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#1
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Replacing the boot drive, w/o reinstalling Windows and the apps?
Am I correct here in assuming that one CAN (simply) replace their original
bootable HD, without reinstalling Windows and all the programs all over again, by either using Ghost, or (maybe?) the HD manufacturer's utilities that come with the new drive? (I'm thinking of Western Digital here) Do the drives have to be the same size for Ghost imaging? Hopefully not!!! The more I think about this, I think it would have to be done with Ghost, or something like that, to prevent reinstalling everything all over again. I doubt if the HD manufacturer's utilities would be enough. |
#2
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Replacing the boot drive, w/o reinstalling Windows and the apps?
Update from some more reading....
Seems like Norton Ghost is the best way to go here, unless someone else has any other ideas. Bill in Co. wrote: Am I correct here in assuming that one CAN (simply) replace their original bootable HD, without reinstalling Windows and all the programs all over again, by either using Ghost, or (maybe?) the HD manufacturer's utilities that come with the new drive? (I'm thinking of Western Digital here) Do the drives have to be the same size for Ghost imaging? Hopefully not!!! The more I think about this, I think it would have to be done with Ghost, or something like that, to prevent reinstalling everything all over again. I doubt if the HD manufacturer's utilities would be enough. |
#3
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Replacing the boot drive, w/o reinstalling Windows and the apps?
Every imaging program that I've run into can copy, as well as image, a
partition. Some older versions may have problems with XP, hard drive capacity limitations and so forth. "Bill in Co." wrote in message ... Am I correct here in assuming that one CAN (simply) replace their original bootable HD, without reinstalling Windows and all the programs all over again, by either using Ghost, or (maybe?) the HD manufacturer's utilities that come with the new drive? (I'm thinking of Western Digital here) Do the drives have to be the same size for Ghost imaging? Hopefully not!!! The more I think about this, I think it would have to be done with Ghost, or something like that, to prevent reinstalling everything all over again. I doubt if the HD manufacturer's utilities would be enough. |
#4
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Replacing the boot drive, w/o reinstalling Windows and the apps?
I've used the utilities that come with a Maxtor drive to clone an old hard
drive onto a new one without any problems but I can't speak for any other drives/utility programs. Ghost will do the job but you may not need to spend the money on it. Try the drive utility first - you have nothing to lose since your old drive remains intact even if the copy utility fails. -- Richard G. Harper [MVP Win9x] * PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups * for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to. * HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm "Bill in Co." wrote in message ... Am I correct here in assuming that one CAN (simply) replace their original bootable HD, without reinstalling Windows and all the programs all over again, by either using Ghost, or (maybe?) the HD manufacturer's utilities that come with the new drive? (I'm thinking of Western Digital here) Do the drives have to be the same size for Ghost imaging? Hopefully not!!! The more I think about this, I think it would have to be done with Ghost, or something like that, to prevent reinstalling everything all over again. I doubt if the HD manufacturer's utilities would be enough. |
#5
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Replacing the boot drive, w/o reinstalling Windows and the apps?
BootIt NG (BING) includes an Image and/or partition copying program that works
just fine. -- Gary S. Terhune MS MVP for Win9x "Bill in Co." wrote in message ... Am I correct here in assuming that one CAN (simply) replace their original bootable HD, without reinstalling Windows and all the programs all over again, by either using Ghost, or (maybe?) the HD manufacturer's utilities that come with the new drive? (I'm thinking of Western Digital here) Do the drives have to be the same size for Ghost imaging? Hopefully not!!! The more I think about this, I think it would have to be done with Ghost, or something like that, to prevent reinstalling everything all over again. I doubt if the HD manufacturer's utilities would be enough. |
#6
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Replacing the boot drive, w/o reinstalling Windows and the apps?
Thanks Gary, et al.
I've got a copy of BootItNG, but have never run it. That would be great. Or the utilities that come with the new drive, if they can do it (as Richard suggested). So let me be very specific he if I currently have a 40 GB HD, divided into two partitions, I can image it over to a new 80 GB drive, and be able to select the new partition sizes? No, that doesn't sound right - imaging should only make an exact copy of the original drive. So maybe what happens is it images over the 40 GB, and leaves the rest of the drive (the other 40 GB) unused) Then later I could resize the partitions to use the entire drive? (I don't want to reinstall *anything* - I just did that awhile ago, and don't want to go thru it all over again)! Gary S. Terhune wrote: BootIt NG (BING) includes an Image and/or partition copying program that works just fine. -- Gary S. Terhune MS MVP for Win9x "Bill in Co." wrote in message ... Am I correct here in assuming that one CAN (simply) replace their original bootable HD, without reinstalling Windows and all the programs all over again, by either using Ghost, or (maybe?) the HD manufacturer's utilities that come with the new drive? (I'm thinking of Western Digital here) Do the drives have to be the same size for Ghost imaging? Hopefully not!!! The more I think about this, I think it would have to be done with Ghost, or something like that, to prevent reinstalling everything all over again. I doubt if the HD manufacturer's utilities would be enough. |
#7
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Replacing the boot drive, w/o reinstalling Windows and the apps?
BING permits you to resize and move partitions, in addition to copying, imaging
to CD/DVD, etc. Copy the OS partition to the beginning of the new drive. You should already know that an OS partition over 8GB forces clusters larger than 4KB, which in turn means less efficient operation, both because of wasted slack space (unused portions of clusters) and because Win98 is optimized to manage virtual memory in 4KB chunks, and if the HDD clusters are also that size, can access the VM directly rather than having to read it back into RAM first. Frankly, it's nuts to put the Win98/98SE or ME OS on anything other than an 8GB or smaller partition. Do what you will with that info. As for other partitions, the smaller the files you expect to store there, the more waste you'll encounter using large partitions. I also find it convenient to add a 4 to 8 GB TEMP partition, dedicated to TEMP and TIF environments (plus whatever other short term storage uses you might have--like WinZip TEMP). I use a separate partition for My Documents, OE stores folder, and other personal files, a separate partition for images, a separate one for downloaded files--free/shareware, patches, et al. Of course, I have other partitions dedicated to things that would make no sense to you, due to my business and particular needs. But dividing up your files in this manner can go a long ways toward assisting in organizing your files and keeping things neater, requiring less maintenance and risking less chance of small corruptions causing major damage. -- Gary S. Terhune MS MVP for Win9x "Bill in Co." wrote in message ... Thanks Gary, et al. I've got a copy of BootItNG, but have never run it. That would be great. Or the utilities that come with the new drive, if they can do it (as Richard suggested). So let me be very specific he if I currently have a 40 GB HD, divided into two partitions, I can image it over to a new 80 GB drive, and be able to select the new partition sizes? No, that doesn't sound right - imaging should only make an exact copy of the original drive. So maybe what happens is it images over the 40 GB, and leaves the rest of the drive (the other 40 GB) unused) Then later I could resize the partitions to use the entire drive? (I don't want to reinstall *anything* - I just did that awhile ago, and don't want to go thru it all over again)! Gary S. Terhune wrote: BootIt NG (BING) includes an Image and/or partition copying program that works just fine. -- Gary S. Terhune MS MVP for Win9x "Bill in Co." wrote in message ... Am I correct here in assuming that one CAN (simply) replace their original bootable HD, without reinstalling Windows and all the programs all over again, by either using Ghost, or (maybe?) the HD manufacturer's utilities that come with the new drive? (I'm thinking of Western Digital here) Do the drives have to be the same size for Ghost imaging? Hopefully not!!! The more I think about this, I think it would have to be done with Ghost, or something like that, to prevent reinstalling everything all over again. I doubt if the HD manufacturer's utilities would be enough. |
#8
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Replacing the boot drive, w/o reinstalling Windows and the apps?
Gary, my own personal preference is logical drive simplicity, and two is
enough for me to deal with (despite the wasted space, slack, efficiency, etc, which I am aware of). However, my questions still stand, as written below. Was I correct in what I wrote? Let me edit it a bit: "Bill in Co." wrote in message ... I've got a copy of BootItNG, but have never run it. That would be great. Or the utilities that come with the new drive, if they can do it (as Richard suggested). So let me be very specific he if I currently have a 40 GB HD, divided into two partitions, I can image it over to a new 80 GB drive, and be able to select the new partition sizes? No, that doesn't sound right - imaging should only make an exact copy of the original drive. So maybe what happens is it images over the 40 GB, and leaves the rest of the drive (the other 40 GB) unused) Then later I could resize the partitions to use the entire drive? That is where I'm a bit confused - as to what is really possible, with imaging and BootItNG. |
#9
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Replacing the boot drive, w/o reinstalling Windows and the apps?
Until you divulge the HD capacity you're copying to, all bets are off. The
pay for's/freebies and its versions all have capacity limitations. "Bill in Co." wrote in message ... Update from some more reading.... Seems like Norton Ghost is the best way to go here, unless someone else has any other ideas. Bill in Co. wrote: Am I correct here in assuming that one CAN (simply) replace their original bootable HD, without reinstalling Windows and all the programs all over again, by either using Ghost, or (maybe?) the HD manufacturer's utilities that come with the new drive? (I'm thinking of Western Digital here) Do the drives have to be the same size for Ghost imaging? Hopefully not!!! The more I think about this, I think it would have to be done with Ghost, or something like that, to prevent reinstalling everything all over again. I doubt if the HD manufacturer's utilities would be enough. |
#10
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Replacing the boot drive, w/o reinstalling Windows and the apps?
I think I did in my last post - didn't I?
Lil' Dave wrote: Until you divulge the HD capacity you're copying to, all bets are off. The pay for's/freebies and its versions all have capacity limitations. "Bill in Co." wrote in message ... Update from some more reading.... Seems like Norton Ghost is the best way to go here, unless someone else has any other ideas. Bill in Co. wrote: Am I correct here in assuming that one CAN (simply) replace their original bootable HD, without reinstalling Windows and all the programs all over again, by either using Ghost, or (maybe?) the HD manufacturer's utilities that come with the new drive? (I'm thinking of Western Digital here) Do the drives have to be the same size for Ghost imaging? Hopefully not!!! The more I think about this, I think it would have to be done with Ghost, or something like that, to prevent reinstalling everything all over again. I doubt if the HD manufacturer's utilities would be enough. |
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