OT: any computer geeks out there? need help w/ data transfer

[JN Reef]

Hey Guys,
I currently have 2 Hard Drives in my 6 year old compaq presario...
The orginal hard drive is 20 Gigs. This is the drive that has my Windows XP and where my computer boots from.

I have a second 40 Gig drive that I installed last summer where I keep various files, music, pictures. No programs on this one.

I recently purchased a new Seagate 160 gig drive (damn super cheap these days).

I would like to transfer everything I have in the original 20 Gig drive (including Windows XP, registry settings, programs, etc) and clone it onto the 40 gig drive that is currently installed. I want to make that 40 gig drive my boot drive.

That's the hard part, b/c once I get things transferred to that 40 gig drive, I know how to install the new 160 Gig drive.

My question to the computer geniuses is: How can I tranfer all my data, files, Windows, registry settings, etc from the 20 gig drive to the 40 gig drive? Would it be possible to transfer everything over and still keep all the information on the 40 gig intact?

I notice there is a program in my Windows XP that might be able to do this "Files and Settings Transfer Wizard":
Start Menu>Programs> Accessories>System Tools>Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

Can I use this Transfer Wizard program?

Thanks for all your help guys.

 

[WarDaddy]

There is nothing native to windows that will let you do what you want.

There are a few things out there. Ghost is a product that would work. there are lots of hacked versions out there. But it requires a second computer.

With windows the BEST way would to be reinstall windows on the new hard drive, Reinstall all your applications and then transfer your data.

Question is how comfortable are you with computers? Do you have all the program install disks still?

 

[BigElephant]

Agreed with WarDaddy.

The BEST solution is to reinstall the OS. You will have much better performance after you have done so.

You can temperary transfer the file using removable hard disk drive enclosure (~$30) if you not not comfortable to change the cables inside the computer.

I would probably choose 160G to be the boot drive. 40G to be the data drive. Also, I would maintain a backup copy of 40G in 160G. That way, you have your data in both 40GB (current) and the 160GB backup. All the program can be install in the 160G.

Make sure that you have the CD for your computer to reinstall.

Ghost can clone the Hard drive if you don't want to go through the trouble of reinstalling. However, reinstall is a best solution to have a clean environment.

Good luck

 

[bromion]

I agree that re-installing would improve your performance. Also an opportunity to get rid of stuff you don't need.

Another option is to use Partition Magic. It and Ghost are commercial apps that you have to buy. I don't know of any simple, free Windows app that will do what you want to do.

 

[bromion]

See this article for some free options:

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=418&page=2

 

[lastin1]

Just use Maxtor's maxblast software. Very simple to do. Save your boot.ini file from your original disk and manually copy it over to the new disk after you clone the disk.

http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/M...oftware+Downloads/Top+Downloads&downloadID=58

 

[slavearm]

Er... XP Pro or Home? XP Pro has a "Personality Profiler" that will create an image you can pop onto a new install with all of your settings and documents.

It should be on the XP CD in the Admin Tools section.

 

[AQUA951]

yeah, what they said

 

[Captain Quirk]

Another option - although a bit more involved - would be to use something from Symantec called "Live State". It's like Ghost, but can capture systems while they are running (well, for the most part - servers tend to be more complicated because of some of the service processes that run...).

At any rate, it also supports "Bare Metal" restores.

And, oh, did I mention there was a demo available that you could use to try it?

That may be a bit more than you're willing to go through, but it is another option (I also throw my vote into the hat that a reinstall is better than a drive image...).

Or you could see if the Trialware Ghost will allow a full restore:

http://tinyurl.com/mqala

FWIW

 

[Zaphod]

here you go a free utility burn it to a cd and boot to it.
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/hdclonefree.html

also if you have windows xp pro us "ntbackup" to do a full backup it makes a disk to boot from to start the restore.

 

[Zaphod]

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/hdclonefree.html