Cloning a hard drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter GR
  • Start date Start date
G

GR

I would like to upgrade my Dell Dimension 8100 with Windows 2000 to a
new Dell Workstation. I *really* like all my software installed and
customized the way it is!

I understand I can "clone" my existing C drive to the new box across
the internet using Norton/Symantec Ghost.

I don't have any unusual hardware attached so I have a pretty vanilla
install and I have the latest Windows 2000 updates from MSFT (thanks
viruses!). the only, perhaps, unique part of my install is Partition
Magic which has my single drive partitioned into several logical
drives (but only 1 OS).

Is this likely to work? Anyone done this? What should I look out
for? Is there stuff I should clean up/out in my registry before
trying this? Other than backup - are there other precautions? I
asked Dell but they don't care cause it's not a hardware issue.

many thanks!

Gordon
 
GR said:
I would like to upgrade my Dell Dimension 8100 with Windows 2000 to a
new Dell Workstation. I *really* like all my software installed and
customized the way it is!

I understand I can "clone" my existing C drive to the new box across
the internet using Norton/Symantec Ghost.

I don't have any unusual hardware attached so I have a pretty vanilla
install and I have the latest Windows 2000 updates from MSFT (thanks
viruses!). the only, perhaps, unique part of my install is Partition
Magic which has my single drive partitioned into several logical
drives (but only 1 OS).

Is this likely to work? Anyone done this? What should I look out
for? Is there stuff I should clean up/out in my registry before
trying this? Other than backup - are there other precautions? I
asked Dell but they don't care cause it's not a hardware issue.

many thanks!

Gordon
Click to expand...

If the old and new computers were custom-built with branded components,
there should not really be a problem. If the principal parts, esp. video card,
are different, then one might be able to set up the plug-and-play generic prior
to creating the Symantec Ghost image file. This minimizes potential conflicts
between the old and new systems. Use a separate image file for each logical
partition and extract to its corresponding one in the new computer.

That being written, the issue is really going to be settled by the differences
between the two systems and resolving them. If the OEM, such as Dell, uses
proprietary parts and these are not "generic" enough, the cloning could very
well fail. But if the transferred system in the new computer boots and there
are no BSOD's, then making repairs should be relatively easy. HTH.
 
There are some things to look out for.
I've been on the phone with a Dell rep once and he found
out that the install wasn't factory. I'd reinstalled
Windows. Even though it was a hardware problem, he
wouldn't help.
Each Dell PC has certain identifying markers that tip off
the Dell tech that you tampered with it. Copy the original
OEMINFO.INI, OEMLOGO.BMP, and DELL.SDR files and the
C:\Dell folder from your new PC so you can copy them back
after a Ghost.
If partitioning and formatting, leave the small 30-50MB
FAT partition that's often found. It's the emergency boot
partition that allows you to do diagnostics without the
diagnostics CD.

I've had bad luck with Ghosts. If the hard drive is
different, the Ghost tends to produce a BSOD. Identical
motherboard and hard drive seem to help. Since both will
probably be Western Digital, maybe it'll work.
 
You will most likely get a "Inaccessible Boot Device" error if you port
a hard disk from one machine to another. I would give it a try: If it
works, fine; if it does not work, put it back into the old machine and
post again.
 
This will not work unless both PCs' motherboards have an IDE controller with
the exact same Plug-N-Play ID.

If not, you will get the afore mentioned INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE blue
screen.

Regards,

BigDaddyJim
A+, Windows 2000 MCP

Screenshot movies for tech support on Windows 2000 / XP!
http://www.screenshotmovies.com
 
Pegasus (MVP) said:
There are ways around this one. I have successfully ported
Win2000 from an 1999 vintage HP Omnibook to a desktop
with a 2003 vintage motherboard.
Click to expand...

Think he really is looking for a how, not just if.

- Magnus
 
Clone across the drives across the Internet?
You've not done this before, haven't you?

In my Opinion DriveImage 7 does a far better job. That's what I used
to effortlessly close a 40Gb drive onto a 120Gb drive and extend the
primary partition so while whole of drive C: is about 120Gb.

Before anyone scoffs at having one entire partition, in my case, I
know what I'm doing, I do take backups and I need such a single large
partition.

I think there are actually programs that exist to move entire
installed applications and their settings to another hard
drive/computer, but I can't recall such programs names.

I'm sure someone else reading this will know which programs they are.
 
BigDaddyJim said:
This will not work unless both PCs' motherboards have an IDE controller with
the exact same Plug-N-Play ID.

If not, you will get the afore mentioned INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE blue
screen.
Click to expand...

Are you sure this is the cause of this problem? I have seen it come up off
and on (right now we use sysprep and that seems to get around this problem.
I tried again yesterday without sysprep, and successfully ghosted from a PIV
Desktop System (Gigabyte MB) to an Acer Notebook. Seems unlikely that the
IDE controllers would have the same PnP ID. or is it?

Dale
 
I've moved W2K to dissimilar hardware several times without running across this,
I really doubt it's that simple...
 
GR said:
I would like to upgrade my Dell Dimension 8100 with Windows 2000 to a
new Dell Workstation. I *really* like all my software installed and
customized the way it is!

I understand I can "clone" my existing C drive to the new box across
the internet using Norton/Symantec Ghost.

I don't have any unusual hardware attached so I have a pretty vanilla
install and I have the latest Windows 2000 updates from MSFT (thanks
viruses!). the only, perhaps, unique part of my install is Partition
Magic which has my single drive partitioned into several logical
drives (but only 1 OS).

Is this likely to work? Anyone done this? What should I look out
for? Is there stuff I should clean up/out in my registry before
trying this? Other than backup - are there other precautions? I
asked Dell but they don't care cause it's not a hardware issue.

many thanks!

Gordon
Click to expand...


For the definitive answer see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;271965

Just follow the instructions, having read the whole article. Have done it may times upgrading 5 different pc types on 2500 pc network

Robert
 
Robert Williams said:
For the definitive answer see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;271965
Just follow the instructions, having read the whole article. Have done it may times upgrading 5 different pc types on 2500 pc network
Robert
Click to expand...

So, robert. Say I'm going to swap mainboard with integrated IDE. I
think it's technically possible, depending on how the driver CD has
been assembled, to forcefully install the drvice drivers for the
mainboard before removing the original mainboard.

This would be done to pre-install all of the new main-board device
drivers as using ther main-board that is to be replaced to do this
operation, the new main-board drivers will remain idle until the hard
disk is introduced to the new main-board?

(Apologies for the grammar. Head not yet fully awake.)
 
Bloke at the pennine puddle said:
So, robert. Say I'm going to swap mainboard with integrated IDE. I
think it's technically possible, depending on how the driver CD has
been assembled, to forcefully install the drvice drivers for the
mainboard before removing the original mainboard.

This would be done to pre-install all of the new main-board device
drivers as using ther main-board that is to be replaced to do this
operation, the new main-board drivers will remain idle until the hard
disk is introduced to the new main-board?

(Apologies for the grammar. Head not yet fully awake.)
Click to expand...

You can get away with just installing the drivers that support
the disk operation (IDE/SCSI controllers). The other drivers will
take care of themselves via Plug and Play.
 
I've moved W2K to dissimilar hardware several times without running across this,
I really doubt it's that simple...
Click to expand...

See what I was wondering is that maybe the PnP ID of the IDE controller is
almost always the same, but in a few cases you might run across this, maybe
going between or perhaps from a specific motherboard that uses a less
generic chip. (maybe like a Sol-Tek or something)
My IDE controller comes up as an "Intel 82801AA Bus Master IDE Controller"
how common is this chip?
How many different major chips are out there?
I have know idea. Anyone know?

Dale
 
Pegasus \(MVP\) said:
You can get away with just installing the drivers that support
the disk operation (IDE/SCSI controllers). The other drivers will
take care of themselves via Plug and Play.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Still, I am considering pre-installing the drivers of the
new main board while using the main board to be replaced. Exactly
like having to install the drivers for some exotic USB device before
plugging this device into the computer.

Actually, I believe Microsoft recommends doing this with an SCSI
controller that had hard drives attached to it. As in pre-installing
the SCSI card drivers before moving the gubbins accross.

I've not got anything out of the ordinary. A IDE RAID array is not
used. Just a single 120Gb IDE drive.
 
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