Installing New HD Question

[Guest]

Hi All, I have a Dell computer and I wish to replace its 40G HD with a 160G HD.

My question is will I be able to use the XP disks that came with my Dell PC
to format my new HD with XP?

If someone could give me some information on doing this or point me in the
right direction to get relevant information I would really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

Take care, Keith

 

[Yves Leclerc]

You can use the Dell XP CD disk to intall your newer hard drive into your
Dell PC. However, there may be limitations that Dell has put into those
disk.

Some limitations are:

1) If the CDs are recovery disks, then the new 160GB hard drive may only
create a 40Gb partition.
2) If the XP version is below Service Pack 1(a), then the hard drive will be
limited to <= 137 GB. The remaining space is not usable until Service Pack
1(a), or 2, is installed.
3) The system boot partition may have been created as a FAT32 partition.
This is limited to 32GB in XP.

Please do not take the above as "facts". These are only possibile
limitations and I do not have more details on Dell PCs (which I do not own a
unit).

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Hi All, I have a Dell computer and I wish to replace its 40G HD
with
a 160G HD.

My question is will I be able to use the XP disks that came
with my
Dell PC
to format my new HD with XP?

Yes. You can not use your OEM version of Windows XP to install it
on a new computer, but you can make changes, such as changing the
hard drive.

 

[Ron Sommer]

Why do you want to format the new drive?
Are you planning on installing XP fresh?
Have you checked for a utility to image the new drive with the old?
If you image the drive, you don't need to format.
Does your Bios recognize a 160 GB drive?

 

[Alex Nichol]

Hi All, I have a Dell computer and I wish to replace its 40G HD with a 160G HD.

My question is will I be able to use the XP disks that came with my Dell PC
to format my new HD with XP?

Use of a drive over about 130 GB requires support for '48 bit LBA'.
This needs a controller that handles this (check with Dell) and XP at
at least SP1 level. I would not use the whole disk for C anyway, but
the Dell restore probably does not permit an initial modest partition.
If it does, then next is to get SP1 (or better SP2) in place, then make
a second partition at Control Panel - Admin Tools - Computer Management,
select Disk Management and look lower right for the graphic of the
drive.. R-click Unallocated space and Create partition.

If it will only use the whole of the disk it 'sees' you will find it
will make 128 GB and you can then make a smaller partition of the rest,
or use a third party tool like BING - BootIT NG, from
http://www.BootitNG.com ($35 shareware - 30 day full functional trial)
to shrink the initial one

 

[Guest]

Hi All, I have a Dell computer and I wish to replace its 40G HD with a 160G HD.

My question is will I be able to use the XP disks that came with my Dell PC
to format my new HD with XP?

If someone could give me some information on doing this or point me in the
right direction to get relevant information I would really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

Take care, Keith

 

[Ron Sommer]

Does the Bios recognize all 160 GB?
Are you wanting the 160 GB as one partition?

 

[Jim Macklin]

Dell has a hidden partition on their factory hard drives,
that handles automatic activation of programs and such. You
should probably clone the 40 GB drive to the new drive,
using the software that comes from the drive maker. Then
use XPs disk management to configure the drive as necessary.

Not really sure, since I have not done that particular
operation. You might ask Dell about the purpose and need
for that hidden partition.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


| Does the Bios recognize all 160 GB?
| Are you wanting the 160 GB as one partition?
| --
| Ron Sommer
|
message
| | >
| >
| > "Keith Wapshott" wrote:
| >
| >> Hi All, I have a Dell computer and I wish to replace
its 40G HD with a
| >> 160G HD.
| >>
| >> My question is will I be able to use the XP disks that
came with my Dell
| >> PC
| >> to format my new HD with XP?
| >>
| >> If someone could give me some information on doing this
or point me in
| >> the
| >> right direction to get relevant information I would
really appreciate it.
| >>
| >> Thanks in advance.
| >>
| >> Take care, Keith
|