[chaosunknown]

I just bought a new IDE hard-drive for my 7 year old gateway computer. I still use this computer for browsing the web and simple stuff like that so I decided to keep it around. So I got a new hard-drive because I wanted to replace the old one cause it was going bad. What I need to know is how can I transfer the operating system and all the data from the old hard-drive to the new one. I already have the old hard-drive set to master and new one set to slave and is ready to transfer. And yes the operating system on the computer is windows xp after I upgraded from millennium about 1yr ago. Any help would be appreciated.

~ chaosunknown ~

[b1gapl]

I'm not sure if you can transfer operating systems to another hard drive. You probably are going to have to do a clean install of XP on the new one.

[chaosunknown]

Yea but the windows xp disc I have is only for upgrading from a previous windows operating system before xp. So that means I have have to go out and buy the one made for clean installs?

[TheEnd187]

if you have another windows disk like 98 or ME, you can insert it during a clean install after you agree to the eula and then it will let you do a clean install anyways. pm or posrt in here if you have more questions, alternatively i'm pretty sure you can make an image or clone the hard drive with some programs

[chaosunknown]

Alright I will see if I have another windows disc somewhere. Thanks for the help.

[Trotter]

Ghost will do the job. but it ain't free.

There is a 15-day trial on MajorGeeks:
|MG| Free Download - Norton Ghost 10.0.0.8400

If you bought a Seagate drive, here is their free backup utility to copy your old drive to the new one:
Seagate Technology - DiscWizard

Apparently Maxtor now uses the same utility (since Seagate bought them).

Acronis also has a 15 day free trial:
Download HDD ghosting, data backup and restore software for home and home office PCs

Surely one of these will get you taken care of.

I have used Ghost, and it does the job right. Just make sure that you have it copy the MBR (Master Boot Record) or your copy won't be able to boot.

[chaosunknown]

Alright thanks Trotter for the help, thats what I was looking for.