How to transfer files to new hard drive?

Think I've got the backup working now. Just one thing, I've noticed that whenever I boot into Acronis the next time I try to start Windows I get "Windows did not start successfully last time" and when I login I get warning messages. Why does that happen?

WA-HA-HA-HOOO!!!!! I FINALLY GOT IT WORKING!!!!:approve:

I had so many problems and I have a few questions.

Problems:

1. When I opened the panel on the bottom of my laptop and took out the old hard drive, my new hard drive was too small to fit in. Then I figured out that I needed to take off the "case" that enclosed the old hard drive and was screwed on to it. What is this called? A chassis? It covers the sides and top of the hard drive and it makes it fit securely into the slot where the hard drive goes.
2. When I installed the new hard drive the pins didn't connect. I wasn't sure how to verify if this was the problem, I mean since its new there was no OS so of course nothing should happen when I turn on my computer. Finally I figured out that there was an "adapter" still attached to the old hard drive that I needed to put on the new one. This "adapter" basically attached to the circuitry on the hard drive and gave it pins to actually connect to the SATA port on the motherboard. What is this "adapter" called? Do all computers have them?
3. I didn't realize that I could use Acronis to partion and format the new hard drive, so I used an old Windows XP cd I had. For some stupid reason even though I didn't begin the instillation process of Windows XP it still created the Windows and System directory. So when I recovered from Acronis, something got screwed up and it installed Windows Vista in the C:\Windows directory of Windows XP. I don't know how this got so screwed up.
4. I figured out I can use Acronis dvd to format the hard drive, so I did this to wipe the XP instillation, then restored again and it finally worked!

Just one more question, if my new hard drive is 320GB is it right for my computer to only have 298GB in total?

I'll second that WA-HA-HA-HOOO!!!!! :grinthumb

I'm pretty much just a "software geek" so i'll see if someone else might look in to answer your hardware questions...

But as to question about disk drive size differences: Yea. Sounds about right. There's a few different reasons why you'll see that and the difference sounds reasonable. See this. It's from HP/Compaq but is true for all vendors.

I'm not sure why this matters to you, but I'll take a shot.

First off, your machine really isn't a "computer" it's a laptop. I mean that in the nicest possible way, of course. Desktops are controlled by rigid "Universal Plug and Play" standards. This involves all aspects, both electronic and mechanical. In the desktop world, cases are designed to the same standards of mounting uniformity. A 3 1/2" drive bay fits floppy drives, 3.1/2 HDD bay is an "internal 3 1/2" bay and on. interconnecting cables and connectors are standardized as well. Motherboard mounting patterns.....standardized too.

Laptop parts such as optical and HDDs are also standardized. Now, when a designer tries to shoehorn all this s*** into a non standard case, which is designed to contain maximum hardware in minimum space, compromise is king.

If I tried to buy the part you described in relation to the HDD connection, I'd walk into the dealer and say, I'd like to buy the adapter between the hard drive, and the motherboard, and then give him the make model, and year of my machine. Really where would you put the "standard" 18 inch SATA cable supplied with a retail motherboard, inside a laptop?

Any part intended to modify the mounting size or bolt pattern of a computer drive, is usually referred to as a "tray".

298 GB out of 320GB is normal. In fact, that ratio of loss of space extends across different HDD capacities. A 640GB HDD will net 596GB, you get the picture. Divide 298 by 320 to get this number, >>.93 yadda, yadda, yadda....pick a HDD capacity and multiply away. Arraying the data physically on the disc, requires pointer tables, those tables take up space, end of story. I hope.

Thank you for everyone's help.