When you move the data using something like Ghost, you do it while the machine
is running DOS (Ghost will create a boot floppy or virtual boot partition to
do this). Then, before you boot up Windows again, just change the jumpers so
that the new drive takes the place of the old drive - it should retain the
same drive letter(s) as the old drive that way, and should work like the old
drive did. After this is successful, then you can reconnect the old drive (if
you wish, considering that it is dying) after setting its jumpers so that it
becomes a secondary drive - it will be assigned new drive letter(s) by
Windows.
If you do get Windows to boot off of the drive when it appears as a different
drive letter, Windows will change some of the settings in the registry to
match the new drive letter, but not all, especially ones put there by other
programs. Windows itself will often function, but other programs may need to
be reinstalled. This generally ends up being a mess, and it is best to try to
avoid this. However, it may be possible to (either manually or via various
programs) fix up the registry entries to point to the new drive letter.
I have found that usually this drive letter change will go upwards (to a
higher drive letter) - usually due to a new drive being inserted at a lower
letter. The letter does not change down to a lower letter if a drive is
removed - since the old letter is available, it just keeps using it,
perhaps leaving a lower letter unused.
|I can move all the data from one drive to another using norton ghost or
|MaxBlast 3 as my HDD manufacturer suggested.
|However the problem is not moving just the data but changing all the
|registry keys while making the change from one drive letter to another (D:\
|--> C:\)
|
|
|
|"emmeff" wrote:
|
|>
|> Alex -
|>
|> You really should look for the appropriate software on the website of your
|> HDD manufacturer to do everthing from setting up the new disk to
| transferring
|> data.
|>
|> If you can initialise, format and partition your HDD yourself using XP's
|> Disk Management console, look at options for transferring data such as
| Norton
|> Ghost, Paragon (which is often available as a freebie on computer mag CDs)
| or
|> you could even try Western Digital's Data Lifeguard tool and select the
|> option for transferring data
|> (
http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp?swid=1).
|>
|> MF
|>
|>
|> "Alex Levi" wrote:
|>
|> > Is there a simple software that can do this regardless of my hardware
| (HDD)?
|> >
|> >
|> >
|> > "Alex Levi" wrote:
|> >
|> > > I have Windows XP Pro installed on Drive D of my old HDD and I would
| like to
|> > > move it to my new HDD (on the same PC) to drive C.
|> > >
|> > > How it is possible to move windows (and all programs installed with it)
| from
|> > > one drive to another (without reinstalling)?
|> > >
|> > > If I just change the drive letter from D to C. Is my windows will also
|> > > change all it's registry that apply to drive D to the new drive C?
|> > > If not, how is it possible to do with 3rd party software (if it exists)?
|> > >
|> > > The reoson that I want to do it is becase my old HDD has bad clusters
| and
|> > > sometimes data is corrupted. So I want to move my windows to the new HDD
|
|> > > without installing it again.
. Then on screen directions told me to shutdown the