Fresh Installation Advice

[Tom Stuart]

Hi,

I've been running WindowsXP on my machine for a long time and it has now
got VERY slow, quite a number of programs are very flaky, etc etc.

I've decided to do a fresh install. At the same time I've decided to
add another harddrive.

I don't have time to sit down and transfer settings, files, programs,
etc etc., all at once, and in fact I'm not sure I need to transfer all
of them. I'd like to take my time doing this.

I've never done it before but I've heard about dual boot systems. I
thought I could create a dual boot system. I could keep working on the
old system until the new system was ready. Another way I was thinking
was simply using the BIOS and tell it each time I started the computer
from which hard drive to run.

I'd be glad of advice and I'm sure this is all written down somewhere so
a pointer to that information would also be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Tom Stuart

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I've been running WindowsXP on my machine for a long time and it
has now got VERY slow, quite a number of programs are very flaky,
etc etc.
I've decided to do a fresh install. At the same time I've decided
to add another harddrive.

I don't have time to sit down and transfer settings, files,
programs, etc etc., all at once, and in fact I'm not sure I need to
transfer all of them. I'd like to take my time doing this.

You don't have time to do that, but you have time for a clean installation?
heh

Use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard (Google it if you have never
heard of it) and transfer your User's Files and Settings to something
external. Do your clean install, create your new user and use the F.a.S.T.
Wizard to import the settings back in.

I've never done it before but I've heard about dual boot systems. I
thought I could create a dual boot system. I could keep working on
the old system until the new system was ready. Another way I was
thinking was simply using the BIOS and tell it each time I started
the computer from which hard drive to run.

Sounds like more effort and time than for the method I have just given - but
you technically could do that. Although - in most cases - dual boot is
*not* controlled by the BIOS - but the boot.ini file and such.

I'd be glad of advice and I'm sure this is all written down
somewhere so a pointer to that information would also be greatly
appreciated.

I still think you would be better off doing this:

1) Use FAST on your current user to export files/settings to an external
device (USB drive?)
2) Remove the older hard drive.
3) Install the newer hard drive.
4) Install Windows XP and patches and applications on the new hard drive.
5) Use the FAST wizard to import your files and settings from the external
device (USB drive?)
6) Connect back up your old drive and access the files/etc from it *if
needed*. It won't likely be booting unless you remove the new drive or do
some registry tweaking. However - you should be able to access its files -
in the worst case scenario - by taking ownership of them.
7) Once you are pretty confident you have everything - wipe the drive and
use it for duplicating data (it is *not* a backup - as it is contained in
the same system.)

 

[DL]

You can create a dual boot system, but at some point you are going to have
to renistall all programs on your new drive - NB not transfer but
*reinstall*
Of course flaky could be down to hardware and not software, and if you have
a flaky system you wouldnt want to clone either.
Do yourself a favour, take the time out to do it properly. Disconect any
HD's, connect your new hd, boot from winxp cd and clean install. Update win,
then start installing programs. Connect your old drive as slave & recover
data only

 

[Tom Stuart]

Hi Shenan,

Well, I have to smile. I don't like your method. Firstly, my
experience of computers is that if it can go wrong it will go wrong, and
as your method include a period where I cannot access the old system
(without getting into the box again) I'm sure I will end up having to do
so. Further, and I didn't make it all that explicit, I was hoping to
have more control over the settings I transfer. Unfortunately Windows
is not at all transparent about the activity that is taking place ...
and the options aren't that comprehensive.

The smile comes from the fact that I asked somebody that knows more
about it than I so, I have a choice now, and I'd be stupid not to take
good advice.

Thanks for your help.

(Also, when I said I didn't have time to transfer settings etc you
missed the bit that said, "All at once". I was hoping to have a puddle
in the evenings without the usual pressure I feel when my only computer
system is completely down).

Thanks again

Tom

 

[Tom Stuart]

Okay people, thanks for your advice.
Regards
Tom

You can create a dual boot system, but at some point you are going to have
to renistall all programs on your new drive - NB not transfer but
*reinstall*
Of course flaky could be down to hardware and not software, and if you have
a flaky system you wouldnt want to clone either.
Do yourself a favour, take the time out to do it properly. Disconect any
HD's, connect your new hd, boot from winxp cd and clean install. Update win,
then start installing programs. Connect your old drive as slave & recover
data only

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

Hi,

I've been running WindowsXP on my machine for a long time and it has now
got VERY slow, quite a number of programs are very flaky, etc etc.

I've decided to do a fresh install. At the same time I've decided to add
another harddrive.

I don't have time to sit down and transfer settings, files, programs, etc
etc., all at once, and in fact I'm not sure I need to transfer all of
them. I'd like to take my time doing this.

I've never done it before but I've heard about dual boot systems. I
thought I could create a dual boot system. I could keep working on the
old system until the new system was ready. Another way I was thinking was
simply using the BIOS and tell it each time I started the computer from
which hard drive to run.

I'd be glad of advice and I'm sure this is all written down somewhere so a
pointer to that information would also be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Tom Stuart

Take the old drive out and insert the new one. Clean install onto it then
re-insert the old drive as a slave.

You can now add the programs you need most, and copy data over at your
leisure..



--
Mike Hall - MVP
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