Clone Desktop to Laptop

[Guest]

I have a Windows XP Home desktop, SP2. I need to clone it on a laptop I plan
to purchase (Dell Inspiron). Before I purchase, I need some assurance that
my plan will work. Here's the plan:

Clone the C: drive of desktop using Drive Image. Put this clone on an
external USB hard drive.

Boot the laptop to its XP installation CD and run a repair installation of
the cloned image on the laptop. (I'm unclear on how I do this. Do I have the
external drive connected at the time of boot, or later?)

Activate windows XP on the laptop with the original Dell laptop CD.

1) Will this work?
2) Will Microsoft approve activation?
3) How will I accomplish activation?
4) Should I order The Dell laptop with XP Home or Pro?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Your plan will work provided you perform a
"Repair Install" using the Dell Windows XP
Home Edition Reinstallation CD and Dell
Product Key. You must make sure to tell
Dell that you want the Dell Windows XP
Home Edition Reinstallation CD included
with your Dell laptop order.

How to Perform a Repair Install of Windows XP
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------­----------------

:

| I have a Windows XP Home desktop, SP2. I need to clone it on a laptop I plan
| to purchase (Dell Inspiron). Before I purchase, I need some assurance that
| my plan will work. Here's the plan:
|
| Clone the C: drive of desktop using Drive Image. Put this clone on an
| external USB hard drive.
|
| Boot the laptop to its XP installation CD and run a repair installation of
| the cloned image on the laptop. (I'm unclear on how I do this. Do I have the
| external drive connected at the time of boot, or later?)
|
| Activate windows XP on the laptop with the original Dell laptop CD.
|
| 1) Will this work?
| 2) Will Microsoft approve activation?
| 3) How will I accomplish activation?
| 4) Should I order The Dell laptop with XP Home or Pro?

 

[Guest]

Thank you Carey. I'll sleep much better tonight.
When should I connect the external drive to the laptop ... before boot, or
sometime later?

 

[jimbo]

Thank you Carey. I'll sleep much better tonight.
When should I connect the external drive to the laptop ... before boot, or
sometime later?


:

Well, I think you need to clone the "clone' you have on the USB hard
drive to the Dell laptop hard drive. Then boot the XP installation CD
and do the repair installation.

You better order the Dell with XP Home if that is what you now have on
the desktop.

Good luck, jimbo

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

I have a Windows XP Home desktop, SP2. I need to clone it on a laptop I plan
to purchase (Dell Inspiron). Before I purchase, I need some assurance that
my plan will work. Here's the plan:

Clone the C: drive of desktop using Drive Image. Put this clone on an
external USB hard drive.

Boot the laptop to its XP installation CD and run a repair installation of
the cloned image on the laptop. (I'm unclear on how I do this. Do I have the
external drive connected at the time of boot, or later?)

Activate windows XP on the laptop with the original Dell laptop CD.

1) Will this work?
2) Will Microsoft approve activation?
3) How will I accomplish activation?
4) Should I order The Dell laptop with XP Home or Pro?

You already got very good information. I only want to add a hint
about how to keep them synchronized later, after you've
accomplished the cloning.

Have a look at http://winhlp.com/wxsync.htm .

Hans-Georg

 

[Guest]

Well, I think you need to clone the "clone' you have on the USB hard
drive to the Dell laptop hard drive. Then boot the XP installation CD
and do the repair installation.

You better order the Dell with XP Home if that is what you now have on
the desktop.

Good luck, jimbo

Jimbo, (& anyone interested)

I see more than one option for doing this:
1) A- (This assumes I have Drive Image installed on the laptop) Do a "Drive
Restore" from the external hard drive to laptop drive C: B- Attampt to boot
the laptop from the C: drive C- Run the Dell system repair.

2) A- (This assumes I have Drive Image installed on the laptop) Do a "Drive
Restore" from the external hard drive to laptop drive C: B- Shut down laptop
C- Boot laptop to the Dell installation CD & run repair.

3) ???

 

[jimbo]

Jimbo, (& anyone interested)

I see more than one option for doing this:
1) A- (This assumes I have Drive Image installed on the laptop) Do a "Drive
Restore" from the external hard drive to laptop drive C: B- Attampt to boot
the laptop from the C: drive C- Run the Dell system repair.

2) A- (This assumes I have Drive Image installed on the laptop) Do a "Drive
Restore" from the external hard drive to laptop drive C: B- Shut down laptop
C- Boot laptop to the Dell installation CD & run repair.

3) ???

Let's start over. Get one of those adapters that allow you to connect
a laptop HD to the external HD enclosure. (They cost about $15.) Now
clone your desktop HD directly to the laptop HD. Then boot the laptop
with the WinXP installation CD and do a repair installation.

Good luck, jimbo

 

[Guest]

Let's start over. Get one of those adapters that allow you to connect
a laptop HD to the external HD enclosure. (They cost about $15.) Now
clone your desktop HD directly to the laptop HD. Then boot the laptop
with the WinXP installation CD and do a repair installation.

Good luck, jimbo

Jimbo,

This sounds great. I need help with details:
1) Is the adapter an enclosure for the laptop HD, a USB connecting cable, or
a stand-alone device that copies one drive to another?
2) If it's an enclosure that's connected to desktop HD via USB cable, which
computer drives it?
3) Can you describe the adapter in a way that allows me to Google it?

Please stay with me; I need help.

 

[jimbo]

:




Jimbo,

This sounds great. I need help with details:
1) Is the adapter an enclosure for the laptop HD, a USB connecting cable, or
a stand-alone device that copies one drive to another?
2) If it's an enclosure that's connected to desktop HD via USB cable, which
computer drives it?
3) Can you describe the adapter in a way that allows me to Google it?

Please stay with me; I need help.

I use an Addonics external enclosure that has a ribbon cable connector
for either a desktop HD or CD. It connects to the computer via a USB
cable. The adapter plugs into the connector which converts it to a
laptop size connector. You would plug the laptop HD into this adapter,
plug the USB cable into your desktop and clone the desktop HD to the
laptop HD. Then put the laptop HD back in the laptop, boot the WinXP
installation CD and do a repair installation.

Be sure Dell sends you a full WinXP installation CD, not just
something that restores your laptop to the state in was in when Dell
shipped it. And be sure they send you any CDs needed for special
drivers or Dell utilities, etc.

You could Google for "laptop HD adapter" or some variation.

Good luck, jimbo

 

[Guest]

I use an Addonics external enclosure that has a ribbon cable connector
for either a desktop HD or CD. It connects to the computer via a USB
cable. The adapter plugs into the connector which converts it to a
laptop size connector. You would plug the laptop HD into this adapter,
plug the USB cable into your desktop and clone the desktop HD to the
laptop HD. Then put the laptop HD back in the laptop, boot the WinXP
installation CD and do a repair installation.

Be sure Dell sends you a full WinXP installation CD, not just
something that restores your laptop to the state in was in when Dell
shipped it. And be sure they send you any CDs needed for special
drivers or Dell utilities, etc.

You could Google for "laptop HD adapter" or some variation.

Good luck, jimbo

Perfect! Thank you, Jimbo.