Transferring from HD to HD

[Guest]

Hey all,

I currently have win xp home sp2 installed on a single 40gb HD (master) and
then i have another 160gb HD (slave) with nothing on it. First of all im
going to partition the 160 into a 100 and a 60 partitions and then i want to
copy XP from the 40gb hd onto the 100gb partition of the second HD.

How would i go about doing this? (I know how to partition the 160) but the
transferring bit?

Thanks

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hey all,

I currently have win xp home sp2 installed on a single 40gb HD (master) and
then i have another 160gb HD (slave) with nothing on it. First of all im
going to partition the 160 into a 100 and a 60 partitions and then i want to
copy XP from the 40gb hd onto the 100gb partition of the second HD.

How would i go about doing this? (I know how to partition the 160) but the
transferring bit?

Thanks

It would make more sense creating a 20 GByte partition
for WinXP instead of 100 GBytes. This is plenty for WinXP
and for your applications. Reserve the rest for your data.

You can copy the disk using any of several imaging programs,
e.g. Ghost or Acronis. You could even use the free cloning
tool that many disk manufacturers make available on their
home site.

 

[Guest]

It would make more sense creating a 20 GByte partition
for WinXP instead of 100 GBytes. This is plenty for WinXP
and for your applications. Reserve the rest for your data.

You can copy the disk using any of several imaging programs,
e.g. Ghost or Acronis. You could even use the free cloning
tool that many disk manufacturers make available on their
home site.

Any good free fisk cloning tools?

Is Drive image XML (http://www.runtime.org/dixml.htm) any good? Will it
also keep XPon the first HD until its done incase it messed up and then i
lose everything? Then i can format the 40 once i know its safe to do so.

Thanks

 

[Jonny]

What you're doing can be broken down to steps.
1. Creating a 60GB (actually smaller) at the end of the 160GB (binary) hard
drive. This can be a primary partition OR an extended partition with an
enclosed logical drive.
2. Cloning the 40GB partition to the remaining empty space at the front of
the 160GB hard drive.
3. Expanding the 40GB partition at the front of the 160GB hard drive to
include all the remaining empty space. Will be less than 100GB when all is
said and done.

Steps 1 and 3 require 3rd party partitioning software. An image recovery
with partition expansion option during image restoration with a source media
of the original hard drive as an image file(s) (which you don't have) for
steps 2 and 3, followed by step 1 using XP disk management. Step 2 one can
use 3rd party cloning software to include partitioning software, imaging
software, and hard drive mfrs cloning (drive copying) software available at
their websites. If made in the last 3 years, almost any will work. Don't
spend alot of money on this. Its easier and faster to do step 1 in XP's
disk management when you're all done with copying and expanding the original
partition from the other hard drive.

After completion of all steps with boot media (floppy or CD), the drives
have to be physically swapped immediately. The old one will be the slave at
this point. Booting from the original hard drive media will result in the
old XP writing to the copied hard drive, rendering booting XP impossible
from the copied hard drive as boot media. Boot media defined as from "old
school" as part of the end of the bios routine, not the MS confusing term of
"boot partition".

If you don't mind spending some money, scared of removable boot media and
mistakes you might make in that environment, rather do it in XP, here's a
suggestion:
http://www.fssdev.com/products/casperxp/
Read system requirements and entire FAQ first.

 

[Ron Sommer]

You may need unpartitioned space to do the cloning.
Disconnect the 40GB drive before trying to boot the clone.

 

[Anna]

Any good free fisk cloning tools?

Is Drive image XML (http://www.runtime.org/dixml.htm) any good? Will it
also keep XPon the first HD until its done incase it messed up and then i
lose everything? Then i can format the 40 once i know its safe to do so.

Thanks

Point:
Since you're interested in a free disk cloning utility, your best bet would
be to access the website of the manufacturer of your 160 GB HD and download
their utility for performing this operation. Virtually all the major
manufacturers of HDs have such a utility available. They generally perform
OK for a one-time cloning operation such as what you're apparently
interested in.

If, on the other hand, you were thinking of using such a program for routine
use for backing up your system, then a commercial product would probably
best meet your needs.
Anna

 

[Guest]

HEy,

Thanks for the help. I allready have some software for partitioning the
160gb so im gonna do that and then check out their wbesite for a cloning tool
(both HD's are Maxtor)

 

[Timothy Daniels]

I currently have win xp home sp2 installed on a single 40gb HD (master) and
then i have another 160gb HD (slave) with nothing on it. First of all im
going to partition the 160 into a 100 and a 60 partitions and then i want to
copy XP from the 40gb hd onto the 100gb partition of the second HD.

How would i go about doing this? (I know how to partition the 160) but the
transferring bit?

The easiest to use dedicated-to-cloning utility that I've found is
Casper XP. You can use it to clone the 40GB to each of 4
40GB partitions on the 160GB HD, or you can clone the 40GB
to a single 160GB partition on the new HD. I use the former
option to keep multiple backup clones on backup HD that I have
in a removable tray that slides into a "mobile rack" in the PC.
By having multiple entries in each partition's boot.ini file, I can
set any partition "active" and then use it to boot any of the multiple
clones in the backup HD, or I can use the boot.ini file in my primary
system HD to boot any of the clones in the backup HD. That option
of cloning single partitions to a HD that already contains other
partitions can only be done by Casper XP and Ghost 9 and 10
among the major backup utilities that can make clones (Acronis'
True Image will only use the *entire* surface of the destination HD
for clones). I believe that restriction is present in the backup utilities
offered by the major hard drive manufacturers, as well.

If you want to try Casper XP for a no-obligation free 30-day trial,
you can download a copy from www.FSSdev.com/products/casperxp/ .
It will work for 30 days, and if you want to use it after that, you'll
have to pay FSS $50 and they'll send you an activation number.
I have Drive Image 7.1 (the utility that Symantec bought and renamed
"Ghost v.9.0"), and I much prefer Casper XP for cloning.

When you make a clone of any OS in the WinNT/2K/XP family,
do as Ron Sommers says - disconnect the "parent" HD first
before booting up the clone for the 1st time. This prevents the
clone from seeing its "parent" and getting permanently (but subtley)
confused. Thereafter, you can run the clone at any time with its
"parent" OS visible to it, and there won't be a problem. When you
remove the source HD, the BIOS will automatically make the next
HD in the HD boot order the boot HD, so you don't have to readjust
the HDs' jumpers to start up the clone. Thereafter, you can use
either multi-booting via entries in the boot.ini file, or you can re-set
the HD boot order in the BIOS to boot any of the clones.

If you want to understand the syntax of the boot.ini file, you'll have
to have a grip on the meaning of "rdisk()" in the ARC paths - part
of each entry in boot.ini. To understand "rdisk()", Google for the
thread 'meaning of "rdisk()" ' with Timothy Daniels as the author
in January of this year in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell:
http://groups.google.com/group/alt....+author:daniels&rnum=1&hl=en#173931e294f2a9f0

*TimDaniels*

 

[Guest]

The easiest to use dedicated-to-cloning utility that I've found is
Casper XP. You can use it to clone the 40GB to each of 4
40GB partitions on the 160GB HD, or you can clone the 40GB
to a single 160GB partition on the new HD. I use the former
option to keep multiple backup clones on backup HD that I have
in a removable tray that slides into a "mobile rack" in the PC.
By having multiple entries in each partition's boot.ini file, I can
set any partition "active" and then use it to boot any of the multiple
clones in the backup HD, or I can use the boot.ini file in my primary
system HD to boot any of the clones in the backup HD. That option
of cloning single partitions to a HD that already contains other
partitions can only be done by Casper XP and Ghost 9 and 10
among the major backup utilities that can make clones (Acronis'
True Image will only use the *entire* surface of the destination HD
for clones). I believe that restriction is present in the backup utilities
offered by the major hard drive manufacturers, as well.

If you want to try Casper XP for a no-obligation free 30-day trial,
you can download a copy from www.FSSdev.com/products/casperxp/ .
It will work for 30 days, and if you want to use it after that, you'll
have to pay FSS $50 and they'll send you an activation number.
I have Drive Image 7.1 (the utility that Symantec bought and renamed
"Ghost v.9.0"), and I much prefer Casper XP for cloning.

When you make a clone of any OS in the WinNT/2K/XP family,
do as Ron Sommers says - disconnect the "parent" HD first
before booting up the clone for the 1st time. This prevents the
clone from seeing its "parent" and getting permanently (but subtley)
confused. Thereafter, you can run the clone at any time with its
"parent" OS visible to it, and there won't be a problem. When you
remove the source HD, the BIOS will automatically make the next
HD in the HD boot order the boot HD, so you don't have to readjust
the HDs' jumpers to start up the clone. Thereafter, you can use
either multi-booting via entries in the boot.ini file, or you can re-set
the HD boot order in the BIOS to boot any of the clones.

If you want to understand the syntax of the boot.ini file, you'll have
to have a grip on the meaning of "rdisk()" in the ARC paths - part
of each entry in boot.ini. To understand "rdisk()", Google for the
thread 'meaning of "rdisk()" ' with Timothy Daniels as the author
in January of this year in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell:
http://groups.google.com/group/alt....+author:daniels&rnum=1&hl=en#173931e294f2a9f0

*TimDaniels*

The casper program sounds good but before i try that i just need to know
this. I now have partitioned the 160GB HD into a 100Gb and a 60GB. I have
some software from Maxtor (the make of both HD's) that lets you copy drive to
drive, its called 'Maxtor Max Blast 4'. If i use that will it let me copy
the whole partition of Xp across to the new HD and keep it working cause to
me it looks like it only copies certain files and folders?

If not il try casper.

Thanks

 

[Timothy Daniels]

The casper program sounds good but before i try that i just need to know
this. I now have partitioned the 160GB HD into a 100Gb and a 60GB.
I have some software from Maxtor (the make of both HD's) that lets you
copy drive to drive, its called 'Maxtor Max Blast 4'. If i use that will it let
me copy the whole partition of Xp across to the new HD and keep it
working cause to me it looks like it only copies certain files and folders?

If not il try casper.

My experience with the previous version of Maxtor's utility, MaxBlast 3,
was disappointing so I switched to Drive Image. As I recall, MaxBlast 3
would only let you copy to the entirety of the new HD - perfect for people
who are simply moving a single partition to a new HD and want the new
partition to fill up the HD. I don't know how it would handle 2 or more
partitions, but I'm sure it couldn't put a partition among other partitions
already on the destination HD. Since Maxtor's goal is to sell bigger and
bigger HDs to people, I assume that MaxBlast 4 would move everything
to the new HD so people could dump the old HD. It wouldn't hurt to give
MaxBlast 4 a try if what you want on the new HD is your WinXP in a
160GB partition. If it doesn't work, then download Casper XP - which
*will* work.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Guest]

My experience with the previous version of Maxtor's utility, MaxBlast 3,
was disappointing so I switched to Drive Image. As I recall, MaxBlast 3
would only let you copy to the entirety of the new HD - perfect for people
who are simply moving a single partition to a new HD and want the new
partition to fill up the HD. I don't know how it would handle 2 or more
partitions, but I'm sure it couldn't put a partition among other partitions
already on the destination HD. Since Maxtor's goal is to sell bigger and
bigger HDs to people, I assume that MaxBlast 4 would move everything
to the new HD so people could dump the old HD. It wouldn't hurt to give
MaxBlast 4 a try if what you want on the new HD is your WinXP in a
160GB partition. If it doesn't work, then download Casper XP - which
*will* work.

*TimDaniels*

Hey

I looked at casper Xp and this is what they say on their site:

30-day trial version of Casper XP. While fully operational, this trial
version does not provide support for volume resizing. For example, using the
trial version of Casper XP to copy a 10GB drive to a new 100GB hard disk will
result in a 10GB copy being created on the 100GB hard disk; the additional
90GB of space on the new hard disk will remain unpartitioned space. This is
only a limitation of the trial version. The full release version of Casper XP
will permit the copy of the 10GB drive to be resized to 100GB, making the
additional 90GB of free space on the drive available for new files, folders,
and programs. Casper XP is designed specifically for Windows XP and 2000
systems. For Windows 95, 98, or ME, use Drive2Drive.

Well the partition i want to copy is 20gb and i want it to take up 100gb, so
thats out of the window.

Another thing, with the maxtor software, you have to choose a source and a
destination path. Should the source be the 'C' Drive? and the destination
the 100gb partition, which happens to be called 'DRV2_VOL1'. Or will copying
the C drive just copy the files and mess up overall causing it not too boot
or something?

Thanks

 

[Timothy Daniels]

I looked at casper Xp and this is what they say on their site:

30-day trial version of Casper XP. While fully operational, this trial
version does not provide support for volume resizing. For example, using the
trial version of Casper XP to copy a 10GB drive to a new 100GB hard disk will
result in a 10GB copy being created on the 100GB hard disk; the additional
90GB of space on the new hard disk will remain unpartitioned space. This is
only a limitation of the trial version. The full release version of Casper XP
will permit the copy of the 10GB drive to be resized to 100GB, making the
additional 90GB of free space on the drive available for new files, folders,
and programs. Casper XP is designed specifically for Windows XP and 2000
systems. For Windows 95, 98, or ME, use Drive2Drive.

Well the partition i want to copy is 20gb and i want it to take up 100gb, so
thats out of the window.

Another thing, with the maxtor software, you have to choose a source and a
destination path. Should the source be the 'C' Drive? and the destination
the 100gb partition, which happens to be called 'DRV2_VOL1'. Or will copying
the C drive just copy the files and mess up overall causing it not too boot
or something?

Thanks

Thanks for pointing that out. My needs during my own trial period didn't
involve resizing, so I missed it - if re-sizing was restricted then. If you
happen to have access to Partition Magic or some other partition re-sizing
utlility, though, that is not a problem.

As for MaxBlast 4, remember why Maxtor provides it - they want you to
move your entire HD contents (operating system, installed programs,
all settings, EVERYTHING) to your new HD. That includes the Master
Boot Record and the boot files (ntldr, boot.ini, and ntdetect.com). Your
new HD, except for size of the partition, should look and behave *exactly*
like the old HD, and that includes booting itself. The source partition on
the old HD will remain unchanged.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Jonny]

Hey

I looked at casper Xp and this is what they say on their site:

30-day trial version of Casper XP. While fully operational, this trial
version does not provide support for volume resizing. For example, using
the
trial version of Casper XP to copy a 10GB drive to a new 100GB hard disk
will
result in a 10GB copy being created on the 100GB hard disk; the additional
90GB of space on the new hard disk will remain unpartitioned space. This
is
only a limitation of the trial version. The full release version of Casper
XP
will permit the copy of the 10GB drive to be resized to 100GB, making the
additional 90GB of free space on the drive available for new files,
folders,
and programs. Casper XP is designed specifically for Windows XP and 2000
systems. For Windows 95, 98, or ME, use Drive2Drive.

Well the partition i want to copy is 20gb and i want it to take up 100gb,
so
thats out of the window.

Another thing, with the maxtor software, you have to choose a source and a
destination path. Should the source be the 'C' Drive? and the destination
the 100gb partition, which happens to be called 'DRV2_VOL1'. Or will
copying
the C drive just copy the files and mess up overall causing it not too
boot
or something?

Thanks

Cloning/hard drive copying software requires an empty/free space
target/destination, not a previously made partition.
HD manufacturer's cloning software copies the entire hard drive, not just
one partition.
40GB has become 20GB since the OP.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Cloning/hard drive copying software requires an empty/free space
target/destination, not a previously made partition.

The Casper XP documentation states:

"When copying a specific drive, Casper XP copies only the format
and content of an individual partition or volume. The drive may be
copied to another drive, or to a hard disk that contains
unpartitioned space."

"Drive" here means "partition", so a single partition can be cloned
to a specific pre-existing partition.

The Casper XP documentation does contain the following caveat,
though:

"Casper XP will not allow you to copy to a drive that contains the
boot files, system files, or an active paging file."

Basically, this means that you can put a clone into a data partition,
but not into a partition used to boot itself or other partitions or one
used for paging.

HD manufacturer's cloning software copies the entire hard drive, not just
one partition.

I believe that you are right.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Guest]

Well il explain my set up in more detail,

I have a 40gb HD with two partitions, Xp = 20gb and then a fat32=20gb with
some other files on it (was previously linux - ubuntu). Now the 160gb has 2
partitions also, 100gb ntfs (for xp) and a 60gb (fat32 for storage). I want
to copy the XP Parition into the 100gb space so that it takes it all up and
then i want to copy the files in the second bit of the 40gb into the 60gb
partition.

I know how to copy the files from the second half of the 40 to the 60gb but
i dont know how to copy the 20gb XP into the 100gb ntfs on the second HD. I
want to do this without buying any software, if posssible?

Hope it clears it up a bit.

THanks

 

[Timothy Daniels]

I have a 40gb HD with two partitions, Xp = 20gb and then a fat32=20gb with
some other files on it (was previously linux - ubuntu). Now the 160gb has 2
partitions also, 100gb ntfs (for xp) and a 60gb (fat32 for storage). I want
to copy the XP Parition into the 100gb space so that it takes it all up and
then i want to copy the files in the second bit of the 40gb into the 60gb
partition.

I know how to copy the files from the second half of the 40 to the 60gb but
i dont know how to copy the 20gb XP into the 100gb ntfs on the second HD. I
want to do this without buying any software, if posssible?

You may be able to do that with xxClone, a shareware utility, but my
experience with xxClone is that it is really slow (hours) to make the
initial clone (subsequent incremental backups go faster). You may
have to do your own searching at Google and/or experimenting with
MaxBlast 4. Actually, experimenting with MaxBlast may be necessary
to see what it does with 2 partitions since the documentation isn't
clear on that. But given that backups are such an important part of
any computer housekeeping, it may be time to spring for a retail utility.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Guest]

You may be able to do that with xxClone, a shareware utility, but my
experience with xxClone is that it is really slow (hours) to make the
initial clone (subsequent incremental backups go faster). You may
have to do your own searching at Google and/or experimenting with
MaxBlast 4. Actually, experimenting with MaxBlast may be necessary
to see what it does with 2 partitions since the documentation isn't
clear on that. But given that backups are such an important part of
any computer housekeeping, it may be time to spring for a retail utility.

*TimDaniels*

MaxBlast4 Instructions states this:

Drive-To-Drive Copy
The Drive-To-Drive data copy utility will copy files from one drive
partition to another or from one folder to another. Drive-To-Drive copy will
allow you to select a source and destination partition or folder for copying
and will then copy all files from the source partition or folder into the
destination partition or folder. Existing files in the destination will be
overwritten if there are files on the source with the same name.

When copying from partition to partition, if the destination partition is a
primary partition, Drive-To-Drive copy will make the partition bootable.
This allows you to migrate your operating system to a new drive even if the
drive was not partitioned using MaxBlast 4.

When Drive-To-Drive copy is complete, it will display the results of the
copy operation.

Well if i copy the whole C drive will it work? all will it leave out the
registry or just be corrupt and not work? is it worth a try?

If not i dont seem to have anything else. I have a program called Drive
image XML which i linked earlier in this thread, could that work?

Thanks

 

[Ron Sommer]

MaxBlast4 Instructions states this:

Drive-To-Drive Copy
The Drive-To-Drive data copy utility will copy files from one drive
partition to another or from one folder to another. Drive-To-Drive copy
will
allow you to select a source and destination partition or folder for
copying
and will then copy all files from the source partition or folder into the
destination partition or folder. Existing files in the destination will
be
overwritten if there are files on the source with the same name.

When copying from partition to partition, if the destination partition is
a
primary partition, Drive-To-Drive copy will make the partition bootable.
This allows you to migrate your operating system to a new drive even if
the
drive was not partitioned using MaxBlast 4.

When Drive-To-Drive copy is complete, it will display the results of the
copy operation.

Well if i copy the whole C drive will it work? all will it leave out the
registry or just be corrupt and not work? is it worth a try?

If not i dont seem to have anything else. I have a program called Drive
image XML which i linked earlier in this thread, could that work?

Thanks

https://maxtor.custhelp.com/cgi-bin...h_adp.php?p_faqid=1366&p_sid=Wu423*ai&p_lva=#

The link may not wrap correctly.
Use MaxBlast to copy the old C to the new.
Disconnect the old and rejumper the new to Master.
You must do this.
If it doesn't work, you can always connect the old drive.

 

[Guest]

https://maxtor.custhelp.com/cgi-bin...h_adp.php?p_faqid=1366&p_sid=Wu423*ai&p_lva=#

The link may not wrap correctly.
Use MaxBlast to copy the old C to the new.
Disconnect the old and rejumper the new to Master.
You must do this.
If it doesn't work, you can always connect the old drive.

Ok well ive done that and there were some errors when it copied, sone files
couldnt be done, i cant remember the exact ones but there wwre some
systemvolume ones?, recycler ones, and one to do with a database.

Im on the second HD now, old one is unplugged and ive noticed some things.
When i booted i had to choose which OS to boot out of

Windows
Windows

But the second one was highligted so i went with that. Also ive noticed
that some start menu links dont work. Im going to format the parition and
try another copy again.

 

[Guest]

EDIT:

Ok im back on the old one now and ive formatted the copy. How can i make
sure that the copy process goes through without any errors this time? before
i waste my time trying it

Thanks