PCA Forums

In a friends system he has a 30gb, he bought a 80gb. He wants to use that 30gb in a system build I'll be making for his son. Now, any reliable way to transfer all system files and everything to that 80gb, so when installed, it'll boot up as it did from the 30gb?

Would just dragging everything over work? Think I tried that before but forgot how it went.

thanks

Ghost... There's a Ghost... In your future.. lol.. Use Norton Ghost to copy the drive to the other, or download the drive manufacturer's tool to do it for you.

eGo

As eGo said, Ghost would do it with no problem. Dragging and dropping would not work.

Definately Norton Ghost. Do a Disk to Disk copy.

If I understand, you're putting the cloned copy drive into a DIFFERENT system that you're going to build? If so then there's two other issues you'll run into: You'll need to do a repair install on the new system, and a re-Activation (assuming this is a retail or OEM WinXP installation).

If this is a Win2K system, forget it. You can't move a Win2K install to a different computer unless the hardware is the same, or the mobo chipset is the same and you're VERY lucky. If it's WinXP you'll need to boot from the WinXP CD and do a repair install so Windows can redetect all the hardware properly. After that you'll have to upgrade to whatever service pack you want (unless the service pack was already slip-streamed on the CD) and do all the latest critical updates.

Unless the hardware is the same, when you boot on the new system Windows will want to do a new activation because it'll detect a change in hardware. Should be no problem since Microsoft generally allows 3 - 4 installs on the same key, and after that they'll still let you install it after suffering the indignity of making a phone call.

Originally posted by FlyingPenguin

If this is a Win2K system, forget it. You can't move a Win2K install to a different computer unless the hardware is the same, or the mobo chipset is the same and you're VERY lucky.

Actually all you have to do when changing hardware that makes it "not able to detect bootable device" (or whatever it says) with 2k is repair it, just like with XP

I've had very bad luck moving Win2K installs to different mobos. Just doesn't work as well as WinXP.

I must've been lucky then, i never really had a problem with it

Doh! )*

I must have had a brain cloud. I've used that disc to disc copy with maxtor/WD tools so many times bfore. Just, my brain must of been in slo mo. Haven't done it in a while.

Still never tried ghost. Disc to disc copy seems much easier to me.


Thanks everyone :chug

Ghost DOES do disk to disk copy. But the Maxtor crap utility will work too.