Hard drive transfer XP

**REPAIRMAN** · 5th April 2005

Can anyone tell me if thier is an easier way to transfer a hard drive with xp on it to a different machine without having to re install xp over the top of it to make it work again.
i know windows has a files settings transfer wizard but it doesent help.
if that makes any sense.

regards.

**Smokey Mirror** · 5th April 2005

Set the original hard drive as a slave plug it into the secondary ide then just drag and drop the files you want on to your new drive.

**Chip2k** · 5th April 2005

If the hardware on the new PC is significantly different from the hardware on the old PC i.e. different motherboard XP will throw a hissy fit. Do as smokey says above and install XP from scratch and copy over any files you may need. If you only have 1 hdd, back up your data to removable media, format the drive and install a clean copy.

Chip

**Zippeyrude** · 5th April 2005

you could put the hdd in the different machine and just update any drivers that need doing, motherboard, modem, sound etc.
If you arent too techy then leave this well alone as it can lead to some headaches

**marcode** · 5th April 2005

could clone the drives. many apps available. see google.

**REPAIRMAN** · 6th April 2005

Thanks for your replies.
I can do it the long way around , I suppose i am just being lazy & looking for a shortcut way of doing this.
Thanks anyway.
Regards

**Armpit** · 8th April 2005

If you don't do a clean install you just end up with problems down the line. I agree with everyone else posting on this - back up to removable media then do a clean install. It may be long winded in the first instance but it will mean that all the bits can talk to each other later on - therefore less work ultimately!

What machine are you doing this on? If it is an Packard Bell, Tiny, Time etc make sure you have a build disk from the manufacturer - that proprietory bios can be a real bugger!

**Fingolfin** · 9th April 2005

Recently did this myself when my shiny new box arrived....

Put my old drive in but then booted from the XP CD and carried out a Repair.... when windows gets to load it basically redetects the hardware and installs / asks for drivers...