help with switching c drive with 2nd hard drive

[computerlady]

When we built this computer, the original hard drive was only 20 gb but still worked good. However, we were running out of space. So we purchased a WD (I think) 200 gb hard drive and installed it ourselves Anyhow, I wanted to make the new drive the main drive and the old drive just a secondary drive. I followed the instructions but it never actually switched C with H. Now the C drive does not have a lot of space on it and I really want to make the H drive the main one and use C as a secondary drive. Windows XP professional is on the C drive and so are some programs that I want to keep. Is there a way to transfer the files from C to H but make H become the C drive. I have read about cloning, but I am not sure I know how to do it. I need step by step instructions if there are any. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

[jayb1234]

I think it would be easier to keep the smaller drive as the C drive with your windows and other programs on it and use the new one to store your files. 20 Gb should be plenty for running your programs from. You can move your documents, music, video, pictures etc. folders to the new drive and free up the space they were using.

[redbaron_snoopy]

Why not learn how to partition and install the OS from scratch ? It not too difficult and you'll learn a lot in the process. Would be good to have another PC which you can access to PCMech incase you run into problems.

Cloning would be the easiest if you insist on your new drive being the primary. You will need to buy cloning software though. I'm not aware of any freeware for cloning. Those trial versions usually don't allow resizing. after cloning.

[TwoRails]

Hi computerlady,

Welcome to PC Mechanic !!

What you'd need to do is "clone" the original drive to the new drive. Most retail drives come with the necessary software to do this. If you bought it OEM (without the box and software) then you can download it from WD's site.

You'd clone the drive, then pull the original out (leave it out for now) and then install the new drive for testing. It should be OK, but there are many variables. For example, you're starting with a small drive, which is an indicator you have an older computer which may not even recognize a 200GB hard drive.

Maybe you should list some specs, like type and age of the computer and components, your operating systems, etc...

HTH

TwoRails

[computerlady]

The computer is not that old, it was just built sometime last year. The C drive is older than that but it was still in good use so that is why we used it. And yes there was software with the new drive which I used. It just never switched the drives. It did recognize the 200 gb and did what it was supposed to do with that. The only thing I didn't do was pull out the smaller drive. Is that what I should have done to make the bigger drive the C drive?

[tempus]

Originally Posted by computerlady The computer is not that old, it was just built sometime last year. The C drive is older than that but it was still in good use so that is why we used it. And yes there was software with the new drive which I used. It just never switched the drives. It did recognize the 200 gb and did what it was supposed to do with that. The only thing I didn't do was pull out the smaller drive. Is that what I should have done to make the bigger drive the C drive?

If you boot only the new drive, set as master, it should show as C. Make the old drive as a slave and all should be good.