Best way to copy info from one system to another...

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Just wondering which method and program(s) are best for copying Windows XP from one notebook to another.

System 1: HP NC8430 - T2500 - 80GB HD
System 2: HP NC8510 - T7300 - 120GB HD

I want to try to copy everything over to the 120GB HD on the new machine, so is it best to run the transfer wizard or simply mirror the drive over to the new one (format the 120 first?)?

I will be picking up a cable to connect the new drive via USB to the old system and transfer things over.

The old setup works fine, I'm just upgrading the hardware; Windows XP on both systems.

Thanks in advance to anyone that has any info!!

Regards,

Theo

 

Mirroring is better IMHO.

 

I suppose you could mirror it, but unless you have similar hardware on both (I.e. chipset, audio, video etc..) you’ll run in to driver problems (if you are lucky, a simple driver reinstallation would work; but in the worst case you’ll get blue screened from the get go and have to do something from safemode).

Personally I recommend a clean installation, transfer your data files by simply copying (over the network or USB)

 

How about mirroring from old to new, installing new HD in old notebook, removing drivers through device manager and then installing new HD in new notebook? AND maybe doing a repair install of XP??

I've never done it personally but have read about it being done when there is a change in hardware platform.

On the other hand, I like your option of a clean install (which it already is since it's new).

 

I personally haven’t done it, so don't really know whether it would work or not (good chance it might work).Since there is nothing to loose, why not give it a try ?

 

Copying over a whole drive to another laptop is probably going to cause problems. Installed operating systems don't like it when they wake up and the hardware has changed.

However, if you do this, you need to use an imaging/cloning program like acronis trueimage or driveimagexml. You can't just copy the files for Windows.

 

The repair install takes the exact same amount of time as a clean install and is just as easy. So yeah I'm with the group on a clean install. It will take much less time than mirroring the 80GB and give you a new clean desktop.

 

IMO, install a fresh Windows XP in the new notebook. Then install all the programs you want to use, and are on the old notebook. Then use Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. As it says on the tin, "Files and Settings". makes life easy when you upgrade but want to keep all your settings.
Or, get a copy of Acronis True image and make a recovery disk. Then run sysprep tool to "reseal" the windows install on the old notebook - this leaves the OS free of any specific driver settings.
Plug in your new harddrive via USB and reboot off of the Acronis true image recovery disk and then clone the contents of your old harddrive into the new one that is attached via usb. Switch off notebook. install harddrive back in new notebook. Boot notebook and voila a new install with all your apps etc. Very safe way (thats why its part of the MCDST exam!!!).

 

The mirror might actually work if the computers are similiar enough. If you have experience with the sysprep tool from Microsoft, then i'd try it. Otherwise, I'd stick witha clean installation as sysprep doesn't solve the problem of possible driver/hardware conflicts.