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Replacing hdd in PC and preserving everything?


Waylander
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I think the (single) hdd on my main PC might be on the way out slowly as old data is becoming corrupted.

My yardstick is that old pix and home videos now not viewable.

It is 500GB and split into 3 partitions: OS, User Data, Media (pix/video)

Plan to get a new 2gb hdd to replace it.

Ideally I wouldn't mind reinstalling the OS to get the nippy feel of a new install but tbh I really can't be fussed having to install everything else and manually re-enterring all the Outlook account data etc etc etc.

I guess one option is simply to use a clone app and transfer the whole lot across?

Any way or even any point to do a 1/2 way house and reinstall OS but clone everything else across?

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reinstall O/S and use the built file migration app and/or copy over folders containing saved files.
So go ahead and clone any problems across to your new drive, you know it makes sense :smashfreak:

Although, you need to set a day aside to do a complete MS OS install with all the service packs and updates.

Fair enough.

So what are the logistics of this.

I have a pc with a hdd installed with the OS and data etc.

I have a new hdd.

How do I go about it?

Will I have to reinstall all my apps?

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I have a 300gb external hdd that I have currently backed all the photos/documents etc etc to - conected to the pc via usb

I have also bought a new 2tb external drive that I haven't unboxed yet that I plan to copy everything from the 300gb drive across to

pc has 3 users: me/wife/kids.

-All photos are mapped to a central photo folder on a separate partition (on the single drive)

-user data has been mapped to another partition not the OS partition (I will have to recall how I did this!!)

-wife's user data is a mess as there is loads just on her desktop!

Edited by Waylander
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Which O/S? Come on don't embarrassed to name it but I'm guessing Win 7?

Transfer files and settings from another computer

http://youtu.be/-Hi5zTrReNQ

1) install new OS and the programs you want on new hard drive, then spend a day doing all the updates :grin:

2) Copy the "Windows easy transfer" files from USB drive to you new computer (hdd).

Edited by Andy_Bangle
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  • 2 weeks later...

If I clone an old winXP drive onto a new SSD drive and then boot from the SSD will windows run fine?

My till is old and feeling slow, but I can't reinstall windows and all the software again, it has to be done by the pos tech team and they charge by the hour. Just not worth it.

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Let you off Mac :P

Gizze, get yourself an Intel 330 SSD* and use the Intel SSD Toolbox to keep everything running nice +++

Edit: Intel also provide free Data Migration Software which works on XP to migrate your data.

Edit 2: and yes, turn off XP defrag :)

* assuming 60GB is enough? No connection with store, was just cheapest with stock.

Edited by Andy_Bangle
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  • 4 months later...

Okay well I know it is an age since I asked but I finally got round to doing this.

The cloning over using Reflect was seamless; then use Gparted to adjust the partition sizes.

It is somewhat slower to boot up - I guess this is due to the larger hdd size?

The thing that is really frustrating me though is that now for some reason the boot up stalls for an age at the splash screen until the external 2tb drive spins up.

It didn't do this pre hdd change.

I wondered if it was because I had swapped the usb from the dell hub to the back of the pc so I put it back into the hub but it makes no difference.

I have checked and removing the external hdd (whilst still slower than with the older smaller internal hdd) does speed it up by ~15.

Adding it back and it waits until I hear the external hdd spin up and then it resumes.

Any ideas please?

In time when I have spare cash I think I am going to be tempted to swap out to t system ssd and use the 2tb new drive for storage.

I confess I am even toying with putting the old hdd back in and just keeping it as the system drive and leaving the other user-data and media files on the new one...probably won't make any difference though I bet.

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