on your motherboard, and I can't tell you more than that based on the information you've given.