disk drive swap between two computers

[Snorlax]

I have two computers at home and I would like to swap the disk drives between the two. One system is a 933 mhz machine (20 GB HDD) and the other is a 400 mhz (80 GB HDD). I don't use the 400 mhz much and could really use the bigger hard drive in the 933 mhz system. What is the best way to accomplish this? I was thinking I would clone the 20 GB to the 80 GB with Acronis True Image or some utility like that and then I could use the 80 GB in the 933 mhz system. In addition, I would need to use the 20 GB in the 400 mhz system. This maybe a little trickier since the hardware in the systems are different. I need to look into that more. Thanks.

 

[Aikouka]

Depends on what OS you're running. Some OS's (mainly Windows XP) are really tolerant of hardware changes compared to others, so you could probably just plug-n-play without problems.

From the speeds though, it sounds like you may be using Windows 98...

EDIT: I don't usually recommend just swapping drives so frivilously like I mentioned above. You could use your drive imaging method that you mentioned as long as the 80GB drive isn't very full. I haven't worked with Acronis yet, but as long as you can make an image and store it on a drive, it may be easier to use a third drive as a "buffer" of sorts.

 

[Snorlax]

The 933 mhz system is Windows 2000. The 400 mhz system is Windows 98. I was hoping to upgrade the 400 mhz system to Windows 2000 in the process. Thanks.

 

[Aikouka]

Hmm I think the best course of action may be just to take the 80GB HDD's essential data (stuff you don't mind losing) and putting it on the 20GB. Then imaging the 20GB onto the 80GB HDD and installing that into the faster machine. Then just do a clean install of Windows 2000 onto the smaller 20GB drive for the slower machine. If you need to, just copy the files back over when you're done.

 

[Snorlax]

Actually there's not anything on the 80 GB I need to keep so no problem there. The only problem is getting Windows 2000 on the 20 GB to work with the older machine. I don't have a Windows 2000 CD to do the install and would really like to use it. I'm trying to learn more about sysprep to see if that would be an option for getting the Windows 2000 on the 20 GB to work on a different computer.

 

[Slowlearner]

For a HD swap no re-installation is necessary or required. If you dont have CDs, not just for the OS, but drivers for the motherboard, plus all the software already installed, how will this be done - although some of it may be available on the web. In any case you will need either a spare hd or a bunch of cd/dvds hold the data while you swap the drives.

In your case, the best and most painless option is to leave the 80 gb hd where it is, and buy a new hd (55$ for a 120gb at new egg), and clone the 20 gb hd on to it using the drive manufacturer's utilities (Seatools, WD Datalifeguard...) that you can download. You can even use the old 20 gb hd as a slave data drive.The whole process can be done in about an hour.

If you want a bigger hd make sure you have SP4 for W2K, and your bios can handle it. For the same 55$, frys.com has a Maxtor 200gb hard drive retail kit which includes a hd, brackets for the 5" bays, hd cable, and software on CD.

What was I thinking - why even bother, just attach the new drive as a slave, the same downloaded software will help do that.