HDD question

**Nosjack** · April 27, 2011, 12:08 AM

Hey, it's me again.

So, as you might know I'm going to upgrade my PC soon, and just noticed today that my old HDD is starting to get pretty full, not to mention slower.

I wasn't planning on buying a new HDD but it seems like a might have to. Anyway, here's my question(s).

Assuming my old HDD still works, how would I go about moving everything onto the new one? I would think that simply plugging both HDD in and copying the files would work? I did a google search and got several interesting articles, but some were a bit too techy, and had different fixes for it.

If just copying the files won't cut it, would any of you mind giving me step by step instructions on how to transfer the files? I'm pretty smart when it come to PC's, but I just want to have a blueprint as to what I need to do. And since this is my first time building a PC basically from scratch, I sure don't want to mess anything up

Also, I know about the slave/master settings on the HDD, but other than that, how would I be able to have both drives working together? (I would want the new drive as the master one).

Thanks in advance for your answers!

**PoleCat** · April 27, 2011, 10:47 AM

Since any new system you build these days will use SATA you shouldn't need to worry about Master/Slave/Cable Select settings - that's for older IDE systems.

Basically just chuck both drives into the new system and they will receive drive letter designations. After that it's just a matter of copying/pasting from the old drive to the new. Good luck!

**Nosjack** · April 27, 2011, 10:24 PM

Awesome, but one more question. Most of the google hits I got said that I need a "drive cloner" program, is this needed?

**PoleCat** · April 27, 2011, 10:34 PM

Well it really depends on what you're doing. If you plan on installing a copy of your OS to the new drive then you won't need a clone program. However, if you want to use the OS from your old drive then you will need to make an image of that drive and install it to the new hard drive.

I was assuming that the new drive will be formatted by you and an OS installed before moving the files. Am I correct?

**Nosjack** · April 27, 2011, 10:38 PM

Well not really, I was hoping that I could just copy entire contents (including the os) over to the new drive and use it as my primary one. I'm able to install the os manually though, it won't be that big of a problem.

**PoleCat** · April 27, 2011, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by Nosjack

Well not really, I was hoping that I could just copy entire contents (including the os) over to the new drive and use it as my primary one. I'm able to install the os manually though, it won't be that big of a problem.

You can't copy over the OS like any other file - it has to be installed. If you can install the OS yourself then you won't need drive image software. Just format the drive, install Windows and then mount the old drive in the machine and copy over the files you want to save. You might as well format the old drive after you've saved everything you want and use it as a backup unless you have other plans.

Good luck!

**Nosjack** · April 27, 2011, 11:00 PM

Thanks for the help, cleared a lot of things up.

**Crazyeyesreaper** · April 27, 2011, 11:24 PM

if you want to keep the old os apps files etc you will need a drive clone program, some sites offer them free to use i believe Western digital has a tool you can use for free among others

you install the new drive use the clone software to make another a tada clone of your OS drive, then once thats done, shut down the PC reboot the PC with the OS disc handy just in case, boot into windows, make sure all works well then just install the other HDD into the PC, boot from the new drive again once in windows take the old HDD and reformat it within windows it will wipe the old HDD clean

this will allow you to keep all your apps programs os etc intact and functional on the new drive, the old drive after that is done can be wiped clean and used as a storage drive. giving you extra space for misc files like mp3s photos backups of save games etc etc etc.

WD clone app based on Acronis true image

http://support.wdc.com/product/downl...l.asp?swid=119

**Nosjack** · April 28, 2011, 10:50 AM

So I can just use that software and I won't have to install the OS on the new drive?

**Crazyeyesreaper** · April 28, 2011, 02:23 PM

correct install the new drive inside the machine hook it up yadda yadda boot into windows use the software to clone the drive, turn off the PC using F9 or F8 or another F key depending on your PC bring up the boot selection menu choose the new HDD, that you just cloned to boot to that drive. then while in windows reformat the old drive and presto done. if you cant figure that out find someone who knows that there doing to do it for you.

**PoleCat** · April 28, 2011, 03:22 PM

Just so you know importing the drive image from the old drive to the new won't necessarily fix your speed issues that you're having with the old drive. You'll just be importing the same old file structure to a new disk. Now if that new disk is faster physically you'll see some improvement but you'll still be using your old and cluttered OS from before.

If all you want to do is improve performance on that old drive then try running Disc Cleanup in your System Tools folder. That might solve your problem without buying a new drive altogether. Good luck!

**Nosjack** · April 28, 2011, 06:21 PM

Thanks guys, and I was going to uninstall most of my software before I cloned the drive anyway. I just wanted to avoid needing to download all the drivers again.

I have cleaned up lots of files off of my old drive and moved some of it to an external drive, but my old one is only 150 gb, with a rate of 1.5 gb/s. The new drive I found is only $40, and it's 500 gb at 6gb/s. I figured I might as well buy a new drive if I'm going to buy some games like S2 and Portal2 shortly after upgrading anyway.