Need help for WinXP

[shreeit]

Please excuse me..I have few stupid questions

1. I want to install WinXP on another partition (Drive) and later make that drive C:\ drive (with OS) and install all the prograns from fresh.
I have winXP running from C:\drive.
2. Is it possible to move all my drives and setting from one drive to another drive, once I installed new XP on another dirve?
3. Is it possible to move install programms and their settings from one drive to another?

Thanks,

shreeit

 

[mechBgon]

If it's WinXP Professional or Media Center Edition, then you could

1. make an Automated System Recovery backup, using the built-in Backup program found in Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools

2. save the Automated System Recovery file to an external drive

3. unplug all external drives and the old C: drive

4. connect the new hard drive

5. boot the computer from the Windows XP CD and press F2 at the first blue screen, where you see the "Press F2 for Automated System Recovery" prompt.

6. proceed through Windows setup as usual. It will ask for the ASR file when it's ready. At that time, plug in the external drive containing the ASR file and continue.

When you're done, you'll have all your programs and files, but may need to install drivers. Also, be sure your computer is protected from network attacks before you start, as shown on this page.

Automated System Recovery does require a floppy drive, so it's not very convenient on modern computers that don't have one.

 

[rkoenn]

When I do a job like that I disconnect the current drive and connect the "new" XP drive. Then I install XP and update it to this "new" drive. Once that is done I reconnect the original drive as D or whatever and using Windows Explorer I copy all my data, settings, etc. You must be careful with this step to make sure you get everything. Mail, favorites, cookies, etc. are in different places from the "straight" data. Once I am happy with this I will usually use Norton Ghost to copy this "new" drive to the old drive or whatever drive I want it on. Older versions of Ghost will not work on vista or 7. There are some free disk duping programs on the web but some of these can take hours to do the job as I recently discovered. Now whichever drive is going to be your system drive should work just fine when installed as the "C" drive.

 

[Maverick6969]

I will usually use Norton Ghost to copy this "new" drive to the old drive or wherever I whatever drive I want it on. Older versions of Ghost will not work on vista or 7.

The OP never mentioned Vista or Win 7. He's asking Windows XP. So any of the recent versions of Ghost will be fine.

Quote from their FAQ section:

Q: Can Norton Ghost run on Vista and if so will it work with Norton 360, or on XP, will Norton Ghost and Norton 360 work together?

A: Yes, Norton Ghost is compatible with Windows Vista. Click here to see the system requirements. Norton 360 comes with basic backup and restore functions, so it is not recommended that you install Norton Ghost on the same PC.

http://us.norton.com/popup.jsp?popupid=faq_ghost

There are some free disk duping programs on the web but some of these can take hours to do the job as I recently discovered.

Obviously, you have never tried Clonezilla.

 

[rkoenn]

Well I got my replacement OCZ SSD yesterday and was wondering how to dupe it and from some googling it sounded like it might be difficult if not impossible to go from my WD 300GB onto the 128GB SSD. However I did read one promising post somewhere about Acronis. Having the WD 300GB cleanly installed with Win 7 after the SSD failed just before Xmas and all setup for my system again I didn't want to start from scratch. So I downloaded the WD edition of Acronis and installed it on the running drive. I then attached the new SSD, booted to Win 7, fired up Acronis, had it initialize the SSD, and told it to dupe the WD onto the SSD. It did a short bit of upfront preps and asked for a reboot. Upon rebooting I believe it went into an automated Linux cloning routine and after about 20 minutes asked for reboot. I rebooted and it stated it had completed the job. So I pulled out the WD drive and replaced it with the SSD and the system fired up perfectly. Now hopefully this SSD will give me at least 3 years of good service without dying after 4 months. But I am going to pull an old spare drive and every couple of months clone the SSD in case of any future problems. My data already resides elsewhere on another drive in the system and there is another drive to back that up as well.