Changing Over a New Hard Drive 1

[sweep123]

With my current PC the Hard Drive is noisy and needs replaced. I plan to replace the 13GB with a 40GB, but was wondering if I could install the new drive and copy every from the original onto the new drive, then remove the old drive.

The reason for this is that I am running Windows 98 and have downloaded many updates to this operating system. Also I have many programs and data files.

Is this possible and what commands would you use to copy everything over.

Note I would setup the new Hard Drive as a slave until all the data over. Then set it to master and remove the old drive.

Its BIOS and other special areas of the drive I am worried about.

Any comments?

Sweep.

 

[jdunderhill]

What you will need to do is get hold of some cloning software:

It can make an exact copy of your Hard Drive onto the new 40 GB drive

You need to have both Hard drives connected up then you can set the software to copy files from one to the other

I use Norton Ghost, Im not sure if it can be downloaded anywhere but it works a treat for me

Do a search for "cloning software" on google or something and you may get a free download

 

[jdunderhill]

I've been looking for a link for a free download of Ghost, it seems you can't get a free version anywhere

If not Partition Magic is an option

Cheers

Jamie

 

[edfair]

Some manufacturers include a clone utility with their hard drives to enable you to transfer your data.
I've not seen it, but several people on TT have reported it. So you might want to check to see if the drive you are intending to buy has one.
Copying doesn't work, as there are system files that can't be transferred that way.

Ed Fair
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[wolluf]

With Windows 98, you can just copy the whole installation over. But you need to create a win98 boot sector on the new disk first. So, run format x: /S (if not formatted yet) or sys x: if it is, where x: is new drive (would need to fdisk it to create partition first if new drive). Then just copy all but the swap file (you can do this from explorer - make sure hidden and system files are set to be visible. Even better would be a 2-pane file manager like servant salamander or 2x explorer). When it gets near the end it will want to overwrite the boot sector files - make sure it does. If any files don't copy, just make a note of them (may be one or two) - you can just boot to dos prompt and do these individually afterwards

When its finished, make new drive master and see if it boots ok (should do).

 

[bcastner]

freeware:

xxcopy c: c: /clone

done.

http://www.xxcopy.com/#toc

 

[bcastner]

sorry,

xxcopy c: d: /clone