[barneyhelper]

Planning to upgrade my main hard drive on my Dell 9100 desktop (purchased in 2005). I've had some problems lately like Windows message telling me couldn't write a file, data lost, could be hardware problem or network connection and the computer is frozen (without anyone using it). I run my computer 24/7 with APC battery backup unit. Then the power supply went out and I took it to repair shop where they replaced power supply and some capacitors on motherboard. Still got the message and computer hang afterward, so I'm going to replace the WDC WD2500JD-OOHBCO 250Gb SATA main drive (8 years old) with a new 500Gb Seagate SATA drive using DiscWizard's clone software.

Question 1, does the new drive need to be formatted before cloning?

Question 2, should I use the Automatic or Manual clone feature of DiscWizard?

Question 3, Should I use a different cloning software?

Appreciate your comments

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Hello barneyhelper

The problem with cloning the data on the HDD is that if there is corrupt data on the HDD you will be duplicating it on the new HDD, I would suggest that you first try and determine if the present problem is hardware or software related.

Will the computer actually boot into Windows.
The computer was I believe shipped with XP is this the OS that you are using.
Do you have a Dell XP disk that may have been provided with the computer or did it ship with a recovery partition, if so is the partition still present on the HDD.

In answer to your questions, 1: for a clean transfer of data format the new HDD first. 2: & 3: never used DiskWizard so would suggest Easeus (free) http://www.todo-back...up-software.htm

[phillpower2]

Hello barneyhelper

The problem with cloning the data on the HDD is that if there is corrupt data on the HDD you will be duplicating it on the new HDD, I would suggest that you first try and determine if the present problem is hardware or software related.

Will the computer actually boot into Windows.
The computer was I believe shipped with XP is this the OS that you are using.
Do you have a Dell XP disk that may have been provided with the computer or did it ship with a recovery partition, if so is the partition still present on the HDD.

In answer to your questions, 1: for a clean transfer of data format the new HDD first. 2: & 3: never used DiskWizard so would suggest Easeus (free) http://www.todo-back...up-software.htm

[barneyhelper]

Hello phillpower2,

I did a reinstall from an XP Home Edition disc last year after "blue screen" (updated to SP3). Dell only sent ResourceCD and Tools System Software CD with desktop. I've run chkdsk /f /r and know I have 8Kb of data in bad sector on original hard drive. No problems with bootup. Problem only sporatically appears when computer is idle.

[phillpower2]

Thanks for the update barneyhelper

If you have an XP Home disk I would format and partition the new HDD, do a fresh install of XP and then copy any important data from the problem HDD to the new one, a HDD with any bad sectors on it is not to be trusted as more are guaranteed to follow, you could always keep the present HDD somewhere safe as a back-up device in the event of an emergency.

Dell drivers are known to be problematic to install/update so it is important that when you make any hardware changes you follow the correct driver installation procedure so as to avoid problems http://www.dell.com/...0401E0A55174744

[barneyhelper]

Hello phillpower2

Thanks for the advice. Have my work cut out for me as I will have to update XP to SP3 after installing OS and then copy all other programs/data files to same from original HD. Wish I could just clone and then repair new HD.

[phillpower2]

Hello barneyhelper

You could clone the HDD if you are prepared to take the risk that comes with it, with a clean install comes stability and the option for you to only copy from the flaky HDD the data that you want.

[iammykyl]

nGday.
When installing a new BOOT Drive to a computer that already has one, best practice is to disconnect the original boot drive before installing the new OS, this to stop windows becoming confused with the new install.

I will have to update XP to SP3 after installing OS and then copy all other programs/data files to same from original HD.

You can copy your DATA but will need to reinstall any programs you require.

[barneyhelper]

Hello phillpower2 and iammykyl

Interesting Note: Since I ran chkdsk /f /r yesterday, I've experienced no problems with the computer and Windows XP error log is not reporting any errors beyond Mar 30 2013. However, when I run chkdsk (no switches) I get messages that free space marked as allocated in the master file table (MFT) bitmap and the volume bitmap. It goes on to say to run chkdsk /f to correct these but when I do this it doesn't change anything.

I'm attaching a word document file of the screenshot of this.

Any ideas on this?

[iammykyl]

Hi.
Your attachment failed to upload.
In your next reply, click on Use Full Editor, type any text, then
click on >Click to attach File< in the window that opens select your file,
click open.
the file will appear just above, click to attach file. (will not appear in the main window until the reply is uploaded)
Click Add Reply.

[barneyhelper]

Sorry iammykyl,

Unable to resend Word file document per your instructions. I even tried converting it to .rtf and DOS text files but it would not upload. The file basically says:

CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the master file table <MFT> bitmap.
CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the volume bitmap.
Windows found problems with the file system.
Run CHKDSK with the /F <fix> option to correct these.

As I said before, rerunning CHKDSK with the /F switch does not change this statement.

[iammykyl]

Gday.

As I said before, rerunning CHKDSK with the /F switch does not change this statement.

Only guessing, perhaps there is actual physical damage to the drive which would make a repair impossible.




While you still have a working system, I would follow Phillpower2's advice and do a clean install of the OS, install drivers, update the OS.

Dell only sent ResourceCD and Tools System Software CD

As you have already installed XP once, I take it that the 2 dell disks contained the required MBdriversetc.? Once up and running you might look at updating, being mindful of Phillpowers2's comment about the order of updating. > http://www.dell.com/...0401E0A55174744