reformat question

[LCS/drummer]

ok, i have a 250GB HDD now and its old and its time to reformat. lets call it drive
...... X.... on it i have about 43 gig of music and 60 gig of videos/movies(defiantly legally downloaded) and pictures/files i want to keep, so i got a new 250gig HDD to use in the process. call this drive....M......

say i didnt have the restoration discs for Windows XP, how do i go about transferring wanted files onto new drive, and reformatting old, then, later, plug in the old drive for use as well, for a total of 500GB.

confusing? yes.
sorry ;]
but thanks for the help!

 

[gt403cyl]

I would suggest using an external usb bay which your old drive "X" gets pluged into as seen below. (drive goes inside)

http://www.laptoprepair101.com/wp-images/external-laptop-harddrive-1.jpg

or install the "X" drive as a slave drive to the new one the jumper setting should be on the label on the drive.

GT

 

[sg1]

how do i go about transferring wanted files onto new drive, and reformatting old, then, later, plug in the old drive for use as well, for a total of 500GB.

confusing? yes.

Are you talking about wanted personal files or with the OS files too?

 

[The Russ Bus]

So you just want to keep your personal media? Or you want system files?

IF you are doing a fresh install on drive X, then just do that and get an IDE, or SATA, to USB converter. Thats what I did. You just plug X in and you can pull whatever you want off the old drive via USB connection. Or do It the other way, Plug M into USB and save whatever you want on it, then do the reformat on X, then transfer it all back.
Something like this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812163001
BUT, you say you dont have XP resto disks. Im not sure what you mean by that and its bearing on what you are doing. If you aint got the disks for the fresh install, your kinda in a pickle.

 

[sg1]

If it's the whole lot you want to keep, then do a disc clone from the old one to new one and then change BIOS to boot from new disc(and change jumper settings if ATA)

Then you can wipe the old drive and then life is sweet again

A great freeware clone utility I have used many times is XXCLONE

 

[sg1]

...... X.... on it i have about 43 gig of music and 60 gig of videos/movies(defiantly legally downloaded) and pictures/files i want to keep,

You just plug X in and you can pull whatever you want off the old drive via USB connection.

Yeah as long as it's an USB2.0 transfer rate or he will be there for hours!!

In fact , even with USB2.0 he's gonna have time for about 3 cups of coffee!!