replacing the c drive

[Raymond Wulff]

I am running xp and want to replace my old c drive with a
new one. I copied all the files from my old c using the
software that came with the new dics. It looked ok but
when I made ithe the master and removed my old c drive
the system would not boot. Is there anything unique
about windows xp that is causing my problem? How do I
accomplish what I want to do?

 

[Tim Slattery]

I am running xp and want to replace my old c drive with a
new one. I copied all the files from my old c using the
software that came with the new dics. It looked ok but
when I made ithe the master and removed my old c drive
the system would not boot. Is there anything unique
about windows xp that is causing my problem? How do I
accomplish what I want to do?

Find a boot floppy (or get one from www.bootdisk.com), and boot from
that. Type "sys c:", remove the floppy and see whether you can boot
from your hard disk now.

 

[Michal Kawecki]

You must boot into Recovery console (from install CD), localize drive
letter actually set to system partition with MAP command, and run
fixboot <drive_letter>:. The next step is to avoid possible problem with
unwanted change of system partition letter: run fdisk /mbr from DOS boot
floppy (as Tim described below).

You can find more information on Dan Goodell's page
http://www.goodells.net/multiboot/notes.htm.

Find a boot floppy (or get one from www.bootdisk.com), and boot from
that. Type "sys c:", remove the floppy and see whether you can boot
from your hard disk now.

It's XP, Tim... ;-)

 

[Michael Stevens]

I am running xp and want to replace my old c drive with a
new one. I copied all the files from my old c using the
software that came with the new dics. It looked ok but
when I made ithe the master and removed my old c drive
the system would not boot. Is there anything unique
about windows xp that is causing my problem? How do I
accomplish what I want to do?

Raymond,
What brand is the hard drive and what software and procedure did you use to
copy the old to the new?
If it was cloned to the new drive, hopfully you have a real XP CD and not
restore media to boot from the CD and load the Recovery Console. When you
get the prompt, type: fixboot<space>C: then press ENTER. This is assuming
your Windows XP was installed to the Primary hard drive, first partition.
For help using the RC [Recovery Console], follow the link below.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/xpfaq.html#RC
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
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[Alex Nichol]

I am running xp and want to replace my old c drive with a
new one. I copied all the files from my old c using the
software that came with the new dics. It looked ok but
when I made ithe the master and removed my old c drive
the system would not boot.

I would not trust any file oriented copying for this purpose; and also
it will not have written the 'MBR' boot code in the first sector of the
physical disk, outside the partition. 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) and
Paste.

You might then consider a resize up a bit. Or highlight the free space
remaining beyond, click Create choosing Extended partition to use the
rest of the space, then similarly in that to make one or more volumes
in that (to become drives D:, etc)

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. Also make a check that this partition is in the same place in
the table as it was if you do a View MBR on the old one - if not use the
Up or down to correct it.

Close out, swap the disks to make the new one the one that boots, and
reboot into XP.