Win 98 to Win XP copy files?

[tony draper]

Just built a new puter and installed Win XP on to a new hard disk,is it possible to copy some files I would like to keep from my old hard disk with win 98 op system across to the new disk by installing the old disk as a slave in the new machine?
Thanks in advance for any help.

[frostbite]

Probably, but whether worthwhile depends on what type they are - many programs have to be installed by the routine route and just copying will cause problems.

[P.Pilcher]

I have had no problems copying files across my LAN from my win 98 machine to my XP equipped one. The software files worked fine, but I tended to use the XP install facility to check and install them. Some. designed in the days of Windoze 3, 3.1 and 3.11 can't cope with long filenames and are happiest working out of their own folder on the main c: drive, but I've had few other problems.

P.P.

[rotorcraig]

is it possible to copy some files I would like to keep from my old hard disk with win 98 op system across to the new disk

Yes definitely - the files will copy across.

If they are photos, documents and spreadsheets, etc then no problems.

If they are software applications then as others have said above it depends on the individual applications as to whether they will just run, or whether you would be better off finding the original CD/floppy/download URL and reinstalling.

RC

[Spitoon]

Originally Posted by tony draper

is it possible to copy some files I would like to keep from my old hard disk with win 98 op system across to the new disk by installing the old disk as a slave in the new machine?

Shouldn't be a problem, just make sure that it is set to be a slave and your XP drive is the boot disk (the latter will normally not be a problem but I have seen a fairly exotic BIOS which couldn't cope with two drives with boot sectors). Tell the BIOS to auto-detect the drive and with a bit of luck it will just appear in Explorer. Note all this is based on IDE/PATA drives, I haven't had any experience of SATA.

[tony draper]

Thanks chaps I have always found it easier to install the old disk as a slave and copy the stuff across to the new one ,never had a prob doing it with two win 98 disks just wondered about 98 to XP, they are mostly Folders of MP3 backing tracks I have collected over the last few years,finding and downloading them all again would be a pain.
Will give it a try tomorrow.

[rotorcraig]

never had a prob doing it with two win 98 disks ... mostly Folders of MP3 backing tracks

Just do what you usually do, should find no difference at all.

RC

[Tinstaafl]

Short answer: Yes.

Longer answser: You'll need to plug the drive into either the second plug on the new PC's HD cable (if it has the second plug otherwise you could also unplug the optical drive & use its lead into the old drive)

You might need to use disk formatting software to remove the boot flag on the old drive's Win98 partition. Not sure if WinXP will have a hissy fit with two HD, each with a boot flag. Win98 did. I use Ranish Partition Manager. Very good but use it carefully.

[Saab Dastard]

You might need to use disk formatting software to remove the boot flag on the old drive's Win98 partition

Definitely NOT necessary.

SD

[Jhieminga]

I've done this a few times, always succesfull. Just make sure the jumpers are set correctly and set the BIOS to auto detect the new drive. XP will then recognise it and you'll be sorted.

[tony draper]

Did it this morning chaps no probs,had a disk with win2000 and one with 98 on once,tried the same excercise to copy stuff from the 2k disk across to the 98 one tried installing the 2k disk as a slave but the machine would not wear it,it insisted on booting from the 2k disk.
Anyway all done and dusted,thanks chaps.

[Tinstaafl]

Interesting about not needing to remove the boot flag. Last time I needed to do this my system froze as soon as the drive was plugged in. Only resolved once I removed the boot flag.

Perhaps it was my sysem: A laptop & I used a PC-card caddy for the HD.

[Saab Dastard]

Tinstaafl,

I do not doubt your experience -

I was referring to TD's situation of a desktop PC, with Master / Slave on Primary / Secondary IDE channels.

In this situation the Primary Master will ALWAYS be the first boot HD, and any others are simply ignored.

SD