When Shifting Hdds Between Computers

I'm trying to recover files from a good hdd out of a bad computer. The bad computer used sata interface an XP pro, while the good computer is IDE (or EIDE) interface and XP home. My ide/sata adapter is working fine and the drive in question looks good UNTIL a Windows Product Activation screen pops up. Clicking a "yes" I want to activate starts an attempt to contact Microsoft. But Microsoft doesn't answer, and if they did, I no longer have any codes from the bad computer. Knowing that a faulty hdd can still be read by those who know how, is there a way around my situation?

Please say yes.

 

Why are you trying to boot from it?

 

I don't understand the question so this reply may not help. The drive has the full XP os, which means it boots up, as opposed to it being a storage drive. I want to recover numerous files.

 

Restart the PC. As soon as you see something on the screen, press pause and look which key you need to press to enter the Boot Menu. It could be Esc, F2, F10 or F12. Select the drive with Windows XP Home.
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/b/boot_menu.htm

 

Boot menu is set to the drive in question.

 

Maybe I should add ,the drive came from a desktop with two hdds, the second drive a clone of the first, using Acronis True Image. I am now trying to recover files from this drive by putting it into another desktop with the same two hdd setup. A drive was removed and the drive in question installed for the recovery. And both drives from the bad machine want to Windows Activate.

 

Then that Windows XP has not been activated.

The better option is to connect the HDD via a SATA to USB interface, to a PC with a working/activated copy of Windows.

 

This is your best option. You do not need to boot the drive to copy files from it. As you've noticed, it's actually counterproductive.

 

Sorry I didn't explain the situation thoroughly. I found the solution, which JP is getting to, by dropping my previous assumptions about booting hdds not being accessible from another booting hdd.
Yep, just boot up drive c, click My Computer, click drive f (from bad machine) and the contents are all accessible.
Eldon, I used the sata/ide adapter because I assumed data transfer rates would be faster than through a usb connection. Also, is it possible to run a computer with Win XP for ten years and it not be activated?

 

It was activated... on the bad machine. That particular installation was not activated on the still working PC however. When you booted it in the working PC, it detected significant hardware changes which prompted reactivation.

 

I had originally had hopes of just using Acronis to clone that drive f back onto drive c. That's why I wanted to boot drive f. But this is close enough for gummint work.
And thanks guys.