Installing new boot HHD

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rickshmael
  • Start date Start date
R

Rickshmael

Just got a new computer with Windows XP Home Edition and
want to put a larger hard drive in it. I need to know if
I can transfer all the files, including system files,
etc., to the new drive as a slave, then swap it as the
new master boot drive.

Can this be done without having to format the new drive
and re-install all the software, etc.? If I have to
format the new drive, would it work to just format it in
its slave position operating in Windows XP? Or do I have
to use the XP installation disk?

Does Windows XP Home have a utility to transfer all files
(including system files, etc.) to another drive to make
it the new boot drive?
 
Windows doesn't have the utility you need. However, your drive manufacturer
almost certainly does. Western Digital and Seagate each has its own disk
copying utility posted on their websites. I've used both in times past.
The companies update them often and they are fairly easy to use, but be sure
to read the instructions carefully before doing anything.

FWIW, I kept my smaller drive for use as a TEMP and swap drive. XP uses
enormous numbers of temporary files, and having them go to a phycally
separate drive has improved the performance of my system.
 
Thanks for your response. I'm am upgrading to a Western
Digital drive, so I'll use the utility you mentioned.

I am planning to use the smaller drive as a slave drive
for similar purposes that you've suggested. Is there
anything special you have to do to have the Windows XP
temporary files go to the slave drive?
 
To make files go to slave drive for temp and swap purposes:

control panel>system>advanced>performance settings>advanced>virtual memory
change:

You'll see a list of all drives and partitions on your system. with C:
highlighted, click the radio button "No Paging File." Click 'set'. Then,
highlight your slave dirve (d: perhaps) and click the radio button "System
managed size." Click "set". click 'OK', then 'OK' again.

You should be back at the 'System Properties" page. Toward the middle
bottom, click "environment variables.' In the pane near the top of the
resulting page, you'll see 'user variables for (user)' Usually there will
be only 'temp' and 'tmp' along with the drive and directory they point to.
Highlight each, one at a time, click 'edit' and insert the new value. If
you have more than one user account, you'll need to set the 'user variables'
for each. I use "D:\Temp" for every user, and for the following:

The pane below, "system variables," has the same two, along with many
others. You'll need to set them; 'temp' and 'tmp', to the new drive, as
well.

click 'ok' then "ok" again.

You are not done...

To shift Internet Explorer temp files to the slave (very important for
performance):

Open IE. "tools>internet options" Middle of page "temporary internet file"
click "delete files" This will speed up the change. Once that's done,
click "settings" then click 'move folder...' A browser box will open. Find
your slave drive and select it. Click 'OK' The folder will move, taking
the cookies with it (if you hadn't deleted the files, they would be copied
over, too, taking much longer). This, again, is a user setting, so it needs
to be done for each user.

It's a bit of time and effort, but I've found it to be very worthwhile.
--
Hope this is helpful,

Walter Hawn
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