right so i got a computer... and want to change quite a bit, processor, ram, video card, sound card.... yeah anyway... my cousin said itd be better just to get a whole new computer...

so... if i get a new computer... i can take out the hard drive out of the old one and put it into the new one and still have everything.... right?

yes

Yes, but only the data will work. Most programs, and certainly windows, will have to be reinstalled.

Well that wouldnt be true.. If you set the old hard drive as the primary drive it would work just as it would in the old computer.

given a vastly different hardware configuration like that, the installed operating system may or may not work, usually when i've done upgrades like that it blue screens and a fresh install of windows, and the subsequent reinstall of most software, is required