I have xp home and can't find anyway to do it by back up etc. Help please.
2006-10-18 11:24:52 · 8 answers · asked by Snowlizard 3 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Other - Hardware
I have a larger hard drive installed on the computer but can't find a backup function anywhere in my version of windows
2006-10-18 11:32:09 · update #1
you just cant mave os from one drive to another.
there is system restore in xp (rt click my comuters => proreties => system restore ) but it is not a backup utility. try instaling norton ghost for backups.
and try installing os on new drive.
windows will not let you move the os files in any case. even if youo do it ur comp will not start so dont.
2006-10-18 13:49:44 · answer #1 · answered by Vivek K 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can move the contents of your hard drive to a bigger drive by installing and running imaging software - such as Norton Ghost or True Image ... I believe a company by the name of Paragon also produce imaging software. Sometimes I have seen other released as freeware on the front of PC magazines.
The software will usually give you options to produce an image onto CD, DVD or another hard drive if you can install 2 harddrives along side each other.
Once the image is complete ... Install the bigger hard drive and restore the image produced onto the new hard drive.
2006-10-18 11:38:36 · answer #2 · answered by Soft Regmail 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hello. I know of a way using Linux. First plug the new hard drive into your machine's spare hard drive socket. You'll need to set the little switches (jumpers) on the connection so that the drive shows up as a "slave" drive. I can't tell you how to do this bit because I don't know but someone here (www.daniweb.com) will. Next, get hold of a Linux Live CD and boot your machine from it (make sure boot priority set to CD first in the BIOS).
The master and slave hard drives will probably show up as hda1 and hdb respectively. If you have multiple partitions on your old drive they will show up as hda1, hda2, hda3 etc. but this doesn't matter. Now, open a console and type:
dd if=hda of=hdb
If the drives show up with different names you will need to change this line slightly. This command will copy the entire contents of your old drive (including MBR and filesystem(s)) to the new one. Be aware it will take ages to complete unless your using a supercomputer. When the prompt reappears its done. Type "poweroff" to shut down Linux and remove the CD. Reset the jumpers to make the new drive the "master" and your done. Windows will complain a bit when it notices the drive has changed but don't worry.
2006-10-18 11:48:23 · answer #3 · answered by mushy pea 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On original drive: go to
START>ALL PROGRAMS>ACCESSORIES>SYSTEM TOOLS>FILE AND SETTINGS TRANSFER WIZARD.
Run the wizard ensuring you save the file to a removable storage.
Install your new hard drive, external or internal. Install OS, onto new drive.
Boot to new drive, repeat the wizard on here, but choose restore files and settings, once its started.
That should do it fine. Even your desktop will look the same as on your old drive. When you get you new drive, partition it to two partitions, using "partition manager" then in future install your OS on one partition then save files to the other. That way even if you have a major system crash, assuming its not HDD failure, you files will be safe.
PROB the easiest method:
Another good tool is software "DriveClone" this creates a current image of you drive, which anytime you need you can reload it. This is the kind of thing a manufacturer does to create a restore disk, saves all the expense of OS Cd's. Just remember keep it up to date.
2006-10-18 11:50:32 · answer #4 · answered by poisonous_sweetie 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have Windows XP home OEM it will refuse to update or validate from the Microsoft website. The license is for the pc as it was when you installed it. A new hard drive invalidates the licence.
It may be different if you have the full program - but then you'd have the disc.
2006-10-18 21:56:16 · answer #5 · answered by sarah c 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you have a router? You can usually do network transfers if the PC's are connected.
Otherwise, there are other alternatives such as backing up your info on a DVD-R, or purchasing Zip Disks, External Hard Drives, Etc.
2006-10-18 11:27:08 · answer #6 · answered by djl3e 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
remove your hard drive from pc and install the new one.
then reinstall windows , after that get an external hard drive caddy ( about $ 35.00) to conect the old hard drive to your pc , and just copy /paste whatever you want from old to new hard drive.
2006-10-18 11:34:33 · answer #7 · answered by mhk9626 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
DOES YOUR COMPUTER HAVE ROOM TO INSTALL ANOTHER HARD DRIVE? IF NOT YOU WILL HAVE TO BACK UP YOUR STUFF ON CD OR EXTERNAL AND TRANSFER IT THEN YOU WILL HAVE TO RELOAD XP AND ANY OTHER SOFTWARE YOU HAVE ON THE CURRENT HD
2006-10-18 11:29:32 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋