Change from PATA to SATA harddrive?

[None]

I would like to upgrade from a smaller PATA to a larger SATA harddrive.
I imagine that Windows XP will have problems doing this. My plan was
to add the SATA drive, image the PATA to SATA using True Image 8, then
change the BIOS to boot from the SATA drive, and finally remove the PATA
drive.

What else would I need to do to get XP to boot?

Thanks!

 

[Paul Goodyear]

I would like to upgrade from a smaller PATA to a larger SATA harddrive.
I imagine that Windows XP will have problems doing this. My plan was
to add the SATA drive, image the PATA to SATA using True Image 8, then
change the BIOS to boot from the SATA drive, and finally remove the PATA
drive.

What else would I need to do to get XP to boot?

Thanks!

Windows XP will not be able to boot as the boot device will have
changed, You could possible try a in-place upgrade from the Windows XP
CDROM which will do a install over the top of your OS.

I have done this in the past and added the shortcuts back to the start
menu and all applications have run ok (the in-place upgrade does not
format the drive, it just replaces all system files).

But if you can do a re-install this would be the best and cleanest option.

Install XP on the new SATA, then put the old ATA drive in and copy the
required files over, and archive the files you dont need to DVDR.

 

[Anna]

Windows XP will not be able to boot as the boot device will have changed,
You could possible try a in-place upgrade from the Windows XP CDROM which
will do a install over the top of your OS.

I have done this in the past and added the shortcuts back to the start
menu and all applications have run ok (the in-place upgrade does not
format the drive, it just replaces all system files).

But if you can do a re-install this would be the best and cleanest option.

Install XP on the new SATA, then put the old ATA drive in and copy the
required files over, and archive the files you dont need to DVDR.

None:
Your "plan of action" is entirely sound. There's no reason why the system
won't properly boot after you use the Acronis True Image program to clone
the contents of your PATA drive to the SATA one. We're assuming, of course,
that your PATA drive is defect-free and functioning properly. Paul is simply
incorrect about Windows XP being unable to boot under these circumstances.
There should be no need to perform any re:install or Repair. Additionally,
there should be no Activation issue involved here assuming only a HD change
is involved. But one never knows with certainty about that...

Any reason why you won't be using your PATA drive as a second internal drive
for backup/storage purposes?
Anna

P.S.
I'm assuming there won't be any inherent problems with Acronis cloning from
a PATA to a SATA drive. There shouldn't be. But so far I've only worked with
Acronis cloning PATA to PATA or SATA to SATA and no problems there.

 

[Kerry Brown]

I would like to upgrade from a smaller PATA to a larger SATA harddrive. I
imagine that Windows XP will have problems doing this. My plan was to add
the SATA drive, image the PATA to SATA using True Image 8, then change the
BIOS to boot from the SATA drive, and finally remove the PATA drive.

What else would I need to do to get XP to boot?

Thanks!

TI will image the drive no problem. The rest will depend on your
motherboard. In all likelyhood it will work fine. There is a possibilty you
may have to edit boot.ini to make it boot from the SATA drive.

Kerry

 

[Paul Goodyear]

None:
Your "plan of action" is entirely sound. There's no reason why the system
won't properly boot after you use the Acronis True Image program to clone
the contents of your PATA drive to the SATA one. We're assuming, of course,
that your PATA drive is defect-free and functioning properly. Paul is simply
incorrect about Windows XP being unable to boot under these circumstances.
There should be no need to perform any re:install or Repair. Additionally,
there should be no Activation issue involved here assuming only a HD change
is involved. But one never knows with certainty about that...

"Paul is simply incorrect" in your own experiences. The last 3 HD
controller changes I have performed have left 2 of the systems
unbootable due to the wrong controller driver being loaded.

Installations of Windows are different on different hardware. Windows
will load the controller driver for your HD controller so that it can
boot the drive. If you change this from the on board ATA controller to a
PCI or onboard SATA controller then the driver could require replacing.

The only way to fid out is to ghost/image the new SATA with the ATA
drive, swap them over and start the system. If windows loads then your
sorted, you may need to download or install the SATA controller drives
at this point.

Aslong as you dont format or wipe your original ATA drive you can try
any number of methods, to find the one your happy with, and most
importantly, that works.

 

[Anna]

"Paul is simply incorrect" in your own experiences. The last 3 HD
controller changes I have performed have left 2 of the systems unbootable
due to the wrong controller driver being loaded.
Installations of Windows are different on different hardware. Windows will
load the controller driver for your HD controller so that it can boot the
drive. If you change this from the on board ATA controller to a PCI or
onboard SATA controller then the driver could require replacing.

The only way to fid out is to ghost/image the new SATA with the ATA drive,
swap them over and start the system. If windows loads then your sorted,
you may need to download or install the SATA controller drives at this
point.

Aslong as you dont format or wipe your original ATA drive you can try any
number of methods, to find the one your happy with, and most importantly,
that works.

Paul:
Obviously I can't comment on your negative experiences re this issue.

All I can tell you is that I've performed at least 1,000 disk-to-disk
cloning operations in an XP environment using Symantec's Norton Ghost 2003
program (and more lately, the Acronis True Image program). In doing so I've
had experience with using scores of different makes & models of HDs, both
PATA & SATA (although as I previously stated I've had only limited
experience using the ATI program for cloning SATA to SATA drives, but
everything I've heard indicates there's no problem in that area).

Why you've had problems with "HD controller changes" I don't know. All I can
tell you, based upon my own experience, is this...
If your source & destination disks are without defect and they are properly
connected/configured and your system files are corruption-free and you
properly use the disk imaging software we've discussed -- you can
successfully clone the contents of your day-to-day working HD to another
(internal) HD and the latter, after it is (if necessary) properly
re:connected and/or re:configured, will be a functioning bootable drive
without further ado.
Anna