Author Topic: How to change a hard drive and transfer data (Read 1664 times)

zephra · « **on:** August 04, 2005, 17:38 »

Could someone give me some info on changing a hard drive.I have to change one out.It still works I just want to know how to transfer the data and set up the new one.
Thanks

Simon · « **Reply #1 on:** August 04, 2005, 18:38 »

I think one of the easier methods is to install the new hard drive, while the old one is still there, and just copy across what you want to keep from the old drive, before removing it. Or you could keep the old drive for extra storage space. If you'd like to tell us the reason why you want to change the drive, we might be able to come up with something more fitting to your circumstances. Also, if you want more details on how to install the new drive, just ask.

Sandra · « **Reply #2 on:** August 04, 2005, 18:59 »

I will assume that youre using either XP home or professional but the procedure is similar for any OS.

If you just have the single hard drive in your system at the moment then it will be set up as a single master by the positioning of a "Jumper" at the back of the drive.
The jumpers are small plastic pieces with a metal connector inside that connects two pins together on the hard drive to set it as a single master, a master with a slave or as a slave depending on which pins are shorted out by the postion of the jumper.

What I would do in your position is to remove the existing drive and fit the new drive in its place as a single master.
Install your operating system on it, this is where it differes between XP and the earlier OSs as XP starts and installs from the cd whereas 98 and ME have to be started with a floppy boot disc then installed from the cd.

Once your pc is running properly then add the original drive back alongside the new one, you will need to set the jumpers for a slave on the old one and maybe there may be a different postion on the new one for a single master or a master with a slave.
There is usually a digram on the hard drive itself showing how to position the jumpers.

When you restart the pc the new drive will show as Drive C and the old drive may be E or F depending on how many CD or DVD drives you have but you can easily see which it is when you open My Computer.

To transfer your data from the old drive to the new one just create a new folder on your new drive and open it and then copy and paste whatever you want from the old drive into it.
You can then format the old drive to wipe it clean and you can then remove it or leave it in place as extra storage if desired.
If you remove it then you may have to reset the jumper position again on the new drive.

I hope this explains it fully enough for you, if theres anything that you dont understand or would like clarification on please ask

zephra · « **Reply #3 on:** August 06, 2005, 17:48 »

Windows xp is built in to my compaq I only have the recovery disk.Could I set the new drive as the slave keep my current one as the master transfer my files to my new drive shut down and make my new one the master and remove my old one?
Thanks

Sandra · « **Reply #4 on:** August 06, 2005, 18:23 »

You would have to partition the new drive if you are doing it that way.
Make two partions using the Disk management feature in Computer management in Admin tools.
Then once they have been created and formatted you can copy the files you want to save to the second partition of the new hard drive.
Then remove the old drive and set the new drive as a master and install the OS to the first partition.

The one snag that you may have is that Compaq, as well as other manufacturers, have a habit of putting the files on a hidden partition which the recovery CD can access when it reinstalls the OS.
I am not certain that a recovery CD alone can install onto a new drive :?

Simon · « **Reply #5 on:** August 07, 2005, 02:17 »

Quote from: "Sandra"

The one snag that you may have is that Compaq, as well as other manufacturers, have a habit of putting the files on a hidden partition which the recovery CD can access when it reinstalls the OS.
I am not certain that a recovery CD alone can install onto a new drive :?

I think you're correct, Sandra, but I'm sure I read somewhere that this hidden partition can be found - with Partition Magic, or similar, perhaps? If so, could this partition be copied across to the new drive, in order to use the recovery CD to install Windows?

Sandra · « **Reply #6 on:** August 07, 2005, 02:44 »

If it could be found and accessed then that would probably be possible.

I have a failing and I think now totally failed hard drive here at the moment from a Tiny pc, bought a couple of weeks before their parent company went bust :shock:

That has a small, presumably hidden partition that I couldnt access either in XP or using Fdisk.
The partition was detected but the data wasnt available. I didnt try partition magic or a program like that though.
If it is possible then I would recommend that anyone who has a pc that only has a restore CD tries to access the hidden partition and clones it to a cd in case of a drive failure at a later date

Simon · « **Reply #7 on:** August 07, 2005, 11:37 »

Here's something which might be of interest:-

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/install/hard_drive.htm

and here's some more info about XCOPY

http://www.computerhope.com/xcopyhlp.htm

Sandra · « **Reply #8 on:** August 07, 2005, 12:44 »

Thats ok for a normal installation Simon, but not for one thats pre installed I dont think.
Its worth a try if the restore CD wont install to a new drive but the "Hidden Files" its referring to are the ones on the drives and partitions that you can access, not the hidden partition on the master drive