reinstalling xp

[norco1]

my original hd is almost filled and getting a bit noisy. my intent is to replace the old hd . what is the procedure to reinstall os to a new hd? please advise

[infiniti25]

Please provide more information for us to help.

You might want to post information about your current setup, anything that is of importance to you(backup of data) and what OS licences you legally hold for use when reinstalling.

EDIT

And what OS discs you have.

END EDIT

If you have an OEM machine, you *might* encounter problems activating windows.

Edited December 3, 2008 by infiniti25

[IcemanND]

you don't have to resintall, unless of course you want to start of fresh. You could just image the old drive to the new drive and then everything is the same only with more space.

[norco1]

dell 4500 pc with standard pkge software and reinstallers. i also have an external drive for backup.

Edited December 4, 2008 by norco1

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

my original hd is almost filled and getting a bit noisy. my intent is to replace the old hd . what is the procedure to reinstall os to a new hd? please advise

Read my post #14 here ...

Clean up Extremely bloated (27GB+) ...

This method preserves the existing Windows installation (no re-install), all programs and data gets carried over without changes. If you want to re-install Windows, this method is not your solution.

NOTE: some hardware expertise is required, specifically the handling of harddrives, cables, jumper Master/Slave settings, entering and changing the BIOS, etc.

[norco1]

thanks. i have two hds working. the original hd is the one almost out of storage. i assume that i remove the second hd in order to access the exchange, or is there something i should know before taking action? norco1

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

thanks. i have two hds working. the original hd is the one almost out of storage. i assume that i remove the second hd in order to access the exchange, or is there something i should know before taking action? norco1

To the quoted assumption, the answer is YES, the cloning procedure is done without the D: drive present. However, to be safe, I would get a little more specific in detailing your current configuration and, where you want to end up. You have implied that the external HDD is the backup drive but did not say if it was USB or extenal SATA.

Assuming for now that you have two HDD's in typical configuration, C: and D:, where C: is the Windows XP System drive, and D: is on USB (***), I would proceed in this manner ....

* Disable the USB D: drive (disconnect it). Reboot and test that WinXP still works and make sure that no system files are now missing. This precautionary step is to verify that D: really is just a data/storage drive. Many times I have seen situations where WinXP becomes spread onto more than one HDD because someone installed a critical program on D:, or executed a .INF there, moved their swapfile, temp internet folder or any number of things. Reboot a few times (D: is still disconnected). Once you are certain you can operate without D: attached then you begin ...

* Obtain the Seagate CDROM and set it aside. Make sure either your current C: or your new HDD (future C:) is a Seagate. Enter the BIOS (Dell is usually F2 or F10), enable boot from CDROM, and make the CDROM first in sequence. Save BIOS Settings (Reboot). In Windows, pop the CDROM disc in, cancel autoplay (if it occurs) and then shutdown.

* Leave the C: where it is, attach your new HDD somewhere (master/slave jumper check). Power up and make sure that the Seagate program (actually Acronis) sees both drives. If not STOP!. If so, the Cloning fun begins.

Before doing the cloning read their handy PDF manual from their DiscWizard webpage. You should first read through the thread here at MSFN called Restoring a System Backup ... and see my post #5 and post #9 which includes some detail.

But before you go further, outline your hardware in more detail! Too many assumptions here!

(***) NOTE: I usually advise folks to re-letter any USB HDD's and FlashDrives and all CDROM/DVD drives to higher drive letters like U: (nice for USB HDD's); K: and T: (Kingston, Flashdrives, Thumbdrives); V: and R: and W: (DVD, Read, Write); while reserving D:, E:, F: for Hard Disks and their partitions on PATA/SATA channels. This is best done immediately after using such hardware for the first time. Changing the letters later can break programs naturally.

[norco1]

Number of Disk Controller : 1

Number of Hard Disk : 2

Number of CD-ROM Drive : 2

Drives Letters : A:\ C:\ D:\ E:\ F:\

Floppy Disk : 3½" HD (1.44 Mo)

Drive C: (Hard Disk) : 8 GB available on 39 GB

Drive D: (CD-Rom) : 0 KB available on 0 KB

Drive E: (DVD-Rom) : 0 KB available on 0 KB

Drive F: (Hard Disk) : 193 GB available on 203 GB

these are my drives plus and external usb component

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Number of Disk Controller : 1

Number of Hard Disk : 2

Number of CD-ROM Drive : 2

Drives Letters : A:\ C:\ D:\ E:\ F:\

Floppy Disk : 3½" HD (1.44 Mo)

Drive C: (Hard Disk) : 8 GB available on 39 GB

Drive D: (CD-Rom) : 0 KB available on 0 KB

Drive E: (DVD-Rom) : 0 KB available on 0 KB

Drive F: (Hard Disk) : 193 GB available on 203 GB

these are my drives plus and external usb component

You must mean two disk controllers. Anyway, another large assumption now (please correct me if I am wrong) ...

C: is HDD with WinXP System on Primary Master (PM)

D: is CDROM on Primary Slave (PS)

E: is DVD on Secondary Master (SM)

F: is HDD on Secondary Slave (SS)

G: is the USB Drive when attached(?)

Also, none are SATA? On a side note, you may want to consider chucking both optical drives for one new DVD Writer (Pioneer is like $25 at NewEgg). It will save you some power and noise, and having a free ATA position makes popping in a drive (like in this exact circumstance) much easier!

Anyway, assuming this information is correct, with minor editing to my previous post (in this color), the process is ...

* Disable the USB drive (disconnect it). Power down and disconnect the secondary channel devices (but leave them where they are physically): this is done by pulling the ribbon cable from both the DVD drive E: and HDD drive F:, and also pull their 'molex' power cables (please diagram the current cabling positions first). Close it up. Reboot and test that WinXP still works and make sure that no system files are now missing. This precautionary step is to verify that HDD F: and the USB HDD are really just data/storage drives. Reboot a few times (the Drives are still disconnected). Once you are certain you can operate without those drives attached then you begin ...

* Obtain the Seagate CDROM and set it aside. Make sure either your current C: or your new HDD (future C:) is a Seagate. Enter the BIOS (Dell is usually F12 or ESC or F2 or F10), enable boot from CDROM, and make the CDROM first in sequence. First note the current settings! Save BIOS Settings (Reboot). In Windows, pop the CDROM disc in, cancel autoplay (if it occurs) and then shutdown.

* Leave the C: where it is, attach your new HDD *** Here is how I would do this. I would not mount this HDD yet since it is destined to replace the current C: drive. Since you still have the secondary channel ribbon cable attached to the mobo but disconnected from the drives, and those two 'molex' power connectors are also free, with the case open I would just plop the new drive down right next to the computer (on a few books for height), set the jumper on this new HDD for MASTER or SINGLE, attach the ribbon cable END POSITION connector to the HDD, attach the power connector, and perform the Cloning: Power up and make sure that the Seagate program (actually Acronis) sees both drives. If not STOP!. If so, the Cloning fun begins.

* When done, this new HDD will simply physically replace the one that is currently drive C:. NOTE: you can not leave the jumper on SINGLE, it will have to be MASTER with slave present (read the label and website docs). Once the old one is out, and the new one is in, re-attach the secondary devices (check your written diagram), button it up and power on. Catch the BIOS (btw, on Dells it could be F12 or ESC or F2 or F10). Change the boot order back and also disable CDROM boot (if that is what you originally had written down).

It sounds bad but it is simple really. One hour and WinXP is transplanted to a newer, faster, bigger disk. The old one can (and should) be stored away for an emergency such as fire, theft, defective new drive or fatal virus attack. You will be able to revert to that exact point in time that the old HDD was replaced. Note, I glossed over the care and handling of this hardware, static precautions and other obvious care must be taken! If you have any doubts or questions you should ask them before you proceed. Others please feel free to chime in as well!

[norco1]

would using an external drive a more convenient way to copy into? thanks for your interest

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

would using an external drive a more convenient way to copy into? thanks for your interest

Just to clear up terminology a bit: the described process is actually called Cloning. You used the term Copy which can have a wide variety of meanings, from Duplicating (e.g., disk copy) or in the Windows Explorer sense, making copies of any files that Windows allows you to. Cloning is not a disk copy, nor should it be since the disks are most often not identical (technically speaking, key parameters in the Boot Sectors must be changed to point to different locations on the different HDD). Copying is not a solution in any sense for the task at hand. The Cloning process described above is performed by a very competent application created by Acronis that knows how reset those key bytes in the new/different drive's Boot Sectors so that it may pass muster when the BIOS and Windows Boot Loader uses it.

To answer the question: No. Unless you are talking about external SATA (or what I often do: external PATA B) ), you are implying external USB. Even controlled under Windows USB 2.0 is too slow. Add in a dodgy DOS-like driver (from the bootable CDROM) you are asking for a much longer waste of time which creates a larger window of opportunity for an error to occur. Plus, your original post is about replacing the internal Windows XP system drive! Your question is therefore a bit outside of the goal, but please explain if I am mis-understanding.

Have faith friend, you can easily accomplish what you asked about in the first post, rest assured. But please: we need to now hear a better description of what drives you have and where you are going. What is the old drive, what is the new one? Remember that one needs to be Seagate! I'm not even sure if these are PATA or SATA! Information overload is good! What do ya got?