Moving windows xp to a new, larger drive

[Vassik]

I have windows Xp Home and I am trying to install a larger hard drive. I
tried the Western Digital software that was included with the new drive but
after hours of copying I was unable to boot the new disk (yes Bios saw it
and I changed it be the master) all I got was a blinking cursor and blank
screen. The Western Digital tech support was of absolutely no help (I had
already tried all options they recommended)

My question is if I were to use Drive Image or Norton Ghost could I just
connect the new drive as a slave and then, after copying the old one just
make the new one the master. Could it be that easy? ... shall I do a repair
install of Windows XP afterwards or just boot to the new drive? I really do
not want to do a clean install!
Thanks so much for any feedback.

 

[Guest]

Set the new drive as slave on the same IDE chain with C:,have it formated
from windows xp,go to run,type:XCOPY C:\*.*D: /c/h/e/k/r
Agree to all in the DOS window,when its thru,restart computer and reset
jumpers.Remember xp simply doesnt copy very well,you might need to boot to
xp cd,repair copy of xp if a problem exist,otherwise this usually works in xp
cloneing youre hd.

 

[RJK]

"My question is if I were to use Drive Image or Norton Ghost could I just
connect the new drive as a slave and then, after copying the old one just
make the new one the master. Could it be that easy?"

Yes! ...so long as you read and follow the Norton Ghost procedures
carefully and implement the procedure properly. (ignoring the glitch where
MS detects a hardware change !!

regards, Richard

 

[CS]

I have windows Xp Home and I am trying to install a larger hard drive. I
tried the Western Digital software that was included with the new drive but
after hours of copying I was unable to boot the new disk (yes Bios saw it
and I changed it be the master) all I got was a blinking cursor and blank
screen. The Western Digital tech support was of absolutely no help (I had
already tried all options they recommended)

My question is if I were to use Drive Image or Norton Ghost could I just
connect the new drive as a slave and then, after copying the old one just
make the new one the master. Could it be that easy? ... shall I do a repair
install of Windows XP afterwards or just boot to the new drive? I really do
not want to do a clean install!
Thanks so much for any feedback.

Drive Image or Ghost can do it very easily. However, the WD software
should have worked just as well. Also it should not have taken hours.
I suspect you did not use the correct procedure to image your old
drive to the new one.

Once the new drive has been correctly imaged from the old drive and
the jumpers set (new drive should be master), the new drive should
boot without a problem. No need to do a repair.

 

[Vassik]

Thanks so much for all the replies I really do appreciate the feedback and
shall try Drive Image

In regards to the WD software the tech support walked me through a number of
options and then I called them back after each one when the "copying" was
done however I was unable to boot. I also tried to just copy my slave drive
(D) and after copying it I booted, windows found it however when I clicked
on it (the new drive) a message appeared if I wanted to format it...but I
had already done so and copied the old one with the WD software.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have windows Xp Home and I am trying to install a larger hard drive. I
tried the Western Digital software that was included with the new drive but
after hours of copying I was unable to boot the new disk (yes Bios saw it
and I changed it be the master) all I got was a blinking cursor and blank
screen. The Western Digital tech support was of absolutely no help (I had
already tried all options they recommended)

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/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),
highlight the Free Space in it, and Paste.

You might then consider a resize up a bit. Or leave some free space so
as later to make a new separate partition it

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.

 

[Vassik]

Thanks so much indeed. It worked flawlessly and it was so much faster than
the WD software which took over 2 hours to coy 8 GB of data!

 

[Alex Nichol]

Thanks so much indeed. It worked flawlessly and it was so much faster than
the WD software which took over 2 hours to coy 8 GB of data!

Thanks for the confirmation. BootIT NG (BING to friends) is a *very*
good piece of software and excellent value

 

[Guest]

Yep this is a definate problem. I have upgraded hard drives forever with fdisk, format, and western digital's super nice disk utility. Now MS went and screwed around and made it better for everyone.... Kinda reminds me of that sayin, " If ya can't make it better dont make it at all...