Laptop hard drive upgrade

[jamupnorth]

I have a laptop with a 40gb hard drive and i want to put a bigger one in but how do i transfer the operating system & files ?

[Dippyskoodlez]

Originally Posted by jamupnorth

I have a laptop with a 40gb hard drive and i want to put a bigger one in but how do i transfer the operating system & files ?

With a laptop your best bet will be to just reinstall everything from scratch (i.e. windows CD).

You could use something like Norton Ghost if you had the proper tools to attach 2 laptop drives within the laptop, or a desktop.

[jamupnorth]

This machine has no windows disk as it restores from a hidden partition

[Dippyskoodlez]

There should be a way to burn a restore CD using that utility. This is a not very effective way to do it (as it takes like probably 10-15 CD's) but it should be an option if you boot to it.

[Agility]

It would be better off if you get a bootable cd.

[jamupnorth]

Originally Posted by Dippyskoodlez

There should be a way to burn a restore CD using that utility. This is a not very effective way to do it (as it takes like probably 10-15 CD's) but it should be an option if you boot to it.

I did burn a restore dvd about a year ago when i got the system but i cant find it now & the nti burning software that comes with the machine only lets you burn 1 restore dvd.

[scoutingwraith]

To replace a hard drive on a laptop is a little more troublesome than a desktop. 1st as most people here suggest you will need some sort of a backup disk just in case. Also be sure when buying the new Hard Disk is compatible with your model. And i would strongly suggest you install a new system and start from scratch because there are far too many problems that can occur when transferring system files.

[jamupnorth]

Originally Posted by scoutingwraith

To replace a hard drive on a laptop is a little more troublesome than a desktop. 1st as most people here suggest you will need some sort of a backup disk just in case. Also be sure when buying the new Hard Disk is compatible with your model. And i would strongly suggest you install a new system and start from scratch because there are far too many problems that can occur when transferring system files.

Yeah but it is a bit of a bummer when i have paid for a genuine copy of windows mce.
but i do have a copy of vista that i could put in the laptop but i am not too sure it will be good as it is slower on my desktop which i dual boot wwith xp. the spec is

3000+ SEMPRON CPU
1GB DDR RAM
40 GB RAM

[scoutingwraith]

Originally Posted by jamupnorth

Yeah but it is a bit of a bummer when i have paid for a genuine copy of windows mce.
but i do have a copy of vista that i could put in the laptop but i am not too sure it will be good as it is slower on my desktop which i dual boot wwith xp. the spec is

3000+ SEMPRON CPU
1GB DDR RAM
40 GB RAM

I would say that you try and obtain yourself a copy of XP for the laptop because Vista is going to seriously cripple it. (Unless you have a dedicated graphics card with its own memory)

[Dippyskoodlez]

Originally Posted by scoutingwraith

To replace a hard drive on a laptop is a little more troublesome than a desktop. 1st as most people here suggest you will need some sort of a backup disk just in case. Also be sure when buying the new Hard Disk is compatible with your model. And i would strongly suggest you install a new system and start from scratch because there are far too many problems that can occur when transferring system files.

If you ghost the OS from disk to disk with the same system it should work fine. Thing is you have to GHOST the disk, including the MBR or it won't be bootable. Any other normal laptop drive should work as long as the connections the same.



If you cannot make a backup install CD, you'll likely need to locate a windows install CD, unless you can ghost the drive. Thats pretty much your only options atm.

[theonetruewill]

As the Windows disks have some sort of copy protection (i think they do, not sure though), aren't the companies obliged to replace any lost or damaged disks as you could not make a backup. As this is your right, the only way they got round this when implementing the technology was to agree to replace disks that you coul not have backed up. Ring Windows

[suraswami]

Following are the steps you need to do inorder to transfer the OS into another Drive.

Main important thing you need is a DVD to burn(if more data need a DL DVD) and the GODLY Floppy drive (USB should be fine if you have the option to boot with a USB drive).

Click Start-All Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Backup. Click on the Advanced Mode link on ur first screen. Click on the Automated System Recovery Wizard button. Cancel out of the wizard. Select your drives (C drive + other drives if it is partitioned) and System State. Point to a location for the backup file name. Let the wizard run. Will take a while. When it asks for the floppy drive insert and save the details. Do as it says.

Remove the old drive. Put it in a compatible external case to make it a usb drive or use existing USB drive. If your Backup file is small enough to fit in one single DVD then do that.

Put in your new drive. Insert your Windows XP installation CD. Let it boot from the CD. Hit F2. This will take you thru the Restore wizard. When at the point it will ask your floppy and where the Backup file is. Follow those. You are done.

Better if you have a USB case that will go with your laptop drive. Use that use any other PC to transfer the files into the new drive. Put in your new drive. Windows will boot up. Might ask few questions because the hard ware has changed. That is all it is done.

I have done this many times.

Easy and simple. No need Norton Ghost. Waste of money.

[jamupnorth]

Originally Posted by suraswami

Following are the steps you need to do inorder to transfer the OS into another Drive.

Main important thing you need is a DVD to burn(if more data need a DL DVD) and the GODLY Floppy drive (USB should be fine if you have the option to boot with a USB drive).

Click Start-All Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Backup. Click on the Advanced Mode link on ur first screen. Click on the Automated System Recovery Wizard button. Cancel out of the wizard. Select your drives (C drive + other drives if it is partitioned) and System State. Point to a location for the backup file name. Let the wizard run. Will take a while. When it asks for the floppy drive insert and save the details. Do as it says.

Remove the old drive. Put it in a compatible external case to make it a usb drive or use existing USB drive. If your Backup file is small enough to fit in one single DVD then do that.

Put in your new drive. Insert your Windows XP installation CD. Let it boot from the CD. Hit F2. This will take you thru the Restore wizard. When at the point it will ask your floppy and where the Backup file is. Follow those. You are done.

Better if you have a USB case that will go with your laptop drive. Use that use any other PC to transfer the files into the new drive. Put in your new drive. Windows will boot up. Might ask few questions because the hard ware has changed. That is all it is done.

I have done this many times.

Easy and simple. No need Norton Ghost. Waste of money.

I will try this option.

[Fuse-Wire]

any one tried multi drives?? like linkin two or more hard drives to a laptop using a slightly modded IDE cable?? if any one has attempted it sucesfully please tell me how, really dont fancy burniing out any more cables, or drives for that matter!!!

[Dippyskoodlez]

Originally Posted by Fuse-Wire

any one tried multi drives?? like linkin two or more hard drives to a laptop using a slightly modded IDE cable?? if any one has attempted it sucesfully please tell me how, really dont fancy burniing out any more cables, or drives for that matter!!!

They aren't simply "modified ide" cables, they provide power too.

[Fuse-Wire]

yeah i ken, but you know what laptop connections are like and i cant find multi drive laptop IDE cables anywhere, any help?? most appreciated.

[Dippyskoodlez]

Originally Posted by Fuse-Wire

yeah i ken, but you know what laptop connections are like and i cant find multi drive laptop IDE cables anywhere, any help?? most appreciated.

Because they don't exist.

The closest you'll be able to get will be a usb/firewire->laptop adaptor, or an ide->laptop adaptor.

I have an adaptor at work, but thats prettymuch the only one I've ever seen.(Which I got form tearing apart a really really old testing computer)

I doubt you'll find a "cable" for a laptop, because 99.999% of laptops use a direct connection, not a cable. I'm not even positive the drives themselves have a master/slave setting either.

[Fuse-Wire]

Originally Posted by Dippyskoodlez

Because they don't exist.

The closest you'll be able to get will be a usb/firewire->laptop adaptor, or an ide->laptop adaptor.

I have an adaptor at work, but thats prettymuch the only one I've ever seen.(Which I got form tearing apart a really really old testing computer)

I doubt you'll find a "cable" for a laptop, because 99.999% of laptops use a direct connection, not a cable. I'm not even positive the drives themselves have a master/slave setting either.

ah now i see. hmmm i have a feeling im stuck with this 8gb thing then lol, awell should do for a small music collection, need to get a bigger pc up on the go for the whole media thing. thanx much