New Hard Drive Installation for an HP

[needhelpreallybad08]

I have a HP Media Center PC m1180n, running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005.  The HDD that came with the computer is failing, so I'm replacing it with a brand new (and larger) HDD.

I read about this issue: http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,22476.0.html and now I'm scared.

My HP also did NOT come with a Recovery DVD, but rather a Recovery Partition.  Knowing I'd obviously be losing the partition when I took out the HDD, I ordered the actual Recovery DVD from HP for $25.

I'm now afraid that when I install the brand new HDD and then try to load the Recovery DVD, I'll have a similar problem as http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,22476.0.html or something of that nature...

Any suggestions/precautions before I open the new HDD and try installing it??

Thanks!

[Dusty]

According to your pc specs (here) your mobo has two sata sockets.   Before your original hdd dies can you not install your new drive and clone the existing partitions to it so that it becomes bootable as well for backup??? (You should always have backup for your recovery partition)

Good luck

[needhelpreallybad08]

According to your pc specs (here) your mobo has two sata sockets.   Before your original hdd dies can you not install your new drive and clone the existing partitions to it so that it becomes bootable as well for backup??? (You should always have backup for your recovery partition)

Good luck

I guess that could be an option -- how do I go about "cloning" a drive/partitions?  Do I need separate software to do this?

Not to distract from Dusty's suggestion, but do you think I can just install the new HDD and use the Recovery DVD (or will I indeed face problems)?

Any help is much appreciated!

[Dusty]

how do I go about "cloning" a drive/partitions?  Do I need separate software to do this?

Yes, and a free cloning program will probably be available at the disk manufacturer's website.