[dan7brit]

I recently posted about the "hard drive failure imminent" report I receive when I power on my computer. The replies I received suggested replacing my hard drive.

I was wondering if anybody could provide some advice about how I can transfer my old hard drive data (O/s files, drivers) across to my new hard drive?

Old Hard Drive is a Seagate SCSI 250GB ST32031-OAS
New Hard Drive is a Samsung 350GB spinpoint S300
Motherboard is an NVidia MCP61
PC is a HP Pavillion a6411-uk

Thanks

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Hi dan7brit,

You have a couple options really. Let me explain:

1. You can "clone" your existing drive which makes an exact replica of your current system and transfers it to the new hard drive. After that, you would simply disconnect the old drive, set the new drive as your primary boot drive and it should boot up as if nothing had changed. Sometimes cloning software doesn't work and there can be troubles. Worth a try I presume.

2. You can perform a fresh install of your Operating System onto the new hard drive. This requires you have your Windows XP disc. Also, you will have to install necessary drives like ethernet, video, and/or audio. There can be others too. It would be like purchasing a new computer... adobe flash would need to be installed, same with adobe reader and Java. Windows would have to be updated to the latest service pack as well. The operating system would run flawlessly, nice, fresh, and clean. If you choose this option, I'll explain further on how to backup and transfer documents like pictures, music, videos, etc.

I think for the regular consumer, cloning is probably the easiest most efficient way to go. Just hope it works. Luckily for you Seagate makes a fine cloning utility called DiskWizard that a friend of mine was just talking about the other day. He has had very good success with it.

Download HERE
Instructional Video/Graphics HERE

Please Note: The instructions I linked to show a laptop. You do not need the external USB Enclosure or extra tools mentioned. You need to just install the new hard drive into the desktop computer and then follow the rest of the cloning instructions. See?

Once the clone is complete you'll see a screen like this: Please read it.



Assuming both of these drives are SATA (having a hard time finding them given the model numbers you have mentioned ???. Anyways, what the above image is saying is that you will have to turn off the computer, unplug your old SATA drive, and then unplug the new SATA drive frpm the second port and replug into where the old one was plugged into. Usually port 0. (zero). After that, restart the computer.

Let me know if you have questions, I'm trying to cover a lot, but I can help walk you through it step by step. That instructional video should help a lot. I'm unaware if you are knowledgeable enough to know what SATA ports on a motherboard look like or where to install the hard drive in your computer, so let me know if you need help.

Keep in touch.

Edited by Ferrari, 20 March 2010 - 07:47 AM.

[Ferrari]

Hi dan7brit,

You have a couple options really. Let me explain:

1. You can "clone" your existing drive which makes an exact replica of your current system and transfers it to the new hard drive. After that, you would simply disconnect the old drive, set the new drive as your primary boot drive and it should boot up as if nothing had changed. Sometimes cloning software doesn't work and there can be troubles. Worth a try I presume.

2. You can perform a fresh install of your Operating System onto the new hard drive. This requires you have your Windows XP disc. Also, you will have to install necessary drives like ethernet, video, and/or audio. There can be others too. It would be like purchasing a new computer... adobe flash would need to be installed, same with adobe reader and Java. Windows would have to be updated to the latest service pack as well. The operating system would run flawlessly, nice, fresh, and clean. If you choose this option, I'll explain further on how to backup and transfer documents like pictures, music, videos, etc.

I think for the regular consumer, cloning is probably the easiest most efficient way to go. Just hope it works. Luckily for you Seagate makes a fine cloning utility called DiskWizard that a friend of mine was just talking about the other day. He has had very good success with it.

Download HERE
Instructional Video/Graphics HERE

Please Note: The instructions I linked to show a laptop. You do not need the external USB Enclosure or extra tools mentioned. You need to just install the new hard drive into the desktop computer and then follow the rest of the cloning instructions. See?

Once the clone is complete you'll see a screen like this: Please read it.



Assuming both of these drives are SATA (having a hard time finding them given the model numbers you have mentioned ???. Anyways, what the above image is saying is that you will have to turn off the computer, unplug your old SATA drive, and then unplug the new SATA drive frpm the second port and replug into where the old one was plugged into. Usually port 0. (zero). After that, restart the computer.

Let me know if you have questions, I'm trying to cover a lot, but I can help walk you through it step by step. That instructional video should help a lot. I'm unaware if you are knowledgeable enough to know what SATA ports on a motherboard look like or where to install the hard drive in your computer, so let me know if you need help.

Keep in touch.

Edited by Ferrari, 20 March 2010 - 07:47 AM.