Transferring eveything from IDE HDD to SATA HDD?

[360bhp]

Close to ordering a new build, but just one thing holding me back...Starting fresh with a new OS and having to re-install software, sort old files in folders etc

Currently have an IDE drive, quite an old thing. If I was to get a SATAII drive for the new build. Would I be able to transfer everything INCLUDING the OS (XP) to the new SATAII drive? I'm guessing probably not, but kind of hoping theres some sort of solution out there!

[Agent]

Copying the contents from one drive to another is trivial. However, don't expect windows to be booting on your new rig without issues if you have undergone big hardware changes.

A new install on a new system is by far the easiest way

[360bhp]

Thanks for the reply.

What about if you have a mobo that supported both SATAII and IDE? Could I uninstall all mobo drivers, video drivers etc on the IDE drive using the old setup.. Boot it up on the new setup, and install all the new drivers... So I would have a working IDE drive with all the new components.

And then.. Clone the whole IDE drive to the SATAII? Should work as it will have all the new drivers it requires? It seems like a long path to take, but I really like my current file layout. It's messy, but I know where everything is! lol

[DDY]

What about if you have a mobo that supported both SATAII and IDE? Could I uninstall all mobo drivers, video drivers etc on the IDE drive using the old setup.. Boot it up on the new setup, and install all the new drivers... So I would have a working IDE drive with all the new components.

You could do that along with a XP repair install but it's far too much hassle compared to a fresh installation of XP on the SATA drive then transferring the files over.

And then.. Clone the whole IDE drive to the SATAII? Should work as it will have all the new drivers it requires? It seems like a long path to take, but I really like my current file layout. It's messy, but I know where everything is! lol

Why not have both the IDE and SATA drive in the same machine? You can use the IDE drive to store files, that way the file layout is preserved.

[360bhp]

Wouldn't using an old IDE drive slow down the system?

[TheReaFireblade]

Wouldn't using an old IDE drive slow down the system?

You'll not be using it as the primary/boot drive, si it won't make any difference

[360bhp]

..but thats the drive I would like to boot with. As it has my original XP with all my files & software lol

[dybydx]

Norton Ghost and similar tools will let you do the cloning.
Really good for taking a good clean snapshot of an OS state in case something goes wrong/quicker than re-formatting every time!