Tech question

[Ample]

Ok, sorry for using this board for this, but i need help and i figured the people here would be competent enough to answer.

tl;dr: anybody know a site where i can update my drivers for free? There are certain games that i once could play, but with a change in hard drive, and despite the precautions taken to still allow the computer to run such games, i am getting an error message when i try to run the programs. I believe the problem resides in my drivers, but the details are below in case its something else.

here's my situation:
i have a computer with a new hard drive (not technically new, i took it from another computer, i didn't wipe it so it still has all the programs, etc), it replaced the hard drive that was previously in this computer. This computer has sub-par specs, but can still play some modern games (i.e. WoW, yeah i played it, take your cheap shots and flame me if you must). When i replaced the hard drive, i also wanted to try and replace the video card, but the new video card (also not technically new, took it from the same computer i took the hard drive from) did not fit, this computer didn't have the right port or slot or w/e. So i plugged the original video card back in. Nonetheless, it still should be able to run some of the games i was playing on the old computer. So (i think) we found all available hardware related software (the CDs that come with your video/sound card, etc) and installed them. So with a hard drive that has all the necessary programs to play games (i.e. directx 9.0c), all the software to allow it to function with the hardware... I still get an error message. The error message reminds me to update my drivers and get directx 9.0c, as i have said, i thought i had all the needed programs. 17 or so of my drivers are out of date, but why would this be a problem if this particular computer or the old computer that i took the new hard drive out of could both play these games?

[cataclyzm]

the answer to your question is to place your penis inside the motherboard and pump it full of love

[Viluin]

Wait, exactly what did you do? Did you take a hard-drive with an Operating System on it from one computer and put it in another, replacing that second computer's Operating System HD?

If that's the case, then you need to reinstall Windows for it to work. I'm actually quite surprised you didn't get a blue screen error the second it tried to load the OS.

[alfaroverall]

Don't tell me you put this new HD in as a master drive instead of a slave drive (which is what Viluin is saying). If you put the new HD in as a slave drive, then you don't need to reinstall windows.

[Viluin]

Don't tell me you put this new HD in as a master drive instead of a slave drive (which is what Viluin is saying). If you put the new HD in as a slave drive, then you don't need to reinstall windows.

More or less. What I meant was that a Windows OS from a certain computer will not work on another computer, especially if it's a different motherboard chipset. The OS wouldn't have the proper drivers for the new hardware and the only way to fix that is by reinstalling it.

[alfaroverall]

More or less. What I meant was that a Windows OS from a certain computer will not work on another computer, especially if it's a different motherboard chipset. The OS wouldn't have the proper drivers for the new hardware and the only way to fix that is by reinstalling it.
But if it's on a slave drive, then that's irrelevant, and it's just taking up space on the HD while being completely inactive. It doesn't sound like this applies to the OP, however.

[Ample]

hmm, thanks for the help. I've never heard the terms slave/master hard drive, master = main, slave = extra? I replaced the old (and only) hard drive of the computer with the hard drive of my old computer. I added a second hard drive, which i assume is a "slave" hd. I don't have any problem with the OS, i don't know if it makes a difference if they were the same OS (windows xp home). Maybe thats why the computer can function, but not all the drivers are up to date?
even if i can find the CD that came with the video card to try and update the drivers with, would i still need to reinstall windows? would that require me to wipe the hard drive? backing up my music is gonna be a bitch.

[Viluin]

But if it's on a slave drive, then that's irrelevant, and it's just taking up space on the HD while being completely inactive. It doesn't sound like this applies to the OP, however.

He could still theoretically try to boot from it if that happened. :p

hmm, thanks for the help. I've never heard the terms slave/master hard drive, master = main, slave = extra? I replaced the old (and only) hard drive of the computer with the hard drive of my old computer. I added a second hard drive, which i assume is a "slave" hd. I don't have any problem with the OS, i don't know if it makes a difference if they were the same OS (windows xp home). Maybe thats why the computer can function, but not all the drivers are up to date?
even if i can find the CD that came with the video card to try and update the drivers with, would i still need to reinstall windows? would that require me to wipe the hard drive? backing up my music is gonna be a bitch.

You have to reinstall Windows. Like I said I'm quite surprised you got it to boot in the first place. Most people get blue screen errors imemdiately.