Off topic. Can I replace my C drive without - Answer - YES!

James.UK · Unread post by **James.UK** » 04 Mar 2008, 16:04

Does anyone know if -- how -- I can replace my C drive without reformatting my existing one?

Basically I need a bigger-faster drive as my C Drive, the one I have is old, slow, and 76% full.. It is a 20 gig.. But only runs at 25 (whatever) compared to speeds of D = 52 G = 55 (info obtained from running PC-Pitstop) but as it's the main drive it controls my PC speeds overall..

.

But -- I have some important programmes on it that I can't replace as I don't have the original CD's or installs for them..

I have far too much stuff on my PC to want to reformat anyway E.G. my "Flight Simulator X" has about 14 CD's on its own!, but is loaded onto my G drive, on which, all installed programmes will fail to work if I reformat - reinstall WinXP Pro on a new C Drive..

Sooo, back to my question, can I replace my C Drive without having to reformat my existing one? I.E. install a new drive - transfer my old C onto the new one in its entirety..??? Then remove my old C drive..

PC info .. I am on WinXP pro sp2.
2x1 gig of ddr ram running on duel core.
Athlon 3200+ CPU ...
Dives - C = 20 gig..D = 40gig.. G =300 GIG (SATA).. H (USB) = 500 GIG
graphic card is RADEON X800 XT platinum Edition
Monitor.. Viewsonic 2235 WS.
AverTV card..
USB 2 = 8ports.[/b]

KP · Unread post by KP » 04 Mar 2008, 16:19

Best thing for it is to use a piece of software called norton Ghost. get your new drive and hook it up to the system, removing your D drive in the process.

Put the CD or floppy in with the software on it and then just get it to copy the stuff from the old drive to the new drive and it will sort the rest out.

Best bit of software for this kind of problem really

James.UK · Unread post by **James.UK** » 04 Mar 2008, 16:44

Hi Kp and thanks for the reply..

Unfortunately, is spite of many attempts, I cant get Norton Ghost to work properly with WinXP. Its copies my C drive to a file on my Gdrives ok. but -- It will NOT make a bootable CD no matter how I try??? And without that, then I cant get access to the file on the Gdrive once i remove my C drive!!!!! argh..

I used Ghost for years on Win98se and it was brilliant! as I could access via a floppy disc and use DOSS commands to run Ghost from my other drive.. BUT -- it will NOT work on WinXP no matter what they claim!! grrrr... I can not find any way to access the ghost file on my G drive once the C drive is removed or disconnected..

Running Ghost from the C drive results in a total crash!! as you are literally overwriting the programme thats running it!! don't even ask!!!

"Ghost" tells you to make a bootable CD, but after dozens of attemps I have been unable to do so.. Following their instructions just results in my going round in circles forever!! lol.

Several of my friends have also tried to make a Bootable CD with their copies of Norton Ghost, and to date, all have failed..

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MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 04 Mar 2008, 17:20

Use backup, install XP onto new drive then restore backup to the new C drive.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 04 Mar 2008, 17:49

Hi James

The best way to use Ghost is to create an MS-DOS Startup (boot) floppy and copy ghost.exe to it and then boot your PC from the floppy. You can make a boot floppy by insering a blank disk into your floppy and formatting it as an MS-DOS Startup Disk.

So you've no floppy? Find a PC that has!

To make the floppy useful, you may have to copy cmd.exe to it to give you a C:\> prompt.

To make a bootable CD, you'll need a bootable floppy for Nero to take an image of and plant it onto the bootable CD it creates. At the bootable CD create time, copy ghost.exe to the CD and if you really want to be flash, make an autoexec.bat file on the CD to run ghost.exe at boot time!

Ghost is excellent and the best possible way to do what you want to do.

Using NT Backup in XP you would need to create an ASR set but this, compared to using Ghost is a very hard way of doing it.

If you have a problem making a bootable floppy or CD, let me know and I'll make one for you and drop it in the post..

reblack68 · Unread post by **reblack68** » 04 Mar 2008, 18:31

There's a Seagate utility that seems to do the job pretty well. I think it only works if a Seagate disc is involved somewhere.

It's called Discwizard and is found on this page.

James.UK · Unread post by **James.UK** » 04 Mar 2008, 19:17

Hi Jim. Erm I didn't understand half of what you said!!

But I do still have the Win98se floppy boot discs, and an "A" drive installed.

But.. XP hasn't got a DOSS that I can find or use..

Would it recognise a floppy anyway? (all my drives are on NTFS not fat32? does that matter?

I think the anwser is for me to buy a boot CD from you if you could make one for me? I will very gladly pay for your time and trouble..

I can ghost C drive into a file format on my G drive, then disconnect my C and replace it with a new drive. At that point, I'm lost!

.. Would I then be able to use your Boot CD to copy the C drive Ghost file back onto the new Drive? (I have a copy of "Norton Ghost" both on CD and on my G drive.

I would need some help though, things like, can I name my new drive "C" somehow? do I need to even? As you probably gathered I am not a techie, but I can usually sort some simple PC problems by being completely logical.. heh heh..

My email is:- Jamesoneuk at AOL dot com -:if you would be kind enough to email me, I can give my details and-or will ring you if that's ok..

If -- I can solve this problem with your help -- it will save me many many hours of agro reformatting and installing approx 60 cd's + the internet set-up, graphics, TV etc etc and I doubt i could find some of the old drivers for some of my stuff.. So as stated Jim, I will very gladly pay for your time and help..

James..

Reblack -- Re Seagate thanks for the info..

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Unread post by **CitroJim** » 04 Mar 2008, 19:57

Hi James,

Sorry

I'm a shocker for going all technical

I just tried to make a bootable floppy and my only floppy drive has died through lack of use, as they so often do these days

PM me your address and I'll pop a bootable CD in the post for you... I'll pop some basic instructions in with it.

Take a ghost image of your C: Drive using my CD to your G: Drive, install your new C: Drive and Ghost your new drive.

A couple of cautions. I recommend you use the same type of drive for your new C: Drive. If it was an IDE, then use an IDE drive for your new one. Generally neither Ghost nor the operating system likes a change from IDE to SATA or vice-versa. The results can be unpredictable.

MOST IMPORTANT CAUTION: Keep your old C: Drive untouched as a reserve just in case it all goes horribly wrong. Don't overwrite it until you know for sure all is OK with the new drive.

James.UK · Unread post by **James.UK** » 04 Mar 2008, 23:36

Hi Jim..

Thanks for that, I will suss out the PM fingy and send info asap..

I will install the new drive on the IDE plug and power lead that the old one was on, just to be sure to be sure.

. And will keep the Old Drive "just in case" as you sugest.. Not that any of my plans ever go amiss --

Thanks again, for all your help..

EDIT PM sent...
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Ross_K · Unread post by **Ross_K** » 05 Mar 2008, 00:14

James, download HDClone here: http://www.miray.de/download/sat.hdclone.html

Run the install.exe file and you'll be given a choice of making a bootable floppy or CD.

Keep your old drive as master, set your new one to slave, boot off the floppy (or CD) and Bob should be your uncle.

James.UK · Unread post by **James.UK** » 05 Mar 2008, 11:19

Hi Ross.

I wrote this last night, but the forum fell over and I was unable to post untill now.. Good job I always write in my email then copy paste here innit! lol.

Making a clone of an existing drive is fairly easy, BUT -- My C drive has my operating system on it! and that makes life very very difficult! you can't have two operating systems running, you have to change the BIOS so you choose which one you boot from every time you log on. After that you can't do anything much with the other "C" drive without loging out and back in on the other drive. I know because my brother just installed a 2nd operating system on his "D" drive, but is still unable to Ghost" his old "C" drive from it, and is having awfull problems trying to sort it all out again.. dohhh..

Plus, in my case, there is no more room for any extra drives! (3 hard drives, a floppy, and 2 DVD players/writers installed already) and I only have two IDE slots to work with, and splitting the IDE cables slows a PC down and that's the opposite of what I am trying to do.

There are a few more complications with that idea as well, so I will stick with Jims plan as I think that will work.

Replacing your "C" drive is much much harder than it would appear, in fact Jim is the first one I have met who actually knows how to do it.. (we hope!!) lol.. Most techies say it can't be done..

Thanks for the ideas though,

I do appreciate it..

.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 05 Mar 2008, 11:27

James.UK wrote:I wrote this last night, but the forum fell over and I was unable to post untill now.. .

Tell me more...

What symptoms did you get?

Reason I ask is I've had a couple of glitches on the ADSL link to the databases. I did a couple of config changes last evening...

All was fine when I went off-line at about 11PM and still OK when I looked at about 05:50 this morning

James.UK · Unread post by **James.UK** » 05 Mar 2008, 11:39

Hi Jim..

At about 2 am ish when i tried to submit a reply to Ross, it said something like blah de blah line blah blah can't access databese.. There were 3 lines in all, the 2nd and 3rd were almost identical, then a sort of brief summery at the foot of it all..

Some of the wording was in BOLD lettering, basically it appeared to say that some of the script was wrong for access to the server??

Sorry this is so vague, but i didn't understand the default massage and failed to copy it anywhere. If I get any future probs I will copy the info just-in-case. ..

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James.UK · Unread post by **James.UK** » 05 Mar 2008, 12:37

Hi Jim

Ooops forgot to mention I don't have Nero burning prog on this PC. I use Roxio instead.

I did have nero but it would not find my CD drives for some reason?? so i uninstalled it again..

I hope this wont be a problem?...

Mike? Sorry -- I have only just noticed your post! duhhh

When you back stuff up I don't think it copies all the dll files. sys32 stuff, root dir, etc etc so wont work if you change the C drive, put a clean copy of WinXP on it, then try to copy it back.. I wish it did!! lol..

Please don't take everything I say regarding PC's as gospel, I am deff NOT a techie and most of it is either assumptions based on logic, guesswork, and-or my personal experience working with my own PC, so I may well be wrong about some things, hopefully though, other people will correct any mistakes I may be making.

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MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 05 Mar 2008, 13:31

Hi James,

It's quite common for "techie's" to have to replace failed C drives so I guess you're talking with the wrong ones that suggest otherwise

XP pro can backup the complete drive, including "System State", just tick that box and tick the C drive. It will copy all files, especially the one's you're concerend about. If you're still unsure, have a quick gander at the Help & Support section, that should ease your mind.