Do you have to install windows on two hard drives in the same rig

[C_Conqueror]

I am thinking of buying a new hard drive because my 160 gb just isn't cutting it and I was just wondering if I will have to reinstall windows on if I put it in or if I can just plug my new hard drive up and set it as a secondary device and start transfering data. Thanks

 

[Tedster]

You can CLONE the drive. FAR easier. There ARE MANY cloning utilities (some free). Also some HD makers give you free software to do this.

 

[Daveskater]

you can just plug your new drive in as a slave and copy stuff across, it would be easier (all you have to so is plug it in) but it depends on if you want to have windows on your new, bigger drive

 

[Tmagic650]

A utility like Seagates DiskWizard for Windows will "clone" your 160GB drive to the new larger drive attached as the primary slave. When this cloning is finished you remove the 160GB and install the new drive as the C or primary master, with every file intact, and no reinstall of Windows necessary. You can keep and attach the old 160GB as a primary slave for extra storage if you wish

 

[poertner_1274]

That is indeed the easiest solution Tmagic650. And if you are planning on using that 160GB as storage just format it after you have done the cloning and go from there.

 

[C_Conqueror]

Ok thanks a lot guys

 

[Samstoned]

if only using for storage makes no sense to clone anything
you may even have issues as disk wizard will clone the OS along with it and if both are in the machine on boot there could be problems even corruption of system files.install as slave and format bobs yer uncle

 

[Row1]

all things being equal, the older drive will probably die first.
it might be good to deal with the hassle of getting operating system to the new drive, at your leisure now, and have new drive set up as the boot drive.
take the old drive and set it as a 2nd/slave drive, or put it in an external enclosure, and use it soley to back up data files.