Paul Goodyear said:
"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