new hard drive

[Tricia]

Hi I wonder if this will work? I have my computer set up the way I want it
and I am going to get a bigger hard drive. If I connect the new hard drive
as the master, install Windows XP Pro on it, then re-connect my old drive
as the master and the new drive as the slave, if I then copy all the files
on the old drive to the new drive, overwriting any existing files, then
connect the new drive back as the master will my Windows XP be exactly the
same as my old drive but on a bigger drive?. Or is there an easier free
method?
Thanks Tricia

 

[Jerry]

XP comes with FAST (Files and Settings Transfer) wizard. Check it out to see
if it will do what you want. It is in Accessories > System Tools.

 

[Heirloom]

In addition to Jerry's good words.........if the drives are Maxtor's, you
can download a utility from their site, called Maxblast, that will "clone"
your old drive to the new.
Heirloom, old and now use Acronis

 

[neil]

It might work but I think it's a bit unlikely. A number of hard drive
manufacturers provide a copying program to download to do what you are
trying to achieve, so try their website.

Neil

 

[Ron Martell]

Hi I wonder if this will work? I have my computer set up the way I want it
and I am going to get a bigger hard drive. If I connect the new hard drive
as the master, install Windows XP Pro on it, then re-connect my old drive
as the master and the new drive as the slave, if I then copy all the files
on the old drive to the new drive, overwriting any existing files, then
connect the new drive back as the master will my Windows XP be exactly the
same as my old drive but on a bigger drive?. Or is there an easier free
method?
Thanks Tricia

Go to the hard drive manufacturer's web site and download their (free)
disk cloning utility and use it to copy the content of the old drive
to the new one.

Trying to do it the way you describe would be risky and time
consuming, because not all files would be copied.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

 

[David Rios]

It WILL work.

Just make sure you don't mix up which one is slave and master. Also, if
they are two different brands sometimes they conflict with eachother.

But the simple way:

Connect new drive and remove old.
Install Windows
Connect Old as slave.
Boot from your new (master) drive.
Grab your files off your old (slave) drive.


I do it all of the time at my Site.
_______

-David Rios

 

[David Rios]

System files, and program files would not be coppied. But any/all documents
you manually copy would be.

No more risky than the copy utility and, at least for me, takes LESS time.

That is if you dont mind re-installing your programs.

-David Rios