Image IDE HDD to SATA2 HDD

Hi all,

I'm upgrading to a new SATA 2 HDD over the coming weeks and I want to image my current IDE drive to the new drive. Obviously the IDE image won’t have the SATA drivers so the image won’t boot - is there anyway around this?

Call me lazy, but I really can't be bothered to re-install windows again and transfer across all of the files and re-install all of my programs (I'm moving house soon and don’t need the additional faff).

I've Googled and a few programs pop up, but all are rather vague with the IDE to SATA issue.

Any help would be greatly appreciated :)

If it makes a difference, it will be a Samsung 250GB SATA 2 HDD

not something I've done, but I would imagine as a worst case scenario you could image the new drive and if there were any problems you could do a repair install and make sure you plonk the SATA drivers on there.

norton ghost?

Norton's website seems to lack detail for exactly what Ghost can do - that was one of my first ports of call.

The idea that I can just add SATA drivers in after the image has been created is what I originally thought of - but not sure if it will work at all.

I guess I'm really looking for a do this, then this kind of answer

Ok - here's what I'd do.

Download the trial version of Acronis True Image 9 from www.acronis.com - install it and make use of the "clone disk" feature while in Windows and with the SATA drive installed. This should (as long as the SATA disk is detected in Windows) have the SATA drivers installed anyways, and as such may well be ok. Remove PATA drive and set BIOS to boot from SATA/SCSI.

If you get an error message on Windows bootup put your Windows XP CD in the drive, boot from that and attempt a repair install to the SATA drive (making sure to use f6 on bootup to install SATA drivers from floppy unless your CD has them slipstreamed) - worst case scenario is that you're back at square one - at least then you can put your PATA drive back in, but tbh if you get to that stage I'd suggest a full reinstall.

Whatever happens let us know how it goes!

I think this depends on what chipset you have on your motherboard. If I remember correctly, nforce chipsets require no driver during windows install EXCEPT if you are installing to a RAID array.

Ghost or drive image should handle the job fine.

I used ghost to transfer from an IDE to SATA drive a few months ago and it didn't work. The files all copied fine but windows really didn't like what was going on..

TBH unless you're really desparate to keep your settings I would just reinstall. Its good to reinstall windows every now and again to get rid of all of the crap that builds up. Then just transfer everything across from the other drive. A few days inconvenience for a few months easier use of windows.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ultim8um

I think this depends on what chipset you have on your motherboard. If I remember correctly, nforce chipsets require no driver during windows install EXCEPT if you are installing to a RAID array.

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Just read that too.

I'll be attempting the acronis free trial when the drive turns up because hopefully drivers wont make a difference (fingers and toes crossed). I understood this way, but was expecting some very complicated method from going from IDE to SATA - but hopefully if its just a case of plug and play or buying a floppy and getting a SATA driver I'll be happy.

If it doesn't work then I will just re-install windows, but I've got so many little programs installed each with their own keys and bits. I just hope the first idea works.

Will keep you up to date regardless.

As long as the SATA controllers appear in device manager without any issues, then just imaging the drive should work.

Have done it a few times myself, even to/from SCSI and RAID contollers.

you have confirmed exactly what I needed to begin my *giggles*

Anyone ever get that when they know somethings going to work just fine? Just me then... !

Thanks for the help.

didn't work :(

Now onto a re-install and guess what? that doesn't work either! SATA drivers are accepted but i get an OPERATING SYSTEM CANNOT START ERROR.

Using nlite now to create a good install image and we'll see how that goes.

Idiot that I am. Drive was set to LBA and not large - can't believe I didn't pick that up - 2 days worth of hassle for nothing :( Image from IDE to SATA2 worked flawlessly and I'm happy :)