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Author Topic: File Copying  (Read 5488 times)

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Barefoot_Tom

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    Intermediate
    File Copying
    « on: December 09, 2006, 05:50:35 PM »
    I've just succeeded in getting a new hard drive for my wife's computer up and runnung. It's formatted and partitioned. Now --- on to the next challenge.

    The reason for the new drive is that the old one, which is the C: drive  is small (3 gig) and almost full. I thought that I'd replace it with a larger drive. I don't want to go through the hassel of re-installing Windows, and then having to re-install all the programs, because of the Registry. I thought I could coppy the entire contents of the old C: drive to the new drive, and then set the new drive as the Master, and I'd be off and running. I should have known .....

    Copying all the contents of the old drive (except for the Windows directory) was easy. Copying the Windows directory is a challenge I haven't overcome yet.

    I've booted from a Start-up disk, and then tried to use xcopy to copy the Windows directory from the C: drive to the new drive I've st up as a slave (D:), but no luck. I get a message saying the F: Drive isn't ready (F: Drive, what F: Drive?)

    Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to do what I want; or any other suggestions as to a different way to go about it.

    Incidentally, I'm using WIN98SE as the OS on the existing C: drive.
    Tom
    « Last Edit: December 09, 2006, 05:52:10 PM by Barefoot_Tom »
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    GX1_Man

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    Re: File Copying
    « Reply #1 on: December 09, 2006, 06:12:45 PM »
    Sometimes a new hard drive comes with the software to do this. Or did you just get a bare drive? What brand? Did you check the drive maker's site?

    If you hooked the hard drive up as a slave, then it is an extended partition, not a primary partition which is what is needed for Win98 to boot.
    « Last Edit: December 09, 2006, 06:17:23 PM by GX1_Man »
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    patio

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    Re: File Copying
    « Reply #2 on: December 10, 2006, 12:43:26 AM »
    I agree with GX here...the CD that shipped with that HDD should have a "clone" utility which will make an exact copy of your existing drive and all that is left is to reset the jumpers and cabling and you should be good to go
    « Last Edit: December 10, 2006, 12:44:11 AM by patio »
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    Barefoot_Tom

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      Re: File Copying
      « Reply #3 on: December 10, 2006, 09:20:58 AM »
      Unfortunately, the hard drive was a used one. It's a Maxtor, and I've been to their site. They provided programs so that I could format and partition the drive, but nothing to let me copy the contents of another drive. Maybe I overlooked something. I'll go back and check again.
      Meanwhile, any other ideas?
      Tom
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      patio

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      Re: File Copying
      « Reply #4 on: December 10, 2006, 10:00:50 AM »
      Everything You Need

      Remember after you are done to move the new drive to the end of the ribbon cable, jumper it as master and it should boot up into Windows exactly as the old one did with all your Programs, data etc.
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      Barefoot_Tom

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        Re: File Copying
        « Reply #5 on: December 10, 2006, 12:05:53 PM »
        Quote
        Everything You Need

        Remember after you are done to move the new drive to the end of the ribbon cable, jumper it as master and it should boot up into Windows exactly as the old one did with all your Programs, data etc.

        Thanks, but that's not particularly helpful. If I were able to copy the Windows folder to the new drive I wouldn't have asked the question.
        Tom
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        2k_dummy



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          Re: File Copying
          « Reply #6 on: December 10, 2006, 12:27:47 PM »
          The idea with Maxblast is not to simply copy a directory, but to clone the entire drive. It should be able to create an exact duplicate of everything on the old drive.
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          patio

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          Re: File Copying
          « Reply #7 on: December 10, 2006, 12:45:40 PM »
          Quote
          Quote
          Everything You Need

          Remember after you are done to move the new drive to the end of the ribbon cable, jumper it as master and it should boot up into Windows exactly as the old one did with all your Programs, data etc.

          Thanks, but that's not particularly helpful. If I were able to copy the Windows folder to the new drive I wouldn't have asked the question.
          Tom

          Simply copying folders to a new drive will not make them function...they won't run and the drive will not be bootable.
          Use the utility i linked to...
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          Fed

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            Re: File Copying
            « Reply #8 on: December 10, 2006, 12:54:43 PM »
            There's something virginal about a clean install. :)
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            GX1_Man

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            Re: File Copying
            « Reply #9 on: December 10, 2006, 02:05:28 PM »
            And smarter in the long run.
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            patio

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            Re: File Copying
            « Reply #10 on: December 10, 2006, 02:22:55 PM »
            I'm only sending him down this road cause he stated he didn't want to have to re-install all his apps and OS...

            Even at that it's a pretty simple procedure that should be done by now.
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            mcf747



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              Re: File Copying
              « Reply #11 on: December 10, 2006, 06:50:04 PM »
              just use the utility..........already or do a clean install.
              I wuld just to a clan istall with windows xp and slave up your old drive easy acces to your files and you have a new updated OS
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              2k_dummy



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                Re: File Copying
                « Reply #12 on: December 10, 2006, 06:53:52 PM »
                I'll never understand why people sing the praises of XP. IMO it is a dispicable excuse for an OS.
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                Barefoot_Tom

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                  Intermediate
                  Re: File Copying
                  « Reply #13 on: December 11, 2006, 12:44:27 PM »
                  Quote
                  just use the utility..........already or do a clean install.
                  I wuld just to a clan istall with windows xp and slave up your old drive easy acces to your files and you have a new updated OS

                  Well - my recessive stupidity gene seems to have become dominant. I downloaded MaxBlast from the Maxtor site, and used it to partition the new hard drive. I didn't pay attention to the other things available with Maxtor. Your suggestion, and others, made me go take another look. I found the utility for copying the entire disk, and I'm now off to try it.

                  I'll report back on results.
                  Tom
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                  patio

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                  Re: File Copying
                  « Reply #14 on: December 11, 2006, 02:09:31 PM »
                  Excellent , let us know...

                  I've done this hundreds of times for customer's and it really is close to bulletproof...
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