help installing new hard drive and Windows XP Professional

[Jukebox John]

I want to replace my main hard drive. I'm trying to
avoid reinstalling Windows XP (and everything else on my
current main hard drive). I currently have two hard
drives installed.
I've installed hard drives before (I installed the second
drive myself) so I know Windows will recognize and
prepare the new drive. I also know I've got to set
switches and jumpers so that the computer boots in the
correct sequence.
Can I:
1) remove the current slave drive and install my new hard
drive as the slave drive,
2) copy everything from the master drive to the new
drive,
3) and then reinstall the new drive as the master drive?

Will this avoid reinstalling Wiondows and every other
program and updating everything?
Thanks

 

[Bill]

I want to replace my main hard drive. I'm trying to
avoid reinstalling Windows XP (and everything else on my
current main hard drive). I currently have two hard
drives installed.
I've installed hard drives before (I installed the second
drive myself) so I know Windows will recognize and
prepare the new drive. I also know I've got to set
switches and jumpers so that the computer boots in the
correct sequence.
Can I:
1) remove the current slave drive and install my new hard
drive as the slave drive,
2) copy everything from the master drive to the new
drive,
3) and then reinstall the new drive as the master drive?

Will this avoid reinstalling Wiondows and every other
program and updating everything?
Thanks

If you buy a Maxtor you can use Max Blast to move the files,
if you have just a single partition. Usually other new drives
come with a transfer program. Otherwise you can use
Drive Image 7 or Acronis 7 - both about $50, but then
you can use them for backups too..

Bill

 

[Alex Nichol]

I want to replace my main hard drive. I'm trying to
avoid reinstalling Windows XP (and everything else on my
current main hard drive). I currently have two hard
drives installed.
I've installed hard drives before (I installed the second
drive myself) so I know Windows will recognize and
prepare the new drive. I also know I've got to set
switches and jumpers so that the computer boots in the
correct sequence.
Can I:
1) remove the current slave drive and install my new hard
drive as the slave drive,
2) copy everything from the master drive to the new
drive,
3) and then reinstall the new drive as the master drive?

Yes, but you need to do it with a partition cloning program, *not* by
trying to copy the files. My standard recipe:

What I use is BootIT NG, from http://www.BootitNG.com ($35 shareware -
30 day full functional trial)

Download, to its own folder, extract from the zip, run the bootitng to
make a boot floppy.

With the new drive plugged in as slave or secondary, boot the floppy,
Cancel Install, entering maintenance, then click on Partition work.
Highlight your C:,Copy, then on left select the new drive (HD1 or HD2
depending on just how you add it with 2 drives there already, but will
show as empty) and Paste.

Now click on 'View MBR' and in it highlight the entry for this new C
partition and click the 'Set Active' Click 'Write Standard MBR' and
Apply. Close out, swap the disks to make the new one the one that
boots, and reboot into XP.