Checklist for installing new HDD?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Buchanan
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M

Mike Buchanan

I'm sure this has been done a million times and was wondering if there was a
simple step-by-step check list for first timers?

My computer came with a small HD (9GB) and is now >90% full. I'd like to
buy a second HDD, make it the system disk, wipe the old drive clean and use
it for storage.

Having never done this I'm thinking the steps would be something like this:

1) Add the new drive, it will become drive D:

2) Do an image copy from C: to D: using either XCOPY or I have a backup
utility NTI BackupNow that claims to do full image backups.

3) Can I make drive D: the boot drive or do I have to physically switch HDDs
in the box?

4) Once it's booting off the new drive (whether it's now D: or C:), reformat
the old drive.

Since this seems such a common task I'm thinking the steps must be outlines
somewhere.

Thanks
Mike Buchanan
 
a couple of options:
1) backup the existing drive and remove it from system
install new os and backup program on new drive
use that backup program to restore everything
- a lot of work and messy
2) maxtor drives comes with a drive copy program
it's pretty good
3) use norton ghost or power quest's drive image
basically they can clone entire drive and
resize the partition(s)
slick
things to watch:
drive size
check system/motherboard manuals
make sure your system supports it
some systems can not handle drives larger than 132GB
good luck and have fun
 
Mike Buchanan said:
My computer came with a small HD (9GB) and is now >90% full.
I'd like to buy a second HDD, make it the system disk, wipe the
old drive clean and use it for storage.

Having never done this I'm thinking the steps would be something
like this:

1) Add the new drive, it will become drive D:

2) Do an image copy from C: to D: using either XCOPY or I have
a backup utility NTI BackupNow that claims to do full image backups.

3) Can I make drive D: the boot drive or do I have to physically
switch HDDs in the box?

4) Once it's booting off the new drive (whether it's now D: or C:),
reformat the old drive.
Click to expand...

First, get over the habit of calling the HDDs by drive letters. Drive
letters are logical references and have meaning only in the context of
the OS that is booted. Using them as hardware references is ambiguous.
What you want to do is copy/clone your C: partition from one HDD to
another HDD, but then the new HDD will become a duplicate C:, not D:.
Thus, if you let W2K assign it as D: in Step 1, you've already screwed
up.

I don't know NTI, but xcopy will *not* transfer a system from one
partition to another. You need to use a utility specifically designed
for that purpose. The simplest way usually 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".
(These manufacturers realize it's in their best interests to make it as
simple as possible to replace/upgrade your HDD.) 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 W2K; just put it in bare and boot the utility
floppy. (Many people make this mistake, which gives W2K a chance to
give the new HD a different drive letter, which can screw things up.)
Note that you are not copying C: to D:, you are *duplicating* C: on the
new HDD, but it's still intended to be C:.

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.

If the manufacturer's utility doesn't work (some people experience a
glitch here or there), you can always buy/use something like DriveImage,
Ghost, or BootIt NG. For best results, you want something that will
operate from a floppy boot disk, not from within Windows.
 
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