Installing OS on new HDD

[py258]

I have a question about if I were to get a new hard drive and install Windows XP on it. Would I be able to hook up my old hard drive that already has Windows on it to the computer as well? And if that works, will I still be able to access all the files in the old hard drive? Last question, if that works as well, would i be able to copy and transfer entire program directories from the old one to the new one rather than installing the programs again? i'll appreciate any help

Also, will i be viloating the Windows XP EULA? i think this would still considerd to be only for one system....

[glc]

Why don't you just clone the old drive to the new one, then reformat the old one for reuse? I see that your present drive is a WD - you can use Data Lifeguard (free download from WD) to clone it to another drive.

[py258]

because i would like to do some "winter" spring cleaning and start fresh again. This is also just a hypothetical question at the time being. These questions just came to me after reading one of the pcmech tips of the days, http://www.pcmech.com/newsletter/viewtip.php?tipid=60

so would what i said work?

[Confused]

Originally Posted by py258 so would what i said work?

Yes.

Any applications with data would still need to be backed up and reinstalled as the registry entries would change with the new install but plain files such as pictures and music would still be accessible.
Chas

[py258]

gotcha. thanks for the replies

[RVFmal]

I too am in a similar predicament (for want of a better term).

I currently have the following set-up:
C Drive: 1.94GB Total - 1.6GB Used space and 353MB free space
D Drive: 7.85GB Total - 6.08GB Used space and 1.76GB free space
E Drive: 1.96GB Total - 1.2GB Used space and 775MB free space
F Drive: 35.3GB Total - 4.79GB Used space and 30.5GB free space

I want to upgrade my OS from Win98 SE to XP Pro and at the same time change C to a larger capacity drive (preferably D or F) as I am running out of space on C in a big way.

Some of the programs that I currently have installed on C I no longer have the disks for and do not want to lose them.

What would you guys recommend and how would I go about doing it without losing all my data and programs?

[glc]

How many *physical* drives do you have - which partitions are on which drive?

[RVFmal]

Originally Posted by glc How many *physical* drives do you have - which partitions are on which drive?

By "physical" I am assuming that you mean actual drives as opposed to a "partitioned" drive where it is 1 Physical drive split into a number of smaller ones.

I bought the computer like this so I have no idea as to whether there are actually 4 drives or a couple that are "partitioned.

How would I differentiate and if they are partitioned, why would one do this and what can I do to complete what I have earlier stipulated?

[Confused]

The only way you can do what you want is to change your partition sizes. You cain't do that with WIN98 and it will require a 3rd. party partition manager. Partition Magic is a very good one. So I would use Partition Magic and reallocate 25G from F and give it to C.

Keep in mind that upgrade isn't the best method of installing XP.

If it was me and I wanted to keep those programs and also have XP I would get another HD, a OEM copy of XP and run a dual boot system. Install the new drive, boot up with the XP CD, it will see the WIN98 OS, load on the new drive and set up the boot loader for you.
Charlie

PS
You probably need to wean yourself from those programs that you don't have CD's for. HD's being hardware will at some point fail. I don't rely on anything I cain't reload to a new drive.

[RVFmal]

Thanks C. Am trying to download a 3rd party partition program from Acronis, but the Gateway keeps timing out.

How can I tell if the HD that is currently installed is partitioned from C to F as apposed to 1 HD being partitioned into C and D, and another HD being partitioned into E and F?

By installing another drive with XP or another OS, does this mean that at any one time I can boot up in a OS of my choice? And when you say that " it will see the WIN98 OS, load on the new drive and set up the boot loader for you.", does this mean it will automatically access the program files already installed after the "upgarde" and that I will be able to uninstall Win98 OS to free up space without losing the programs.

Will definitely take your advice to heart with regards backing up my HD's.

[glc]

www.belarc.com

Download the free Advisor and run it. Read the report, you should be able to figure out how the drive or drives are set up. Here's the excerpts from my report:

Drives

49.38 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
15.31 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

HP CD-ROM CD40X SCSI CdRom Device
TDK CDRW241040B [CD-ROM drive]
3.5" format removeable media [Floppy drive]
3.5" format removeable media [Floppy drive]
CONNER CTT8000-S SCSI Sequential Device [Tape drive]

IBM-DPTA-372050 [Hard drive] (20.53 GB) -- drive 0, s/n JMYJMFH8943, rev P76OA30A, SMART Status: Healthy
QUANTUM FIREBALLP LM20.4 [Hard drive] (20.42 GB) -- drive 1, s/n 184025037758, rev A35.0700, SMART Status: Healthy
WDC AC28400R [Hard drive] (8.45 GB) -- drive 2

Local Drive Volumes

c: (on drive 0) 20.51 GB 7.17 GB free
d: (on drive 2) 8.45 GB 2.74 GB free
e: (on drive 1) 20.41 GB 5.40 GB free

Let's determine this before we give any more advice - the setup will make a big difference as to the best way to proceed.

If you have to dynamically repartition, you will probably have to buy Partition Magic. If you don't have broadband, the best thing to do is go to the store. For the price of Partition Magic, you can buy a big hard drive and use free tools to partition it and transfer data, keep that in mind. Let's see how it's presently set up.

[RVFmal]

Thanks for the help. Here is my current profile as per Belarc:

50.67 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
35.90 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

ATAPI CD-ROM DRIVE-32X
Generic floppy disk drive (3.5")

Generic IDE hard disk drive (8.43 GB) -- drive 1, No SMART Driver
Generic IDE hard disk drive (2.11 GB) -- drive 2, No SMART Driver
Generic IDE hard disk drive (40.00 GB) -- drive 0, No SMART Driver
Kalliba [Hard drive] (130 MB) -- drive 3, rev 7.78

c: (on drive 0) 2.09 GB 343 MB free
d: (on drive 1) 8.43 GB 1.90 GB free
e: (on drive 2) 2.11 GB 813 MB free
f: (on drive 0) 37.91 GB 32.76 GB free
h: (on drive 3) 131 MB 89 MB free

350 megahertz Intel Pentium II
32 kilobyte primary memory cache
512 kilobyte secondary memory cache

Board: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD MS-6119 (i440BX) 1.X
Bus Clock: 100 megahertz
BIOS: Award Software International, Inc. 4.51 PG 08/21/00

As far as I can see I have 3 hard drives installed of which the 40 Gig drive is partitioned into C and F.

[glc]

Okay, this is fairly easy. Use Partition Magic to rob space from F to make C larger. The only possible gotcha is if C is FAT16 (2gb partition size limit) - but if so, it can be converted to FAT32 with Partition Magic first.

You sure you want to put XP on that? It's gonna be pretty rough on only 350 MHz.

[Confused]

Originally Posted by RVFmal By installing another drive with XP or another OS, does this mean that at any one time I can boot up in a OS of my choice? And when you say that " it will see the WIN98 OS, load on the new drive and set up the boot loader for you.", does this mean it will automatically access the program files already installed after the "upgarde" and that I will be able to uninstall Win98 OS to free up space without losing the programs. Will definitely take your advice to heart with regards backing up my HD's.

This reply is for information. GLC has you going in his latest reply.

If you are talking about the OEM copy of XP on a new drive having the ability to automatically access the programs so that you can remove WIN98 the answer is NO. Programs have to be loaded to the OS that are using them.

Common files such as music, pictures ect. can be browsed and updated by any OS that has access to the HD they are on. Application files are associated with the program that created them and have registry entries in the OS they run on. A example of this is Quicken. If you run Quicken on WIN98 for your checkbook then your new load of XP would not see it. You would have to reload Quicken to XP in order for it to run on XP.
Chas

[RVFmal]

Originally Posted by glc Okay, this is fairly easy. Use Partition Magic to rob space from F to make C larger. The only possible gotcha is if C is FAT16 (2gb partition size limit) - but if so, it can be converted to FAT32 with Partition Magic first. You sure you want to put XP on that? It's gonna be pretty rough on only 350 MHz.

Luckily C: is FAT32 so it should not be too much of an issue. As for only having 350MHZ, I have run XP on a similar setup (on a laptop). It was a bit slow, but better than Win98. Would an alternative OS be a better option (something like Linux?). I have been weaning myself off most of the Microsoft program and utilising more Open Source programs such as Mozilla (Firefox), Thunderbird etc.

[RVFmal]

Originally Posted by Confused This reply is for information. GLC has you going in his latest reply. If you are talking about the OEM copy of XP on a new drive having the ability to automatically access the programs so that you can remove WIN98 the answer is NO. Programs have to be loaded to the OS that are using them. Common files such as music, pictures ect. can be browsed and updated by any OS that has access to the HD they are on. Application files are associated with the program that created them and have registry entries in the OS they run on. A example of this is Quicken. If you run Quicken on WIN98 for your checkbook then your new load of XP would not see it. You would have to reload Quicken to XP in order for it to run on XP. Chas

Understood. So if I were not to want to run 98 as an OS, but replace it with another I would have to re-install the programs that I currently have on the drive.

Makes sense. Have gone through the programs and I would not be too "upset" by losing some of the programs. Will in all probability replace with Open Source Software in the near future in any case.

[glc]

If I had a P2-350 I'd be running Win2000 on it. 128 ram is ok, the more the merrier. 98SE will upgrade to 2K in place very nicely if you clean up the 98 install, and it will pick up all your programs. It just won't pick up all your startup items, such as your antivirus or your CD packet formatter. Just make some room on C and pop a 2K cd in when in Windows, tell it to upgrade.

[RVFmal]

Originally Posted by glc If I had a P2-350 I'd be running Win2000 on it. 128 ram is ok, the more the merrier. 98SE will upgrade to 2K in place very nicely if you clean up the 98 install, and it will pick up all your programs. It just won't pick up all your startup items, such as your antivirus or your CD packet formatter. Just make some room on C and pop a 2K cd in when in Windows, tell it to upgrade.

I take it Win 2000 is a better option? Only problem is that I have already bought XP Pro. Talk about jumping the gun slighty. *grin*

[glc]

Well, what I am about to tell you is perfectly legal. If you can borrow a Win2K CD, you can legally install it using a XP Pro license. M$ allows for this downgrade. You will have to use the 2K CD key, but the paperwork you got with XP covers you if you don't install your XP on another machine.