Copying a HD, would I need to...

[flame1117]

Reinstall windows?
I want to replace my 20GIG with at least a 80GIG better with a 120GIG and 160GIG prefered.

I have it split into a C and E drives. COuld i just split my new one into C and E then copy C over to C and E over to E and everything would be fine? would windows and other programs work fine if I just copyed them over? and i would be taking the 20 gig out reformating it on another PC(why not my original PC? becuase i dont feel like it.) then selling it for what ever I can get.

 

[LittleHoov]

depends on what version of windows you have, i think starting with 2000, windows cant be swapped around all that easily..this is probably feasible with 98 or 95, but with XP im gonna go with no...in fact im gonna say 99.9% sure that it wont work right.

 

[flame1117]

I have XP home....

 

[Scrapped>.<]

I have XP home....

I had XP home and my hardrive was about to die so i did what you just asked.

I did my with out any problem. what brand of harddrive are you useing?(don't know if it matters in that case) I got a 200GB Maxtor. it came with a program that allows me to format my hardrive as a master or a slave. I did the master and used the probgram to copy the intire hardrive (including winndows) to the new maxtor and it is working just fine for the past (about) half year.

P.S It is easer to format and copy a hardrive than one would think. just give it a try, if anything goes wrong just come back here and ask.

 

[Hellbreather]

Maybe try this.
Install Windows on your new HDD and then after that purchase Norton Ghost or download a free trial.
Norton Ghost will copy all files (except OS) from one HD to another and so just try this (I will explain it more clearer)

1. Get your new Hard Drive and install XP Home onto it
2. Use Norton Ghost and copy your old Hard Drive into your New Hard Drive
3. Then your done

 

[Geoff]

Maybe try this.
Install Windows on your new HDD and then after that purchase Norton Ghost or download a free trial.
Norton Ghost will copy all files (except OS) from one HD to another and so just try this (I will explain it more clearer)

1. Get your new Hard Drive and install XP Home onto it
2. Use Norton Ghost and copy your old Hard Drive into your New Hard Drive
3. Then your done

I tried this once before, trying to copy my computer's hd to my hd. It doesnt work. You can only use Ghost when the hardware is exactly the same. When i tried this, i booted up and it said "Missing operating system". So i dont think there is a way to copy the files.

 

[Hellbreather]

Well, at my work, we have transferred old hardware HDD to brand new ones and it's worked fine using Norton Ghost.

 

[flame1117]

thats the part i wante to void, re-installing windows.I got to reinstall windows on 17PCs over the weekend. I got 11$ each on them though.

It wasn;t that bad considering i would just do five at a time and while im waiting do the next computer.

 

[Praetor]

depends on what version of windows you have, I think starting with 2000, windows cant be swapped around all that easily..this is probably feasible with 98 or 95, but with XP im gonna go with no...in fact im gonna say 99.9% sure that it wont work right.

You can do it with 2000+ too ....

I tried this once before, trying to copy my computer's hd to my hd. It doesnt work. You can only use Ghost when the hardware is exactly the same. When I tried this, I booted up and it said "Missing operating system". So I dont think there is a way to copy the files.

Actually... you can .. thats the point of Norton Ghost -- sure its *ideal* to have identical hardware .. but it works if the hardware is somewhat similar to the older stuff -- if its completely different then nothing short of a fresh install will guarantee work