I'm haveing a new HD installed 120Gb and keeping my old HD 80Gb, and haveing It installed in a USB caddy to use as backup. Now how do I transfer all my files and settings from the old HD to the new HD. Do I have to install Win XP Pro SP2 and my Office XP Pro on the new HD then use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard to bring all my programes and data from the old HD
I'm confused as to what to do. Any help much appreciated.

Originally Posted by T_D_D

I'm haveing a new HD installed 120Gb and keeping my old HD 80Gb, and haveing It installed in a USB caddy to use as backup. Now how do I transfer all my files and settings from the old HD to the new HD. Do I have to install Win XP Pro SP2 and my Office XP Pro on the new HD then use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard to bring all my programes and data from the old HD
I'm confused as to what to do. Any help much appreciated.

yes, the files and transfer settings wizard is the best way to transfer and xp has how to do it the HELP. You do have to install xp on the new drive and Office also( best for new install) if it gives you crap about activation, just phone MS with the phone number listed in the activation screen...
ALSO , with your new comp, make sure that the bios supports LBA( in case whren you install windows only recognizes 129 gigs of the HDD(b a way around this is to partition your drive on install to 2 equal partitions)

Sorry to sound a numpty, but what's LBA, just so I know what to say to the techie. :mrgreen:

Large Block Addressing, althoough it should be taken care of with SP1 and SP2, sometimes Windows burps a little... :P

burps a little, burps a lot

Just another little point, will I have to formatt, want to get all my info stright as the new drive goes in tomorrow. :-s

yes, you will format the new drive when you install XP...when it gets to the screen saying something like
"if you wish to install windows to this partiton, press enter", read the screen and divide the volume into 2 partitions of equal size (Press C to create a partition) and use NTFS to format

then see here for transfer wizard: http://aumha.org/win5/a/fast.htm

Well all went well, new HD installed, and external caddy looks really cool!!!!. Installed a dream, no problems formatting or installing, so I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. Thank's for the advice jazzman, now got a really slimmed down comp, got rid of all the junk now playing around with customising. :banana:

Originally Posted by T_D_D

Well all went well, new HD installed, and external caddy looks really cool!!!!. Installed a dream, no problems formatting or installing, so I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. Thank's for the advice jazzman, now got a really slimmed down comp, got rid of all the junk now playing around with customising. :banana:

Hey, your extremely welcome, glad I could help and glad everything went smoothly :P