I have an older computer with a 40gb 5400rpm hard drive. I bought a new 200gb 7200rpm hard drive. I want to put the new 200gb hard drive in the old computer as a slave so I can copy all the contents from the old hard drive to the new one. I would like to be able to do OS and all, since i don't have an OS disc for it any more to format with. What is the best way to have ALL the data copied over, OS, all programs, drivers, ect...I wouldn't think it would be an issue since it's going back in the same old machine. Once it's copied over I plan on setting the new 200gb as the master and taking the 40gb out. Please help me out.
Data Transfer Question
- Thread starter tj007s13
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Your OS, if it is Windows, will never copy over as a working OS. It may work if you are using Linux, Unix, or other flavor.
!. Microsoft, by policy, will not allow it.
2. Windows can detect that the OS has been moved to a different hardware configuration. It will allow memory changes, but, at best, you will need to talk to Microsoft about the product ID. Likely you will get a dark screen otherwise.
3. It can be done, but it is the policy of this forum to disallow posting such information on how to do it, because what you suggest would be an easy way to make unlimited copies of Windows if it worked.
4. Your product ID is on your 40 Gb hard drive... Using a number of different software, you can extract the ID, and borrow a Windows disc to make a legal install... if the original install was a legal install.
5. Once you have a legal install, copying over the files and folders can be done, but there will be a series of glitches that will require fixes.
There are several "best ways" and a cheap, simple good one, is to do it with Acronis, Partition Magic, System Commander, or a number of USB transfer links.
!. Microsoft, by policy, will not allow it.
2. Windows can detect that the OS has been moved to a different hardware configuration. It will allow memory changes, but, at best, you will need to talk to Microsoft about the product ID. Likely you will get a dark screen otherwise.
3. It can be done, but it is the policy of this forum to disallow posting such information on how to do it, because what you suggest would be an easy way to make unlimited copies of Windows if it worked.
4. Your product ID is on your 40 Gb hard drive... Using a number of different software, you can extract the ID, and borrow a Windows disc to make a legal install... if the original install was a legal install.
5. Once you have a legal install, copying over the files and folders can be done, but there will be a series of glitches that will require fixes.
There are several "best ways" and a cheap, simple good one, is to do it with Acronis, Partition Magic, System Commander, or a number of USB transfer links.
Nodsu
Posts: 5,451 +7
Uhm. I do not know of any Microsoft policy that would disallow replacing my hard drive. WTF would I do if my drive went bad?!
Any partitioning or cloning utility will let you copy drive and partition contents. Seagate supplies a free and a really friendly utility for copying your old HD contents to a new one.
Any partitioning or cloning utility will let you copy drive and partition contents. Seagate supplies a free and a really friendly utility for copying your old HD contents to a new one.
Partition Magic current versions will not. You will need the install disc to complete. Older versions will... before purchased by Symantec.
Acronis will, mostly, with a reconfirmation of product by Microsoft.
This is a very firm requirement by Microsoft. They are not going to allow duplication of their software in anyway that allows illegal versions.
If you were copying to an exact hardware configuration, you would be fine in many cases.
Since you are copying to a different hardware configuration, Windows itself will intercede...
If you are now using a legal, authentic version, you can get it to work after getting on the phone with Microsoft.
However, since February, Microsoft has been requiring information from the Certificate of Authenticity or product sticker.
You have nothing to lose.
If you use Acronis, you might get lucky. It depends on the original install with which you are working.
Acronis will, mostly, with a reconfirmation of product by Microsoft.
This is a very firm requirement by Microsoft. They are not going to allow duplication of their software in anyway that allows illegal versions.
If you were copying to an exact hardware configuration, you would be fine in many cases.
Since you are copying to a different hardware configuration, Windows itself will intercede...
If you are now using a legal, authentic version, you can get it to work after getting on the phone with Microsoft.
However, since February, Microsoft has been requiring information from the Certificate of Authenticity or product sticker.
You have nothing to lose.
If you use Acronis, you might get lucky. It depends on the original install with which you are working.
But due to the change in hard drive, you will still need to re-verify with Microsoft... the Windows Product ID will be needed, and you will need to answer questions about the product ID you have... in nearly all cases.
We use Acronis daily. I can tell you it is useful to have that certificate of authenticity. Microsoft is getting very tough.
We use Acronis daily. I can tell you it is useful to have that certificate of authenticity. Microsoft is getting very tough.
D
DelJo63
We all agree on this. The problem is volume replication ==> pirated software.Nodsu said:
To sotop this, the volume serial number is used stop illegal cloning.
If the stated issue does occur, we call MS and explain/prove our case and we
get a special product-key issued to us.
They don't automatically disallow it. They just require you follow the license, which is very specific. You must retain the Certification of Authenticity that comes with the Windows you purchased.
This person making the originally query reported, "I would like to be able to do OS and all, since i don't have an OS disc for it any more to format with. What is the best way to have ALL the data copied over, OS, all programs, drivers, ect...I wouldn't think it would be an issue since it's going back in the same old machine."
But he has not answered the question about whether he has a certificate of authenticity.
We deal with this daily, and Microsoft never quarrels with us, but they do make troubles when a repair station does not have the correct certificate for the version installed. They are now sending messages to users informing them their installation is fraudulent... because the repair product ID was not the same as the one on their certificate... The repair center was shortcutting the install process and many of their repair customers got this message.
But copying from one hard drive to another is a different issue... We know of many clients whose install did not get beyond the 30 day report period, and others whose computer did not boot.
This person making the originally query reported, "I would like to be able to do OS and all, since i don't have an OS disc for it any more to format with. What is the best way to have ALL the data copied over, OS, all programs, drivers, ect...I wouldn't think it would be an issue since it's going back in the same old machine."
But he has not answered the question about whether he has a certificate of authenticity.
We deal with this daily, and Microsoft never quarrels with us, but they do make troubles when a repair station does not have the correct certificate for the version installed. They are now sending messages to users informing them their installation is fraudulent... because the repair product ID was not the same as the one on their certificate... The repair center was shortcutting the install process and many of their repair customers got this message.
But copying from one hard drive to another is a different issue... We know of many clients whose install did not get beyond the 30 day report period, and others whose computer did not boot.
Nodsu
Posts: 5,451 +7
If the Windows activation only checks the volume ID, then there is shouldn't be problem at all - the drive contents are copied verbatim down to the last byte. Windows would never know that another hard drive is under it. That is, unless the cloning program actually rewrites the volume IDs (which I really doubt).
D
DelJo63
Volume Serial Numbers are never copied, even by GHOST.
Nodsu
Posts: 5,451 +7
Erm. They are just data on the hard drive. Why would a hard drive copying utility skip some random bytes and generate some other random bytes in their place? That's just absurd.
Maybe Ghost does, when you don't tell it to make a verbatim copy (a deal with Microsoft), but any decent cloning utility will copy data verbatim.
Maybe Ghost does, when you don't tell it to make a verbatim copy (a deal with Microsoft), but any decent cloning utility will copy data verbatim.
Ok, tell us which ones work. The software that makes the copy isn't going to get nailed by a Microsoft lawsuit.
We do a large number of these every week in our shop. If you know something that we don't, share the word.
All things being equal, you will not have troubles, but if you change the board or other key components other than memory, it usually will not work, and when it does, you need to explain yourself to Microsoft within 30 days in some cases and within three days on most others...
Your logic makes no sense, and your experience is clearly limited to a very few copies.
Otherwise, there would be this huge business in fake, unauthorized versions of Microsoft products.
Remember, this query is from a person who has an install for which he does not have the Operating System nor the Certificate of Authenticity, changing components enough to alert Microsoft.
We do a large number of these every week in our shop. If you know something that we don't, share the word.
All things being equal, you will not have troubles, but if you change the board or other key components other than memory, it usually will not work, and when it does, you need to explain yourself to Microsoft within 30 days in some cases and within three days on most others...
Your logic makes no sense, and your experience is clearly limited to a very few copies.
Otherwise, there would be this huge business in fake, unauthorized versions of Microsoft products.
Remember, this query is from a person who has an install for which he does not have the Operating System nor the Certificate of Authenticity, changing components enough to alert Microsoft.
D
DelJo63
The volume serial number on an HD is like the VIN number on a vehicle, or a
MAC address on a NIC; they are uniquely created by the manufacturer and
no FORMAT will overwrite either.
oh well, enough
MAC address on a NIC; they are uniquely created by the manufacturer and
no FORMAT will overwrite either.
oh well, enough
I happen to know for a fact that acronis will work hd to hd and you DONT have to re certify or call microsoft.. that is with W2K and XP, can't speak for vista. All he's trying to do is upgrade the hard drive.. So all you have to do is clone the 40gb over to the 200gb, remove the 40 and thats it. I've done it several times.. It will also work if you save the image to NAS or to another computer over the network. We use acronis here where I work to image all the PC's on our network.. We do the image only once and then do daily or weekly backups of user data.. This will allow use to do bare metal restores in case any of our systems crash.
You WILL have to call MS to reactivate when you change the mother board but even that's legal (remember it's still the same computer).. Also Acronis has a feature called Universal Restrore which will make the motherboard upgrade transition easier.
You WILL have to call MS to reactivate when you change the mother board but even that's legal (remember it's still the same computer).. Also Acronis has a feature called Universal Restrore which will make the motherboard upgrade transition easier.
Nodsu
Posts: 5,451 +7
And where did you get this information?jobeard said:
Even Microsoft supplies a utility to do that: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/FileAndDisk/VolumeId.mspx
Can someone explain how Acronis works? Does it backup the computer's data to like ISO files that I burn to DVD? Or can I just install the 2nd new harddrive in the computer as a slave with the original, format it, and directly copy everything over???
Kinda a newbie with Acronis...If someone could give me a brief rundown of it, it would be great...
Kinda a newbie with Acronis...If someone could give me a brief rundown of it, it would be great...
Acronis has 16 different products.
You can see full explanations and a couple of trials downloads at
www.acronis.com
You can see full explanations and a couple of trials downloads at
www.acronis.com
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