Machine migration -- the mirror and let XP sort it out approach

[John Faughnan]

I have a very complex XP environment -- dozens if not hundreds of
software applications, add-ins, applications, indices -- etc. etc.

I need to move to a new laptop. I'd almost rather have a tooth
extracted. (And Microsoft wonders why its customers aren't eagerly
upgrading? At least OS X now includes a firewire platform migration
tool!).

I've heard of a dramatic method that may work. I'd like to hear of any
experiences. Yes, I have backups. In fact, many redundant backups with
multiple methodologies. I'll add another one or two before I do this.

Here's what I've been told (details deleted).

1. Mirror old drive to new drive (use mirroring software). (Old drive
should be fine of course -- so one has a fallback position.)
2. Boot new machine.
XP has to sort out the fact that it's on new hardware. (We have a
corporate activation license so that's not an issue.) It chugs away
for a while. Reboot, etc.
3. Download new drivers as needed. Fix problems.
4. Resume work.

So, is this insane?

PS. I tried some searches on this. I'm not an XP guy (mostly OS X) so
I was probably looking in the wrong places. Couldn't find much --
search terms probably not specific enough.

john
(e-mail address removed)

meta: jfaughnan, jgfaughnan, hardware migration, switch machines, swap
machines, upgrade, new machine, laptop, XP, Microsoft, Windows XP,
data and application migration, system migration, machine migration,
transfer, system transfer

 

[Guest]

Thats not a big problem except for one line you typed,"boot new machine".
Copying h.drive to a new h.drive for that machine is relativly a simple
procedure,no matter what one may have on C:,have the new drive
formatted with a primary partition,set as slave on same ide chain,go to
run,type:XCOPY C:\*.* D:\ /c/h/e/k/r Agree to all in the DOS window,when
the DOS window closes its thru.Remember,XP doesnt copy very well,if it
doesnt work on new drive boot-up,boot to xp cd,select repair this copy.
This works well in xp,but from there,a new machine means a new xp
installation,no way around that one.

 

[John Faughnan]

Thats not a big problem except for one line you typed,"boot new machine".
Copying h.drive to a new h.drive for that machine is relativly a simple
procedure,no matter what one may have on C:,have the new drive
formatted with a primary partition,set as slave on same ide chain,go to
run,type:XCOPY C:\*.* D:\ /c/h/e/k/r Agree to all in the DOS window,when
the DOS window closes its thru.Remember,XP doesnt copy very well,if it
doesnt work on new drive boot-up,boot to xp cd,select repair this copy.
This works well in xp,but from there,a new machine means a new xp
installation,no way around that one.

Thanks Andrew!

Good point about xcopy's frailty. I've used robocopy (Microsoft, I
think available for download) because XP's xcopy is broken -- robocopy
does work.

How about this article I found:

http://googlefaughnan.blogspot.com/2004_09_01_googlefaughnan_archive.html#109632522309779048

It suggests one can get away without a new XP installation. The key in
the referenced article is using the install repair on startup.

john
(e-mail address removed)

 

[John Faughnan]

I was able to migrate from one laptop to a very different laptop using
the drive mirror and then repair install method. I created an XP SP2
slipstream CD. Here are the overall steps and them some important
references. I used some of the techniques from Thurrott's site and
some from TACKtech.

Here's the overview on switching machines without reinstalling
software

0. Create slipstream XP boot disk w/ updates and service packs. Have
product key.
1. Prepare or acquire CD with all drivers for new system
2. Recipient drive must be formatted.
3. Mount source drive on machine -- create image on bkup disk.
4. Put source drive back in old machine.
5. Mount target drive, apply image.
6. Return to new machine.
7. Boot from new install CD. Do Repair Install.
8. Uninstall unwanted software (often drivers).
9. Turn off indexing.
10. Remove "dead" hardware items.
11. Reboot, begin driver updates and installs.
12. Apply post-SP security updates.

It does work. I have web documents on how to create the slipstream
boot CD -- that step is a bit odd. The repair install is pretty
straightforward.

IF one already has the drivers and the slipstream CD and the recipient
drive has been formatted -- then one can go from the old machine to
fully operational on the new machine in about 4 hours of machine time
and about 1 hour of personal time. Versus about 20-40 hours of the
time it takes me to fully recreate my work environment using a
conventional approach.

Key references:

1. http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=296
2. http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=342 (I didn't see any
different behavior with different volume labels)
3. http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp
4. http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
5. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q328874

john
(e-mail address removed)

meta: jfaughnan, jgfaughnan, machine transfer, migrate, change,
platform, microsoft windows xp, slipstream CD, boot CD, install,
update, mirror