Changing hard drives

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kostatus
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Kostatus

Does anybody know how I can copy my whole operating system, all the program
files and the registry from one hard drive to another on the same pc. Would
the XP File and Settings transfer work on two hard drives on the same PC or
do I have to purchase something else?

Thanks.
 
You would have to use something like Ghost, file and settings wizard wont do
an entire drive.
 
Kostatus said:
Does anybody know how I can copy my whole operating system, all the program
files and the registry from one hard drive to another on the same pc. Would
the XP File and Settings transfer work on two hard drives on the same PC or
do I have to purchase something else?
Click to expand...

The simplest way is to use a simple disk copy utility from the drive
manufacturer. Many manufacturers have free software specifically for
your intended purpose -- such as Seagate's "Disk Wizard", Maxtor's
"MaxBlast", and WD's "Data Lifeguard Tools". If you don't get a floppy
disk with your new HD, you can download it from the manufacturer's
website. To use, it's as simple as plugging in both HD's, boot from the
floppy, copy one HD to the other, remove old HD, put new HD in its
place, and reboot. Do not install the new HD first and try to format it
with XP; just put it in bare and boot the utility floppy. (Many people
make this mistake, which gives XP a chance to give the new HD a
different drive letter, which can screw things up.)

Very important: do *not* leave the old HD installed as a slave when you
first boot the new HD. Get the system back up and running with the new
HD by itself first. After the new HD is running properly as a single-HD
system, you may reformat and install the old HD as a slave if you want.
 
Sorry to butt in here, but, I like your concise, yet clear exolanation.
However, over thecoming days I have to do what you explain, i.e. change my
HDD.
One thing you did not mention, when you begin and put both drives in, how do
you set the jumpers then?
Is it Old drive->master, new drive->slave, or does it not make any
difference?
Then, about the software, I have PCI-MAXX10, will that do?
Thanks,
Frankie.
 
I meant PCI-CloneMAXX of course.

Frankie Deschacht said:
Sorry to butt in here, but, I like your concise, yet clear exolanation.
However, over thecoming days I have to do what you explain, i.e. change my
HDD.
One thing you did not mention, when you begin and put both drives in, how do
you set the jumpers then?
Is it Old drive->master, new drive->slave, or does it not make any
difference?
Then, about the software, I have PCI-MAXX10, will that do?
Thanks,
Frankie.
Click to expand...
 
I haven't used PCI-CloneMaxx, so can't say. Looking at the description
on their webpage, it sounds like it should work, but I notice it says it
can only copy entire disks, not separate partitions. If your two HDDs
are different sizes, I don't know how PCI-CloneMaxx would treat that.

If it were me, I'd just download the free tool from Seagate/Maxtor/WD,
depending on your brand of HDD.

As for jumpers, it shouldn't matter which is master or slave. All
you're trying to do is have both available at the same time during a
floppy boot, and you're not booting from either or running Windows.
Whichever way you do it, you would remove the original after the
transfer and move the new HDD to master. Do not leave the original
installed when you first boot up the new HDD.
 
OK, thanks again.
One more thing then, is the system not fussy on which software you use ?
(I.e. is it not really brand specific, so, could I use Maxtor or Seagate or
whatever software for any kind of HDD?)
The existing HDD is a Maxtor 30 Gb and the new one an IBM 40 Gb.
(Might have a floppy with it, might not, don't know yet).
Anyway, thanks a lot for your help so far.
Frankie.
 
Some of the OEM freeware tools like at least one of the HDDs -- new or
old -- to be their brand, so try MaxBlast. For some reason, a
comparable utility from IBM/Hitachi is consipicuously nonexistent (at
least, I've never found one). The other HDD manufacturers seem to
realize that it's in their best interest to help make upgrading your HDD
as painless as possible. It doesn't cost you anything to try, so try
MaxBlast, and if that doesn't work, try PCI-CloneMaxx.

FTR, I don't use the free utilities that much (I like PartitionMagic or
DriveImage), but when I have used them they have done the job
adequately, so when someone is just looking for a one-time operation, I
don't like to push the payware solutions when there is a reasonable
freeware alternative.
 
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