OS on second hard disk *2

[Peter Croft]

I am running Windows 2000 Server SP 4 on a pc with 1 disk and want to do 2
things:
1. Replace the disk without re-installing the os. Can I just put the
replacement disk in as a second drive, partition and format it, and somehow
copy the existing drive to it, along with the capability to boot from it?
Will it matter that the details of the disk itself (size for example) are
different?

2. Having done that I would like to swop the disks over, reboot from the new
disk and then
install Windows 2000 Professional on the original, replaced disk AS THE
SECOND DRIVE in the pc, so that I can subsequently fit it in a new box and
hit the ground running instead of having to install the os in the new box.

Can anyone please advise?
In case you are wondering the main motivation for my questions is the
127/137Gb limit. In both cases I am trying to replace ageing systems for
which I only have base versions of W2k on CD which don't support larger
disks. I don't have Partition Manager Server edition and would like to avoid
the cost of buying it - plus I am curious to know if it can be done!
Thanks in advance for any help.
Peter Croft

 

[Bob I]

You might want to read up on slipstreaming your installation and most HD
manufacturers have a clone utility available. A "new box" would likely
need a repair install to get keep from "hitting the ground face first".

How to slipstream hotfixes that replace pre-existing driver files
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;814847