Question: Best way to transfer data from HD to New HD

[need4spd]

Ok..

I recently built a brand new system and want to take my old HD with all my programs and data etc....and load it onto new HD. Is this possible?

AMD XP2000+
Soyo Dragon Ultra KT333
Win 2K Pro
60GB Maxtor

I have the new machine running great. But now I want to take my data from old system and clone it or transfer to my system... so I do not hve to re-load everything from scratch.

What is the best - easy way to do this.

THANKS

 

[PCHPlayer]

You really should not do this. A brand new system requires a fresh install of the OS to make sure the correct drivers are installed. I would bite the bullet and install all of your programs from scratch. You can then hook up your old hard drive and copy your data to the new drive. I would leave the second hard drive as is until you are sure that you have everything you want (You could also copy every to the new hard drive in a backup directory). I would then reformat the old drive and use it as a backup for your important data.

 

[altonb1]

I disagree with the first reply. Technically, if you have the luxury of installing fresh, go ahead, but there is no real harm in doing what you are asking, as long as you do it carefully. It can be a pain, but not impossible. Basically, just use the program Ghost (or download a utility from the mfr of your hard drive) and it will assist in cloning your data to the new drive.

Now...with regards to the drivers, I have never attempted this in any OS after 98se, so I'm not sure what to tell you. However, I know there is a FAQ somewhere on this site, I think, that will give you assistance.

Basically, you go into device manager, scroll down to the resources for your motherboard, and start removing them from the list. After you have removed the devices, shut down the PC. Move your data, and then reboot the drive under the new system. As the OS boots, it will begin installing the Plug and Play devices and prompt you for drivers for everything else. (This allows you to boot to a semi-clean registry instead of having multiple instances of controllers, etc.)

The above is the method I have always used when swapping out my mobo/cpu for upgrades, so this should work as well, but I would definitely look for a FAQ on this site. Good luck!

 

[need4spd]

Thanks for the support.

to clarify. I already did a fresh Win2K install on the new rig and have loaded all drivers for sound video etc... I just wanted to be able to bring over all my other programs and files...

I will read on... but like the advice given here so far

THANKS

 

[altonb1]

Hmm...at this point you are basically at the mercy of reinstalling everything from scratch. you can certainly burn your data to a CD, perhaps, but because of registry settings that will need to be updated, you will have to reload them from scratch before bringing over the data, otherwise the apps won't work, anyway. It won't be as simple as just copying folders between machines.

 

[Double Trouble]

You pretty much have to reinstall the apps at this point. If it had been a case of going from one XP system to another XP system, you could copy your profile from one machine to another and have all your programs and everything transferred that way.....

 

[AbsolutDealage]

if you only want the files, you can just slave the old drive. Then just boot up, pull any files you need and then shutdown and pull the drive off.

On another note, you should have gotten a floppy disk with your new maxtor drive. On that floppy is a utility to take an exact copy of your old drive. If you want to avoid the hassle of re-installing all of your programs, etc. this would be the way to go. You could just boot up on your old hard drive, run sysprep, shut down, boot off of floppy (with both HDDs in) and image the drive. Then, shutdown and disconnect the old drive, and then boot off the new drive.

 

[dundevil]

I will be having a similar problem that perhaps someone can help me with.

HAve old computer with WinXP Home. HD is formatted FAT 32.

Will be getting a new computer. Also Win XP Home. Drive will be formated NTSF.

1. What is easiest way to transfer applications and data from old HD to new HD?

2. Any problem in going from FAT 32 HD to NTSF HD?

TIA

Dundevil

 

[DimZiE]

if u want to transfer Data from a HD to HD the easiest way is to use Norton Ghost. ( comes free with some mobo, as "bundled software" )

 

[DimZiE]

but if u want to transfer data from a system that use a different hardware config. the best thing is a fresh install of everything. and copy the data from the old drive ( slave it, or burn to CD )