Adding a used HD to another computer?

I recently received a used computer from my work, because it had a bad HD, and i have an old HD laying around that i would like to use in it. How do i wipe out that hard drive, and i was told i can "piggy back" it to my current HD and load my XP that i am using now on it, and then run it in that pc too. Any help?

 

It sounds like they may have been referring to adding it to your computer to use as a data/storage for your files. As far as installing in another machine(ghost image /backup etc) and having it run... That will not work.
When windows (or other os for that matter) is installed it takes into account all the hardware on that machine( a custom fit if you will.)..so same os different pc will not work.
Not to mention the whole license agreement....rolleyes

 

Actually, a guy i used to work with said thats how he did it to run it on a different computer. I would use the my current hd, but it will not work in the new computer. I am currently using a workstation, and the hd and plugs in it are alot wider than the one i have,a nd that the other computer uses.

 

Sounds like you have one SATA drive and one PATA drive.
I doubt the copy worked for long if at all in the other machine...really it will probably just refuse to boot.... and like I said the whole license thing...it is er um illegal "cough'

Have you checked out any linux distributions..... Lots that act and feel like windows.
DL a few of the live cds for different distros and find one that is easy for you to use, and has support for all your hardware.
http://distrowatch.com/

May I suggest Pc linux OS ( my current one)

 

By "piggy back" I assume you want to clone it. That should work if the 2 computers have the same chipset. And as long as the computer from work with the bad HD was also running XP, should be reasonable to transfer the license/product ID/key to the new HD, since my belief is the license is for use on one machine.

If Petaluma is right that it's SATA PATA, then the chipset should be different and cloning will be futile.

Probably best to use it as backup or storage.