Re: Installing new hard drives

I'm going round and round (I admit it , I am) because I don't knowwhat the
hell I'm doing :) I thougt I would take the pportunity to gain some
knowledge on computer operation. Hard disk cloning software, "x copy" , I
wasn't aware that these options existed prior to this project. Had not looked
very hard though. It's been about three years since my system has had
anything beyond a new proc or cdrom installed.
I am at the point now where finishing the installation of the hard
disks is paramount when compared with tinkering. I was concerned about doing
a "fresh" install and not be able to access the old drive to copy files (I
don't have any back up currently). Thought maybe XP would have a problem with
the OS being installed on "two different computers" and make things difficult.

"Anna" wrote:


"scktA" <scktA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:FBE8AFB0-5B4D-4EDE-B35F-42CB81B2A4EE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I am wanting to install two new 250gb ata133 hard drives in my computer.
They
will be (eventually) replacing the currently installed 40 gb hd that
operates
as the master drive in my system. I have a msi socket A mb that does
not
support raid. Can some one please recomend a stream lined method of
bringing
my two new hard drives into the system to replace the older smaller
one?
Since I cannot do a raid setup wtihout a raid controler (that I do not
have )
I will be using one of the new hds as the master and the second as a
slave
of
course.
I was thinking about installing one as a slave, formatting, and
loading
xp and then transfering files. then removing the old small hd ,
switching
the
newly formatted drive to master and then installing the second new hd
as
the
slave and going from there. But I am not sure that would work. ANy
thoughts?


"Anna" wrote:
scktA:
Your intended approach is a sensible one, i.e., fresh installing XP on
one
of the new 250 GB HDDs and moving/copying your user-created data from
your
old 40 GB HDD to the new one. But you do understand that you will have to
fresh install all your programs onto the new drive, right? You cannot (in
most cases) simply copy the programs/applications from your old HDD to
the
new one.

On the other hand - you can "clone" the contents of your 40 GB HDD to one
of
the 250 GB HDDs through the use of the disk copying program that will be
included with a retail boxed version of the new HDD - this program is
also
available in most cases from the manufacturer's website. In this regard
you
might also want to consider purchasing a disk imaging program such as
Acronis True Image that you could use to clone the contents of your 40 GB
HDD to the 250 GB HDD. The advantage here is that most users find the
Acronis program easier to use than the manufacturer's disk copying
program
and the program also can be routinely used for backup purposes. (I assume
you're planning to use your second 250 GB HDD for backup/storage
purposes.
And, of course, you can use your old 40 GB HDD for that purpose as well).

BTW, Acronis (http://www.acronis.com) has a 15-day trial version of their
program available for download. Give it a try. If you're interested I can
provide you with step-by-step instructions for using that program.

I don't recommend using the DOS xcopy command as recommended by a
respondent
to your query. Nor is there any need for "page file" manipulation.
Anna


"scktA" <scktA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4DC1545A-3035-4D30-9F2E-06B2C8A733F5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Well , Ive tried all that I could think of that won't cost me money.... I
wonder how much time I have invested in trying to get this little computer
project done. Anyways, If hitachi does not have anything usefull to tell
me
tomorrow I'm going to purchse the acronis software you suggested. If your
offer to assist me install the new drives still stands I might be taking
you
up on it, depending on what hitachi has to say about their oem drives.


scktA:
From what I've seen of your postings re this issue over the past few days -
both with this thread and an apparently more-or-less identical thread you've
started - you've been going 'round & 'round on this relatively simple issue
for days. Is there any reason why you couldn't do what you originally
contemplated, i.e., simply install XP on one of your new large-capacity HDDs
and transfer whatever user-created data from your old 40 GB HDD to the new
one?

Yes, you would need to fresh install whatever programs/applications you
wanted from the old to the new HDD, but is that a problem? If it is, then
using a disk imaging program such as the Acronis one mentioned (note the
free demo) would be in order.
Anna



.

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