Move WinXP from one hard drive to another

[Guest]

I have a replacement hard drive to my current one but I need to move the OS
from the old to new. Does anybody know how to do this?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Visit the support web site of the manufacturer of your new
hard drive for information on how to accomplish this.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User

Enjoy all the benefits of genuine Microsoft software:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/default.mspx

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

:

| I have a replacement hard drive to my current one but I need to move the OS
| from the old to new. Does anybody know how to do this?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I have a replacement hard drive to my current one but I need to move the OS
from the old to new. Does anybody know how to do this?

There are several ways to achieve this:
a) Use the disk cloning tool that some disk manufacturers
let you download from their site.
b) Temporarily install both disks as slave disks in some
other WinXP PC, then copy everything across.
c) Use a commercial cloning product such as Acronis
TrueImage.
Option b) requires a degree of technical knowledge.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I have a replacement hard drive to my current one but I need to move the OS
from the old to new. Does anybody know how to do this?

A word of warning: When you first boot the cloned disk,
make sure that the original disk is DISCONNECTED. If
you leave it connected then you might get some nasty
surprised with your drive letter assignments.

 

[Guest]

Sorry, I know how to install hard drives. That's not the problem. It's not
within the jurisdiction of the hard drive manufacturer to answer this
question. The software--Windows XP--is the issue, not the hardware.

I'm aware that Microsoft is cracking down on piracy, and I'm perfectly okay
with that because I have a legal and verified installtion of Windows XP.
What I don't want is to have that verified legitimacy washed away. I want to
know how to safely move the OS to a new volume.

I do not appreciate being taken for a fool who can be dismissed elsewhere
simply because it's an easy, quick response to type.

Please make these support forums true to their namesake rather than sending
me elsewhere. I did homework before posting here. When I finally decided to
pose the question to this forum it was because I had been led to believe this
was a place where users help each other.

So, once again:
I have a new hard drive I wish to use as my primary, replacing my old one.
Does anyone know how I can migrate Windows XP from old to new?

Programs, profiles, settings, documents, etc. are not a problem for me.
Just the question of Windows is all I'm asking for help with moving.

 

[q_q_anonymous]

I have a replacement hard drive to my current one but I need to move the OS
from the old to new. Does anybody know how to do this?

that's a standard operation. You clone the whole partition e.g. the
whole "C drive" of one hard disk, onto another hard disk.

Standard programs are Acronis true image, and Norton ghost. There may
be other free ones. But people use those

And sometimes HDD manufacuterers offer software to do it, that software
may be HDD specific. Anyhow, people technical enough to want to do
what you are talking about, will use acronis or ghost.

If you don't want to buy one of those programs or the HDD manufacutrer
doesn't have anything then
you would reinstall the OS and copy the data over.

Since it's the same MBRD that the other HDD will be on('cos same
computer), your WinNT based OS(windows XP) will still run fine.

This doesn't apply to you, but with WinNT(which includes Windows XP)
you can't move a HDD to another machine with a different MBRD. Or more
specifically, to a MBRD with a different chipset. (so you also can't
clone to another HDD, and put the other HDD in a comp. You're not doing
that, but you should know that anyway.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Most hard drive manufacturers offer a free program that you
can use to copy (clone) your old hard drive's contents to a new
hard drive. That's why I made the referral. Windows XP does
not have a native hard drive cloning program.

For example, if you have a new Western Digital drive,
you can download their free Data Lifeguard Tools which includes
"drive-to-drive copy capability" (Ref: http://support.wdc.com/download/).

I could have been more helpful if you mentioned specifically
who the manufacturer of your new hard drive actually is.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User

Enjoy all the benefits of genuine Microsoft software:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/default.mspx

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

:

| Sorry, I know how to install hard drives. That's not the problem. It's not
| within the jurisdiction of the hard drive manufacturer to answer this
| question. The software--Windows XP--is the issue, not the hardware.
|
| I'm aware that Microsoft is cracking down on piracy, and I'm perfectly okay
| with that because I have a legal and verified installtion of Windows XP.
| What I don't want is to have that verified legitimacy washed away. I want to
| know how to safely move the OS to a new volume.
|
| I do not appreciate being taken for a fool who can be dismissed elsewhere
| simply because it's an easy, quick response to type.
|
| Please make these support forums true to their namesake rather than sending
| me elsewhere. I did homework before posting here. When I finally decided to
| pose the question to this forum it was because I had been led to believe this
| was a place where users help each other.
|
| So, once again:
| I have a new hard drive I wish to use as my primary, replacing my old one.
| Does anyone know how I can migrate Windows XP from old to new?
|
| Programs, profiles, settings, documents, etc. are not a problem for me.
| Just the question of Windows is all I'm asking for help with moving.

 

[Paul Knudsen]

Sorry, I know how to install hard drives. That's not the problem. It's not
within the jurisdiction of the hard drive manufacturer to answer this
question. The software--Windows XP--is the issue, not the hardware.

Take it you don't have the Windows CD. Cloning may or may not work.
Only one way to find out.

 

[q_q_anonymous]

Sorry, I know how to install hard drives. That's not the problem. It's not
within the jurisdiction of the hard drive manufacturer to answer this
question. The software--Windows XP--is the issue, not the hardware.

I'm aware that Microsoft is cracking down on piracy, and I'm perfectly okay
with that because I have a legal and verified installtion of Windows XP.
What I don't want is to have that verified legitimacy washed away. I want to
know how to safely move the OS to a new volume.

I do not appreciate being taken for a fool who can be dismissed elsewhere
simply because it's an easy, quick response to type.

Please make these support forums true to their namesake rather than sending
me elsewhere. I did homework before posting here. When I finally decided to
pose the question to this forum it was because I had been led to believe this
was a place where users help each other.

So, once again:
I have a new hard drive I wish to use as my primary, replacing my old one.
Does anyone know how I can migrate Windows XP from old to new?

Programs, profiles, settings, documents, etc. are not a problem for me.
Just the question of Windows is all I'm asking for help with moving.

there are some HDD manufacturer cloning tools but ppl don't use them
much

seagate disk wizard
maxtor maxblast
western digital - data lifeguard

I haven't used any of those. 'cos as mentinoed, Acronis or Ghost are
the favourites (in that order).

If you do choose the copying route, be aware of some issues..

There is an issue of the current partition, the one you're running
windows from when you do the copy. You won't be able to just copy
that. Regarding terms for that, I think that "current patrition" may
be called "boot partition". But not necessarally the "Active
partition".
That issue is that
Windows locks certain files from being read.. The issues then are
- are those files important (if they are not copied, will they be
recreated anyway)
- does the copy fail on them or does it bother you with prompts. A
Windows GUI copy will bother you with prompts whatever you do

Regarding the uncopyable files.. There are registry files that won't
copy. The registry is stored in "several Hives, located in the
\windows\system32\config and \Documents and Settings\{username}
folders. (thanks to annoyances.org)".
Also the paging file c:\pagefile.sys is uncopyable, though that may
not matter.
Other files may also not copy..
The current profile will have many parts that won't copy. i.e. the
directory of the user accoutn you're logged in as.
I don't know what problems may be caused by not having those files.



To get round the file copying issues. You can run the HDD as a slave.

That is why Pegasus MVP mentioned to install both drives as slave.

If you only wanted to copy the profile, a standard way is to log in as
some other profile. (so the profile you are copying is not the current
one)

Anotheri ssue is the copy bothering you with prompts. xcopy will solve
that one. And another one is it not copying "hidden" files or system
files (so test to make sure they are!).

Most people that avoid the cloning method in favour of copying, will
just copy the profile.

But you may install both HDDs as slaves. It's a bit of a hassle though.
I guess you'd need 3 HDDs installed.
Or maybe you could boot from Win XP PE, and then install 2 HDDs, the
master and slave. OF course you won't be booting from the master. (Win
XP PE is windows bootable off a CDROM)



As an alternative to 3 HDDs - installing 2 slave HDDs and booting off a
third.

It looks like a nice way to do it might be a Win XP PE and xcopy. 2
HDDs, master and slave. Boot off win XP PE. Win XP PE is fairly new.
Maybe if people had that they wouldn't be cloning so much. I haven't
tried this by the way.. But I'm sure I have copied some files that i
wouldn't otherwise have been able to copy. Cloning also includes the
boot record, but I don't think that needs to be duplicated. I think you
can just recreate it. or use the one on the other drive.

If you don't have win xp pe and you're technical, you might want it.
But the same goes for acronis and/or ghost.

and remember the common 'merely' copying profiles method.

standard thing is to clone

 

[Rock]

I have a replacement hard drive to my current one but I need to move the OS
from the old to new. Does anybody know how to do this?

Check the new drive manufacturer's web site for a copy program to copy
the old drive to the new. If it's a retail drive the software should be
with it. If OEM download as above.

 

[Robert Kopp]

Take it you don't have the Windows CD. Cloning may or may not work.
Only one way to find out.

If the cloned drive is used in the same computer it was cloned from, there
shouldn't be activation problems.

 

[Jim]

Sorry, I know how to install hard drives. That's not the problem. It's
not
within the jurisdiction of the hard drive manufacturer to answer this
question. The software--Windows XP--is the issue, not the hardware.

You are quite incorrect. Every manufacturer provides a utility which not
only formats the drive but also can copy whatever you wish to the drive.
And, once done, you still have as valid a version of XP as you had before.
This is the method I used to make a new system disk a year or so ago.
There is probably a way to do this without use of the manufacturer's
software, but as I have never had to use it, I don't know.
Jim

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Sorry, I know how to install hard drives. That's not the problem.
It's not within the jurisdiction of the hard drive manufacturer to
answer this question. The software--Windows XP--is the issue, not
the hardware.

I'm aware that Microsoft is cracking down on piracy, and I'm
perfectly okay with that because I have a legal and verified
installtion of Windows XP. What I don't want is to have that verified
legitimacy washed away. I want to know how to safely move the OS to
a new volume.

I do not appreciate being taken for a fool who can be dismissed
elsewhere simply because it's an easy, quick response to type.

And people who try to help you here don't appreciate a snippy rude answer to
a response that, whether or not you realize it, was correct. Most, if not
all, hard drive manufacturers make software tools available for free to
their customers to do exactly what you require--cloning your old hard drive
to a new one. There are also third-party tools to do this, but they are
generally not free.

Please make these support forums true to their namesake rather than
sending me elsewhere. I did homework before posting here.

Inadequately, apparently.

 

[Guest]

Carey Frisch (and Ken Blake),

I owe you an apology. On a re-read my first response indeed seemed rude.
After going over this thread it's clear that I seriously mistook the
intention of your first reply. I've been through the drill of "for that
problem go see OTHER person" many times on support forums, and I guess I
crossed the line trying to not go through that again.

Ken Blake,

@ the "homework" comment--Actually, I was aware of disk cloning utilities
(but I had no idea there were so friggin' many until I read all these
replies!). I was hoping there was a way to move *just* WindowsXP to the new
hard drive and install my apps with a fresh start. (Music/Vids/Docs
excluded, but I was planning to simply copy those.) I'm aware this is an
unorthodox question, but I figured, hey, no harm asking. I've discovered one
or two things in the past year that I never knew were in Windows, so I had
hoped for the possibility of my "relocate the OS" question being covered by
one of those things tucked away somewhere I didn't know about.

I did see the Files & Settings Transfer Wizard and I've started that
process. (The first bit, the getting stuff from old drive.) If my ONLY
option to get Windows to the new hard drive is to clone the drive, then I
guess I may as well abandon the process. But if there are other options, I'm
all ears.


Everybody else:

I was blown away by all the disk cloning utils! Thanks very much to
everybody who responded. I was acquainted with Norton Ghost although I've
never used it on my own machines. The Data Lifeguard link looks promising,
and ...

.... oh yeah, the new hard drive is Western Digital. Should have mentioned
that up front. Sorry ...

.... Yeah, Data Lifeguard, I'll check it out. Another thing I didn't know
about these utils is that every hard drive maker provides them--wow. Makes
perfect sense, but I didn't know that before. I've transplanted hard drives
many times, but in the past I've either had the original WinXP CD (now lost
**) or just installed the drive for extra space, so I didn't need to move
the OS. So I guess I _felt_ I was in familiar territory when I actually was
not. The difference is now clear to me.

Again, sorry for being an ass--I was trying to avoid other asses and became
one myself!--and many thanks for the very thorough replies from everybody.

Take care,
-- Tony

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Carey Frisch (and Ken Blake),

I owe you an apology. On a re-read my first response indeed seemed
rude. After going over this thread it's clear that I seriously
mistook the intention of your first reply. I've been through the
drill of "for that problem go see OTHER person" many times on support
forums, and I guess I crossed the line trying to not go through that
again.

Thank you for your gracious apology.