New Hard drive

Calumetbud · Jul 21, 2008, 11:22 PM

I got a new Hard drive that i want to use, is it best to do a clean install of windows and then transfer all files from prev HDD. or boot up with the HDD I have now and then do a file transfer. Thanks

BlueMak · Jul 22, 2008, 12:11 AM

So, I guess you want to replace your old drive with the new, right?

What I would do is the following.
Create two partitions in the new hard drive. One smaller one (30-80GB depending on your OS) and one with the rest.
Using your original drive, copy all your files you don't want to lose, to the second largest partition of the new drive.
Then remove the old and use the new drive and its first partition to install Windows there, while leaving as is the second partition.

If you just do a fresh installation on the new one and try to just copy the files using the new installation, then you will have some problems since you will not have permission to copy or even see files from certain folders of the old installation.

Of course, you could always use some program to clone the old drive to the new one, but I have never done that before so I can't help with that.

Tipstaff · Jul 22, 2008, 08:39 AM

If there is nothing wrong with your current Windows installation, you could clone the old drive to the new one. After that you can compare the contents of the 2 drives, and format the old one once you are confident everything got transfered. This would save you hours of having to reinstall applications, getting updates, and transferring data. Also, this way you would have an exact copy of the original drive just in case something goes wrong with the new drive. If that happens you can always go back to the old drive until you get things sorted out. Another benefit is that everything gets roughly defragmented during the cloning process, but since it's a rough defrag it's recommended to do a regular defrag from within Windows once everything is up and running.

Do a search on the net for a disc called "Hiren's BootCD", specifically version 9.5. On there is a program called "Ghost" which you can use to do a disk to disk clone.

If you are not happy with the current Windows install, or want to do a fresh install, then you could do Bluemak's suggestion. Just to clarify something though: I think Blue meant to say that you should make 2 partitions with the first being the one you are going to install to with the second being the one you would use to dump all your important data to. That is, however, if you decided to get rid of the old drive. You could always keep both drives installed, using one for the OS and any program installs, and the old drive as storage.

Syndicate2083 · Jul 22, 2008, 01:29 PM

I have a few friends that 'arichive' old drives like this so that they have a ready drive with all of the stuff they had in case a disaster happens.

You could also make mirror copies to DVD, other friends of mine do that and label them by month based on what they install so they have at least two backups with most of their stuff on them in fire boxes. (They run some business stuff out of their house so it helps to have it in a secure and safe place

)

What the two gentlemen mentioned above are great options for you though, good luck!

-Syn

procupine14 · Jul 22, 2008, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syndicate2083

I have a few friends that 'arichive' old drives like this so that they have a ready drive with all of the stuff they had in case a disaster happens.

You could also make mirror copies to DVD, other friends of mine do that and label them by month based on what they install so they have at least two backups with most of their stuff on them in fire boxes. (They run some business stuff out of their house so it helps to have it in a secure and safe place

)

What the two gentlemen mentioned above are great options for you though, good luck!

-Syn

yeah thats what me and a few others that I know do with our old HDDs.

When SATA 3GB/s came out I upgraded both of my Maxtors that were 1.5GB/s and now plug them in like once a month and make back ups of all of any new media (be it songs movies games what have you) I aquire along with the most recent setup.exe of my essential programs and ISOs or zips of my drivers. Mostly drivers just incase my wireless card doeesn't want to cooperate when i reformat my windows

Jul 21, 2008, 11:22 PM	#1
Calumetbud HardwareHeaven Junior Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 96 Rep Power: 0	New Hard drive I got a new Hard drive that i want to use, is it best to do a clean install of windows and then transfer all files from prev HDD. or boot up with the HDD I have now and then do a file transfer. Thanks

Jul 22, 2008, 12:11 AM	#2
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,465 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	So, I guess you want to replace your old drive with the new, right? What I would do is the following. Create two partitions in the new hard drive. One smaller one (30-80GB depending on your OS) and one with the rest. Using your original drive, copy all your files you don't want to lose, to the second largest partition of the new drive. Then remove the old and use the new drive and its first partition to install Windows there, while leaving as is the second partition. If you just do a fresh installation on the new one and try to just copy the files using the new installation, then you will have some problems since you will not have permission to copy or even see files from certain folders of the old installation. Of course, you could always use some program to clone the old drive to the new one, but I have never done that before so I can't help with that. __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*

Jul 22, 2008, 08:39 AM	#3
Tipstaff HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Real capital of Canada: Torauna Posts: 6,773 Rep Power: 190 System Specs	If there is nothing wrong with your current Windows installation, you could clone the old drive to the new one. After that you can compare the contents of the 2 drives, and format the old one once you are confident everything got transfered. This would save you hours of having to reinstall applications, getting updates, and transferring data. Also, this way you would have an exact copy of the original drive just in case something goes wrong with the new drive. If that happens you can always go back to the old drive until you get things sorted out. Another benefit is that everything gets roughly defragmented during the cloning process, but since it's a rough defrag it's recommended to do a regular defrag from within Windows once everything is up and running. Do a search on the net for a disc called "Hiren's BootCD", specifically version 9.5. On there is a program called "Ghost" which you can use to do a disk to disk clone. If you are not happy with the current Windows install, or want to do a fresh install, then you could do Bluemak's suggestion. Just to clarify something though: I think Blue meant to say that you should make 2 partitions with the first being the one you are going to install to with the second being the one you would use to dump all your important data to. That is, however, if you decided to get rid of the old drive. You could always keep both drives installed, using one for the OS and any program installs, and the old drive as storage. __________________ Portal: The Flash Version _________________________________ Brain: So, you sacked the cocky khaki Kicky Sack sock plucker? Mr. Sackett: The second cocky khaki Kicky Sack sock plucker I've sacked since the sixth sitting sheet slitter got sick.

Jul 22, 2008, 01:29 PM	#4
Syndicate2083 HardwareHeaven Lover Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Framingham, MA Posts: 228 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	I have a few friends that 'arichive' old drives like this so that they have a ready drive with all of the stuff they had in case a disaster happens. You could also make mirror copies to DVD, other friends of mine do that and label them by month based on what they install so they have at least two backups with most of their stuff on them in fire boxes. (They run some business stuff out of their house so it helps to have it in a secure and safe place ) What the two gentlemen mentioned above are great options for you though, good luck! -Syn __________________ -Crash the silence for the sake of memory. Intrinsic Realities, Veteran-USN.