hard drive question

[Xavier_Onassis]

My hard drive is too small. I keep having to remove stuff.

I have another IDE drive with a nice comfy 160 megs to replace it.

Is there a program that will enable me to copy all my files from the old HD to the new one easily?

Is there a FREE VERSION of such a program?

[Cynthia]

My hard drive is too small. I keep having to remove stuff.

I have another IDE drive with a nice comfy 160 megs to replace it.

Is there a program that will enable me to copy all my files from the old HD to the new one easily?

Is there a FREE VERSION of such a program?

You must be using your computer for driving trucks across the border. 

Ami to the rescue on this one.

[Amianthus]

Is there a program that will enable me to copy all my files from the old HD to the new one easily?

Is there a FREE VERSION of such a program?

I have never heard of an OS without a "copy" program included. Even Windoze.

[kimba1]

uhm
can`t you just use it as a internal storage drive
meaning you don`t replace but add a hard-drive so you don`t need to ghost the present drive.
most system can support and extra drive,just remember to set the new drive on slave
I trhink theres more to it
but i can`t remember

[Xavier_Onassis]

It is easy to copy files, but not in such a manner as to make the new drive boot up as the former one did. The Windows registry will not be identical and the new drive will not boot.

In the past, I have installed Windows on the new drive, and then transferred the files, but this is incomplete and unsatisfactory.

My current OS is Windows XP Pro, with service packs 1, 2 and 3 installed from the internet.

[Xavier_Onassis]

can`t you just use it as a internal storage drive
meaning you don`t replace but add a hard-drive so you don`t need to ghost the present drive.
most system can support and extra drive,just remember to set the new drive on slave
I trhink theres more to it
but i can`t remember
==============================================
Yes, there is more to it than that.
The part you can't remember is the part I need to know.

I have downloaded a procedure that ought to work, and was about to print it out, but now the #$@ print refuses to print.

[Amianthus]

Boot your Windoze CD and install it. Then copy the files from the old drive to the new one.

If you have room for an expansion drive, that is what I would do, as Kimba suggested. Just set the jumper on your new drive to "slave" and add it to the existing drive.

[Amianthus]

Yes, there is more to it than that.
The part you can't remember is the part I need to know.

Actually, not really, with IDE drives. If your drive controller cable has two connectors (most do) and you have an extra power connector (again, most computers do) then you just set the jumper as "slave" for the new drive, connect the drive controller cable and power connectors, and fire it up. Then, if the drive has not been formatted, you'll need to do that (but they all come formatted nowadays).

After that, it just a matter of moving stuff around.

[Amianthus]

Only thing easier than IDE are the USB and Firewire drives. You don't have to set the slave mode on them. But it's still one cable and one power connector.

[kimba1]

oh oh
when you install do a general cleaning of your system.
you`ll be amazed how much dust builds up in it.
I know this is kids stuff ,but too many people forget to do this
I`ve learned a hard lesson, nothing is a given
I hope I don`t offend you with this ,but I think the simple stuff  need to be said

[Amianthus]

when you install do a general cleaning of your system.
you`ll be amazed how much dust builds up in it.

Read the second story on this page.

[BT]

I use Acronis True Image. Cost you about $50.

[kimba1]

ami
I`m not sure that`s rare.
I used to fix clock radios and quite a few had dead bugs in them.something in electronics attracts them probly the heat.so computers getting them is not surprising to me.
I`ll bet quite few would get chopped by the CPU fan