moving win XP to a new hard disk

**willemjacobusse** · May 5th, 2012, 01:48 AM

I would like to move winXP and all data lock, stock and barrel onto a new hard disk (the old one is beginning to fade). I wld of cours prefer to use a free tool for that and an idiot proof set of instructions.

**RicheemxX** · May 5th, 2012, 01:54 AM

Get the drive tools from the hard drive manufactures site. Western Digital uses Acronis true image a completely free version of Acronis that is really easy to use.

WD Support

Seagate uses Disk Wizard, another free option that is really easy to use as well. They both have pretty easy to follow instructions and will guide you on cloning the old drive to the new one.

**willemjacobusse** · May 5th, 2012, 02:09 AM

Does that mean that the 2 hard disks shd be from the same manufacturer?
And if not, shd i look for the tools from the manufacturer of the receiving disk or the original disk?

**RicheemxX** · May 5th, 2012, 02:26 AM

No it doesn't matter either way. The WD tools (and mabe the others) use to require at least one drive be a from them to use them but I'm not sure they do anymore.

**willemjacobusse** · May 5th, 2012, 02:30 AM

Thanks Richee, i will have a go at it, will let you know how i fare. Any caveats i shd be aware of?

**RicheemxX** · May 5th, 2012, 01:10 PM

None really, while you are downloading the software you might also want to download the diagnostic tools and confirm that it is indeed an issue with your hard drive. Other than that once you have the old drive cloned disconnect it and make sure everything is working correctly from the new drive before you do anything like formatting the old one

**willemjacobusse** · May 7th, 2012, 09:21 AM

Its all done and i am now working off of the new harddisk! It worked perfectly and quick too!

Thanks Richee!

**RicheemxX** · May 7th, 2012, 03:03 PM

Glad to help

**MarcusX** · May 8th, 2012, 04:45 AM

I am wondering of both harddrive need to be of the same size?
Woult also work if you have several partitions on the harddrive (for example an ntfs and 2 linux partitions)?

**RicheemxX** · May 8th, 2012, 05:04 AM

They don't need to be the same size but the second drive you are cloning to has to be equal or larger than the first (or at least than the partition being copied) and no it shouldn't matter if you have several partitions. Depending on which tools you are using you should have the ability of copying the entire drive as a complete copy or just the contents of a single partition.