Replacing Primary Hard Drive.

[cslg]

I have two internal hard drives of 40 GB each and two external drives of 80 and 160 GB. I need all this space mainly for audio files which I edit.

Of the internal drives, Windows XP is installed on the primary drive and Win 98 in the secondary drive. I wish to replace the Primary drive because I think it may be developing a fault. I have used Acronis to copy the image and content of the Primary drive with a view to copying it to the new replacement internal drive. This Acronis file is on an external hard drive.

My question is please, what is the process one uses to make the exchange and reinstate the old Hard drive's contents onto the new drive which will hopefully be automatically logged in by the BIOS as the primary hard drive. I am a bit stuck trying to fathom out how I do this bearing in mind that I will not be able to boot up from the primary drive. If somehow, I manage for this exercise to make the slave drive the first drive that the system reads on boot up, it would at best open up in Windows 98. Will it be possible through win 98 to undertake the copying to the new primary drive (elect). If so should I install the Acronis program on the slave drive?

I will be very grateful for some help. Many thanks

[Redcloud]

Just unplug the secondary tap from the 98 drive and plug in the new drive to it (no need to remove the 98 drive). Plug the new drive as the secondary and make sure the jumpers are set for secondary (otherwise it will reset your bios) (no need to format the new drive). Use your image software to "Copy Drive" (not create image). This will exactly replicate the new drive with all of the primary. Since it is larger than the present drive, no worry about compression. Unplug the primary and plug the new drive into it after setting the jumpers for a primary (you do not have to install at this time, just let it hang loose and free). Do a boot up test.

I'm assuming that Acronis works like Ghost in that you have the option to create image or backup drive. If not, you'll probably want to make the meager investment in Ghost.

As far as the 98 drive, I suggest doing the backup to one of the externals. Once done, remove the 98 and put in the new drive in the secondary plug. Format using full format, let all other settings at default. You will get a warning message, clidk O.K. If your getting a warning from an anti-virus program, just choose exclude. Do or not scandisk.

Then repeat backup from the external to the new secondary. (PS, you may want to completely rid the external of all data so that it will not be copied to the new drive).

Edited October 16, 2005 by Redcloud

[cslg]

Thanks Redcloud. Great help. I have a new Seagate and you just remove the jumper to make it a slave. So that bit is easy! Will follow your guide and see what happens. Very grateful. Cslg

[prathapml]

* topic moved to hardware hangout