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Upgrading computer with important data

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7 replies

by meltvn

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Hi

I need to upgrade a computer.
The new computer has been bought with Win ME and installed on a 20gb hdd.
I still need the information on the old computers hdd but it is running Win 98. Some programs on the hdd also need to be used still.
Myidea is to load ME and slave the 98 Hdd so that the computer boots to ME and Wins 98s Files is readable. The information files can then be copied to the new hdd until all the programs can be installed to the new ME drive?
When a program on Win 98 is needed they can boot to it with a boot disk?

Does any of you agree with my method or is there a better suggestion out there, there is no servers to do the backups to, only the one computer with the x2 hdd?s.

Thanks
Melt

7 replies

by jereg

The method you describe is probably what I would do in that situation. I've done it several times. However, I would only copy the data files to the new hard drive and then remove the old drive. Any programs should be reinstalled. If you don't have the original CD's, you don't need the software. By that I mean, if you suffered a hard drive failure, you don't have anyway to get that software back. If tou can't reinstall the software, you don't really need it. One of my users here had 2 hard drives with complete operating systems installed. After a year the poor PC got so confused it locked up. I had to remove one of the drives just so it would boot again. I would not leave the old drive in, unless you reformat it.
Hope that helps......

by cyberknyght

Using windows me and FAT 32 you will be able to read the files on the slave drive, however any (non dos) programs on the slave (win98 drive) will not work because they won't be in the windows me registry. My advice would be to install windows me onthe old drive, let it take the old win98 registry and merge it with the new windows me one. Then after the install is done, take the 20 gb drive and make it the master and switch the old drive to slave. Then use the dos norton ghost to ghost the old drive to the 20 gb drive, copy the ghost image from the 20 gb drive to the old drive, then use norton again to ghost the image from the old drive to the 20 gb. This is a lot of steps I know, but it will work.

by shuja52

What you have plan is best. You must backup all your data in new harddisk before doping anything.

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