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move data from hard drive

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by byteside

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I have a computer that the motherboard died. I have just replaced the board, not a problem. Now I want to get all my data and programs off of the hard drive. Here are my questions.

1. I am going to assume i cannot just stick my hard drive back in with a new motherboard and have everything work right. (motherboard drivers) So I want to perform a clean install of xp on new hard drive. Can I just move all the programs and files to new drive after install of xp and all my programs will work properly?

2. If I cannot just move things should i use a disk copy program like maxblast?

3. If i use a program like maxblast will it copy my os and programs and files or can i tell it to just move programs and files? I would prefer the clean install of xp.

I have been told not to use norton ghost and maxtor makes a great program. I think it is called maxblast.

Any help would be great.

10 replies

by thechas

How much "different" is the new motherboard compared to the old motherboard?

If the chip-set and on-board features are of the same manufacture, it might work as is.

One option is to have your old hard drive as the C: drive, boot from your XP CD and perform a repair installation.

As far as a clean installation, there are no easy ways to transfer your old programs onto a new hard drive with a clean installation of XP.

XP's file and settings transfer tool requires either a running PC, or a prepared transfer file.

Most of the other program relocation tools out there also require a running PC as the source.

As to MaxBlast, use EXTREME caution if you decide to run it.
DO NOT run in automatic mode.
Make sure that you do not install the drive overlay software.

As far as I know, the copy utility in MaxBlast and WD's Data Lifeguard Tools are designed to copy drives and partitions not specific files or folders.

Even if you were able to copy over just your data files and the Program Files folder, your applications would not be recognized by XP and many would not run.

What would be missing from a simple copy operation would be the registry entries and system files that many programs install.

If you want a clean install of XP for your new motherboard and hard drive, (which I fully agree with) you are going to have to go through the process of reinstalling all of your applications again.

You can copy over and import data files from the old hard drive.

Some programs will install a little faster and recover your user preferences if you copy over their installed folder.

Summary:
Install XP clean onto your new hard drive.
Install at least SP1 for XP and most if not all critical and security updates.

Copy your data files from the old hard drive.
Import your mail and favorites.

You can copy the Program Files folder contents onto the new hard drive.
Use caution with folders that already exist.
Do NOT replace existing files.

Reinstal

by thechas

Cloning or imaging a hard drive (what Ghost does) is a quick way to:

A: back up your existing system configuration for a quick restoration of the entire system.

B: create a common installation for a number of identical systems.

PC mfgs clone the hard drives since each production lot uses the exact same hardware configuration.

Businesses use image files to set a specific system configuration of installed software.
A business may need a unique image disk for each different hardware configuration.

You can Ghost your hard drive to restore your system to the same condition it was the day you created the Ghost image.

However, neither cloning or Ghosting covers your situation of moving an installed XP system to new hardware.

Microsoft used to have a knowledge base article on how to move XP to new hardware.
The recommended process was:

Back up the old system minus the Hardware Abstraction Layer.

Install XP clean onto the hard drive in the new hardware configuration.

Restore from your backup.

I have a link to a web site with a method to move XP to new hardware on another PC.

I will try to post another comment tomorrow with a link.

Chas

by byteside

So what is the purpose of cloneing or ghosting a hard drive? Is it purely for backup? I have heard the large MFG's clone there hard drives with pre-install loaded and send done the line to be placed in pc cases. How are they doing this? Mabey I was told incorrect info. Any way I will have to re-install everything. I have a voice recognition program that has been trained for the past two yrs. to recognize my voice. I will have to start all over with it after re-install.

by dryflies

Don't make it more complicaqted than it needs to be. First Try using the HD as is. If that does not work find a similar system and replace the hard drive in it with your HD from the dead system. You have a very good chance that it will work, but the more alike they are the better your chances. Then you should use the files and settings wizard to transfer your applications from the "surrogate" computer to the computer with the new motherboard.

by lmander56

I have seen where a motherboard change will work, and again where the hard drive will not bootup. Try the old hard drive in the computer. If it works, and you want the bigger hard drive. I use ghost to transfer the data to larger hard drive all the time with no problems.

If the hard drive does not work, then do a fresh install on the new drive. Then hook the second drive up as a slave, and get your data off the old drive. You will have to install the programs again. Some old Win95 and Win98 programs you can get running in WinXP; without reinstalling, if you know how to transfer the dll files off the old drive to the new drive in the proper directories.

by ozi eagle

Hi,
Some wisdom (?) from W2K.

Install your old HDD and try booting from it. If it works OK, if not you will get a blue screen of death with an error message. Note this message and search MS knowledge base. There is a potential fix, which involves booting from the OS CD and doing a repair of the OS, but it must be done from the second time you are asked whether you want to repair, not the first. I can't remember the full details, hence the suggestion to check MS.

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