Copy to new HD

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ron Patterson
  • Start date Start date
R

Ron Patterson

I have the original HD as a Master on the Primary cable. (The CD will be
temporarily disconnected.)
I have a new HD that I will install as a Master on the Secondary cable. The
jumpers are correct. After I format it via the manufacturer's CD, what is
the easiest most trouble free way to make this new HD an exact BOOTABLE copy
of the original.

I have tried lots of stuff and had lots of problems and the new HD copies
never will boot. Not even when installed as the only HD in the computer as
Master on Primary cable.

While of very limited computer capability, I DO understand in the BIOS how
to find the devices and jumpers and cables and boot priority etc. That is
not the problem. Just want a fool proof way to make the copy. Dual boot is
NOT a problem. After it is made it will be removed to an external USB HD
"carrier".

Ron Patterson
 
Your best bet is to use "imaging" software to do a complete byte by byte copy of the existing drive to the new drive. Most hard drive manufacturer's include, or have available for download, this type of software. There are also 3rd party utilities like BootIt Next Generation and Partition Magic that will do the same.

The thing to remember, when you make the new drive the "primary master", you need to use FDISK or some other disk utility to make that partition Active. Some imaging and cloning programs omit this step. If the partition is not marked active, it won't boot.
 
Why set new hd when xp gets installed, on the secondary IDE,you should pu
it on the main IDE,put at end of cable,attach the old drive closest and se
it as slave,then set as the pageing file for master with xp.You can leave old x
on it if desired,setting it as slave is important.To copy,set new as slave on primary IDE
xp as master,First format the hd,run,type:diskmgmt.msc L.click on the drive,action,all
format.When its thru close out,go to run,type
XCOPY C:\*.* D:\ /c/h/e/k/r click ok,agree to all in the DOS window
When its thru,shutdown computer,set pins correctly,youre thru
Also,third party formatting isnt valid with this xp utility,let xp do all.......
One more thing, D: is the slave,however any letter will work
 
Thanks Doug.
You wrote:
"use FDISK or some other disk utility to make that partition Active. Some
imaging and cloning programs omit this step. If the partition is not marked
active, it won't boot."

I think this was my problem. I have tried to copy the disk to disk several
times using various software and everything looks good but it will not boot.
I don't however understand FDISK and making a partition active. I am not
partitioning the new drive - just trying the simplest thing of formatting
and copying? Is this something I do after I copy to activate the partition
(which is the whole drive) ? I can already see all the files, doesn't that
mean it is 'active'?. Perhaps you could walk me thru this as if you were
holding the hand of the idiot which I am rapidly thinking I am.

Regards,
Ron

Your best bet is to use "imaging" software to do a complete byte by byte
copy of the existing drive to the new drive. Most hard drive manufacturer's
include, or have available for download, this type of software. There are
also 3rd party utilities like BootIt Next Generation and Partition Magic
that will do the same.

The thing to remember, when you make the new drive the "primary master", you
need to use FDISK or some other disk utility to make that partition Active.
Some imaging and cloning programs omit this step. If the partition is not
marked active, it won't boot.

--
In memory of Robert McGregor (aka Koldbear)
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/winhelp.htm
--------------------------------
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
 
No, just the files being present doesn't mean that the partition is active. When you run FDISK from a startup floppy, one of the options you get it mark a partition active. FDISK does not create more than one "primary" partition, but DOS and NT based systems will still use a disk with multiple primary partitions. Various software products out there will allow you to create multiple primary partiions, rather than extended and logical partitions.

When you run FDISK, the 2nd option is to Set active partition. Choose this one, and the only choice you'll have is the partition on that disk.
 
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