Hard Drive copying

[InFinRetirement]

My turn to ask instead of answer.

I have two hard drives. One I wish to change to a much higher Gig value. I want to copy what is on the former to the latter.

I need help in performing the task.

Thanks

[TBone]

Need a little more info - you currently have two drives and are changing one of them to a larger drive ??

If so, why not just keep all your drives and relegate the old, small one as a slave. Your board should accept four drives from the IDE slots - 3 HDs, 1 CD-ROM, unless you have something else like a CDR as well.

Anyway, the easiest way to do this is to use msbackup to compress your current drive into one file and then restore it on your new drive.

If you could keep the current small drive, you could simply copy the info to the new one with a click of the mouse.

BUT... and it's a big but....

If you are replacing your main C: drive with a new master drive, there is no easy way to copy the contents over, unless you just want to save documents etc.

Your applications will not simply copy over, as (I assume you're using win95/98) the registry entries won't be copied with them. Basically, you'll have to re-install any programs.

If you could give us a little more info ??..

Cheers

[Feline]

InFinRetirement: Hmmm! I'm also a little puzzled about what you want to do, but must disagree with TBone - There IS a way of copying programmes from one disk to another.

It's a programme called Norton Uninstall (disclaimer - I don't work for Norton of Symantec). Norton Uninstall (as the name suggests) allows you to remove a programme from your machine (mostly fairly successfully, but not always). It also allows you to "Store" a programme (the programme "appears" to be still installed, but if you try and run it, Norton Uninstall pops up to point out that it has been stored and offers to re-install it - good if you haven't got too much disk real estate left. You can also "copy" a programme to another disk (or another machine).

I recently had a problem with my SCSI hard disk (prognosis was "massive software conflict"). Solution was to install another hard disk (as the bootable C: drive) and relegate the SCSI disk to being the D: drive.

Windows was completely re-installed on the new C: drive (which sorted out the "massive software conflict" by creating a new registry).

I then used Norton Uninstall to "copy" some of my programmes across from the old drive to the new drive. You point Norton Uninstall at the programme you want to copy, and it bundles it all up (including the data files) into a self executing file. When you execute this file, it asks you where you want it to go, and hey presto! that's where it goes. Note well that it copies the data files too - I used it to copy Symantec Act! (which is a contact management system) and it copied and re-installed the entire contact database. This is very much easier than re-installing the package off the original disk, and then battling to set all the fiddly options before installing the contact data base (which is actually a number of files that go into different directories).

So Norton Uninstall comes highly recommended (and it's not very expensive - about 50 quid).

However, it didn't manage to copy Microsoft Word - that had to be completely re-installed because the "copied" version bleated about some missing files. So you might need to mess around a bit (and at least you won't need any viagra for this kind of messing around)(joke!)

The other thing you might luck out on is that some packages install complete with their set-up files. These you could copy (use the right mouse button and "copy" rather than "move") the entire programe directory from the old disk to the new disk. Then, from windoze explorer, click on the "setup" icon and it should re-install on your new disk.

That assumes you are re-installing a new copy of your operating system onto the new (?) disk ...

One thing I certainly do NOT recommend is messing around trying to edit the registry. That is an area where angels should fear to tread. I know, been there, read the book etc etc and it took me three weeks to get the system back to where I wanted it.

Good Luck! (You may need it!)

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Feline
(I Sit, I Watch, I Smile)


[This message has been edited by Feline (edited 05 November 1999).]

[TBone]

Indeed - I was trying to offer a zero-dollar solution :)

Obviously there are packages that can make life easier, but we could help you more if you gave us more !

[InFinRetirement]

Apologies!

I have been away.

Got your inputs for which I offer my sincere thanks.

I like the idea of compressing my data and putting it back later. In that case! So long as I keep the drive letter the same ('D') the stuff which came from D will go back to D. Sounds good.

Thanks again.

[Dimsim]

I use Norton Ghost utility. This will copy a disk partition to another partition on the same disc or another disc. Thus you get a complete mirror image and don't have to worry about programs and registries.
I have two discs on my system, a 3Gb and a 6Gb. I work on the 3Gb (C drive) and every month or so I "ghost" the 3Gb to a partition on the 6Gb (D drive)for backup purposes. The whole process takes about 10mins and I end up with a perfect copy which you can boot from.
Don't know how much Ghost costs, but have a look at the Norton (Symantec) web site, you may even be able to get a free beta version.

[InFinRetirement]

Well it's cracked!

Tbone's idea of backing up worked. I simply used W98 own backup and with compression backup D: to C: It was a whole 1.7gb but it compressed to 999mb.

That's the good news. The not so bad news is that my new D: drive has Disk_Vol 2 in front of it and I can't seem to get it to plain D: Any ideas on that? I suspect I would have to deal with in DOS - but not sure. Anyway everything drop back home quite nicely.

Tbone - Feline - Dimsim. Thanks for taking the time and trouble to assist. It is very much appreciated.

Bye

[Feline]

IFR,

Well done! You're right, you can (should be able?) to re-label drive from DOS. Syntax is simple:

Get DOS prompt

Syntax: Label [drive:] [name]



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Feline
(I Sit, I Watch, I Smile)

[InFinRetirement]

Feline - oh brilliant one!

Me ex TC with no knowledge of tintax!

Expand please dear puss while I sit, I smile, I watch, I learn!

A:\ prompt yes, done! Label??? - ? ? to change from Disk2_vol1 (D :) - to plain (D :)

Thank you again.

I guess I should not have used the letter after C>>>> Now I got spinning faces!


[This message has been edited by InFinRetirement (edited 10 November 1999).]

[TBone]

Now this *is* dead simple - windows 95/et.al has automatically named your drive disk2_vol1.

It's still your D: drive, but if you really really need to change the name, fire up windows explorer, right click on the D: drive and select 'properties'.

That window will show you a box titled 'label'. Just type what you want to appear next to D: in it.

You don't need to do any of the above - your drive will function normally regardless of what name you give it (a 'volume name' to quote the industry I have happily left behind !).

Cheers

[InFinRetirement]

TBone!

Done. No problem!

Thats what I like about these forums, there is always someone who knows the simple way.

Thanks a lot.

Just realised what you added TBone, the industry has, therefore, lost a good 'un. Thanks again.

[This message has been edited by InFinRetirement (edited 11 November 1999).]

[Feline]

IFR,

I'm now doing what any self-respectin' cat does when embarrassed - sitting here washing myself!

Of course, TBone is absolutely right! I'm showing my age (and my apprenticeship with DOS)... Of course, TBone's solution exhibits the utter user friendliness of windoze!

Well done TBone!

Miaouw!

(Think I'll go beat up my mouse ...)



------------------
Feline
(I Sit, I Watch, I Smile)

[InFinRetirement]

Do not fret my Feline friend
Dwell not on your wish to mend
Just sit, watch and smile
It will be well, in just a little while

Syntax, fdisk, scandisk and all the rest
Words, putting fear and dread, in the very best
Why dos' it have to be a pimple
They said it would be so simple

Relax awhile, a gin some wine, perhaps a doze,
Dream, of cats, jumping in and out your windows
When you wake you'll not be cross
Tis then you'll be rid of that bloody DOS!

---------------------------------------------

I sat, I listened, I copied and I'm happy!!