Switching out harddrives?

[hackslash]

How would I go about adding a new hard drive to my computer, and replacing the old one? Since Windows is on the old one.. how would I transfer it over? Eh.. so lost.

[sf1]

How would I go about adding a new hard drive to my computer, and replacing the old one? Since Windows is on the old one.. how would I transfer it over? Eh.. so lost.

Hi I recommend using a software called "Acronis True Image"
it has a function where it makes an image of the primary drive and puts it into secondary
and then all you have to do is take out the primary and set the new drive to primary.

[Cyrus the Great]

How would I go about adding a new hard drive to my computer, and replacing the old one? Since Windows is on the old one.. how would I transfer it over? Eh.. so lost.

Yea, Acronis is awesome.

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/

[hackslash]

any alternative thats free... could I manually copy everything?

[willy]

I personally use Norton Ghost. But if you are looking something free, check this out ... http://www.serverwatch.com/tutorials/article.php/1474481 and go down to the Disk Cloning section.

[hackslash]

I personally use Norton Ghost. But if you are looking something free, check this out ... http://www.serverwatch.com/tutorials/article.php/1474481 and go down to the Disk Cloning section.

I might not be reading it properly, but it says it cant make a bootable clone of XP..

[willy]

I might not be reading it properly, but it says it cant make a bootable clone of XP..
I guess this is why you need to perform the last FDISK steps ...

[hackslash]

I guess this is why you need to perform the last FDISK steps ...

ehhhh... I dont have a system floppy either..

I dont know much about this sort of computer... stuff.

also, if I format my drive, do I lose windows?

[Cyrus the Great]

ehhhh... I dont have a system floppy either..

I dont know much about this sort of computer... stuff.

also, if I format my drive, do I lose windows?

Bootable XP CD:
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Yes. Fromatting a boot drive-->losing Win.

[hackslash]

Bootable XP CD:
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Yes. Fromatting a boot drive-->losing Win.

so I can burn off that and use it as a windows xp disc?

my windows xp is legitimate i just dont have the cd

[randomdef]

i think you should just install the new harddrive and use it as a secondary drive. no need to go through all the bother unless your old one has failed.

[hackslash]

i think you should just install the new harddrive and use it as a secondary drive. no need to go through all the bother unless your old one has failed.

yea thats probably what I'll end up doing. Its just right now I've got a small harddrive and about 4 harddrives from other computers that already have stuff on it, including windows. so either way I kinda already have backups.

but these harddrives are only like 40gb, and I'm looking to install a large harddrive.

[Cyrus the Great]

so I can burn off that and use it as a windows xp disc?

my windows xp is legitimate i just dont have the cd

No. That link guides you through creaing a bootable CD based on Windows XP UI.

And in your case I think u'd be better off doing what randomdef says.

[CameraBill]

Do these programs also import file rights?

I just cloned with Discwizard and it's causing some funky issues which I'm pretty sure are because the old "users" aren't being given the right permissions.

[rabbit]

http://www.xxclone.com/index.htm
free

Install new drive as slave or whatever, run xxclone to copy C:\ to new drive. Use Cool Tools -> Make Bootable on new drive. Restart and boot to new drive. Nuke old drive.