switch my main hard drive.

[Strokes]

I have quite a collection of hard drives and want to move my OS and all the other files from one to another. The only problem is that I have 2 drives with system files, so my question is how do I move the system files from my B: drive to just my C: drive, and then to my faster 1tb drive and still end up with a working system?

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

Partition the new 1TB drive, to handle the contents of the two current drives and use some sort of imaging software (Acronis True Image, Norton Ghost, etc.) to copy them over.

 

[Okedokey]

or create a system image using Windows 7 and back it up to the necessary partition.

 

[Strokes]

or create a system image using Windows 7 and back it up to the necessary partition.

But how would I tell it to restore on another hard drive?

 

[Okedokey]

you will have the option to create a recovery dvd/cd and boot from that, point the installation to the necessary drive. google is your friend btw.

 

[Strokes]

google is your friend btw.

I'm more than aware of that, but I wouldn't be posting here if my search came up dry.

 

[Okedokey]

There are many tutorials on google that take you through the process. If this is too difficult, i suggest you buy a 3rd party tool such as this: http://buy.norton.com/estore/mf/pro...SkuCode/13574836/priceGroupId/Master_Cons_PL/

 

[Strokes]

There are many tutorials on google that take you through the process. If this is too difficult, i suggest you buy a 3rd party tool such as this: http://buy.norton.com/estore/mf/pro...SkuCode/13574836/priceGroupId/Master_Cons_PL/

O, what I meant was that there was no information regarding dealing with system files on 2 drives.

 

[Cromewell]

You could also use your HD manufacturers tools to clone one drive to another. It can work with different sized drives. I don't know how well it'll work if you are trying to move 2 partitions into 1 though

 

[Strokes]

You could also use your HD manufacturers tools to clone one drive to another. It can work with different sized drives. I don't know how well it'll work if you are trying to move 2 partitions into 1 though

Thats my main problem. Moving 2 system partitions into one.

Anyone here know how to do that?

 

[Strokes]

I just had a thought, what if I made a back up image on my 1TB drive, then restored it to just the one 500gig drive when the other one is not plugged in.
Would that work?

 

[Cromewell]

I don't fully understand your situation, do you have 2 windows installs or somehow have your windows install split across 2 drives? If the latter is it a RAID?

In any even, if you can create a backup of your install and restore it to a single drive that should work fine.

 

[paulcheung]

I have quite a collection of hard drives and want to move my OS and all the other files from one to another. The only problem is that I have 2 drives with system files, so my question is how do I move the system files from my B: drive to just my C: drive, and then to my faster 1tb drive and still end up with a working system?

You mean that you have dual boot on your system? Please make it clear so others can help you.
Paul

 

[Strokes]

You mean that you have dual boot on your system? Please make it clear so others can help you.
Paul

I have one OS, but Computer Management says I have system files on 2 hard drives. If I remove the drive with system files on it that doesn't have my OS on it, windows fails to boot.

I think that If I unplug the hard drive that says it has system files on it, but no other files (ex programs, the OS, ect.), then reboot and put in a recovery disc and tell it to fix any start up problems, that it might resolve my issue.
Then after that I'll put the empty unplugged drive in my external bay, boot my laptop with gparted and format the drive in the external bay so the whole 500mb of system files is gone. Then after I get my desktop to boot without the other drive that had system files on it, ill simply put the drive that was in the external bay back in.

Wish me luck.

 

[bkribbs]

I have one OS, but Computer Management says I have system files on 2 hard drives. If I remove the drive with system files on it that doesn't have my OS on it, windows fails to boot.

I think that If I unplug the hard drive that says it has system files on it, but no other files (ex programs, the OS, ect.), then reboot and put in a recovery disc and tell it to fix any start up problems, that it might resolve my issue.
Then after that I'll put the empty unplugged drive in my external bay, boot my laptop with gparted and format the drive in the external bay so the whole 500mb of system files is gone. Then after I get my desktop to boot without the other drive that had system files on it, ill simply put the drive that was in the external bay back in.

Wish me luck.

Could he just show all hidden files and copy/paste them on the other computer? Then if it doesn't boot just repair the install?

 

[Strokes]

Could he just show all hidden files and copy/paste them on the other computer? Then if it doesn't boot just repair the install?

No, that did not work either.

But good news, I managed to fix my problem with gparted. Apparently you can set what hard drives you want to have boot files or not, so I selected my B: drive and had it not have any boot files on it. Booted my desktop, it worked. Then I reassigned the drive letter from B: to N: (just a random letter) and rebooted again. Worked again. Took out the now N: drive, rebooted, worked a third time. Then when I went to back up my computer, the back up manager said I only had to back up my C: drive, no other drives like before.

 

[Okedokey]

I really don't see what would be achieved. Why dont you simply save your files and settings, install a new OS and then merge that. Merging two OS installs is definitely asking for trouble, even if it were possible (which i think it isn't).