Cloning My Old PC

Forums › Microsoft Windows › Cloning My Old PC

mme

161 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 9

Lifetime subscriber

#18634 17-Jan-2008 13:14

HI

I have just purchased a new laptop with norton ghost v12 with it (120GB Hardrive). I have this old desktop with some important programs and documents on it using xp pro with a hard drive size of 20GB (western digital).

Now I want to clone my old computers hardrive onto my new laptop. I have a hard drive adapter (3.5") and norton ghost v12 how would I clone my old hhd to my new one?

tonyhughes

Hawkes Bay
8476 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#105380 17-Jan-2008 13:32

Ghost would be really good if you were keeping your desktop, and just upgrading the hard drive to a bigger one, but if you clone your old drive to the new one, then it will not run properly (maybe not at all) as your XP will be setup for your old desktop, with all the wrong drivers etc for the new one. Even if it did run, many parts would not function well or at all - touchpad, wifi, networking, camera, power management etc.

I suggest re-installing your favourite software on the new laptop one by one, and copy all your documents and bookmarks and other personal data over. There are several tools around to help with this, including XPs own files and settings transfer wizard, and some commercial software.

I don't think Ghost is suitable for your needs.

rphenix

990 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 127

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#105393 17-Jan-2008 14:22

Yep, you dont want to clone your drive onto the new one you get far too much crud (unless you meant clone it to a second partition), but you might want to save a complete image of the old drive (space allowing) this way if you forgot to copy a folder from your old machine to your new one you can "mount" the image so that it becomes a virtual hard drive allowing you go through all your old folders/files looking for what you forgot to copy and move that into your new computer then umount the image...

This website http://ghost.radified.com/ seems to show how to use Ghost well.

I havent used ghost for at least a year, my favourites are Drive Image XML (free) and Acronis (not free but far better than Norton Ghost)

mme

161 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 9

Lifetime subscriber

#105408 17-Jan-2008 16:07

Ok i have used the windows file and transfer wizard. How ever my MYOB Accounting V15 & Comacc Applications 2007 are not showing up on the laptop. I dont have the cd's any more. Is there any download link for it or can i transfer them somehow? (I have the codes still though.)

Thanks

rphenix

990 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 127

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#105429 17-Jan-2008 18:48

No you will definently need to order the CD's from MYOB (Comacc is also owned by MYOB) luckily as long as youve got a support subscription I dont think it costs or costs much anyway.

Even if you dont have a support subscription I'm sure you can order them again just give MYOB Support a call.

Also incase you ever want to move your "profile" in the future instead of using Microsofts wizard which I dont find that good there is this tool:
Forensit Uer Profile Transfer Wizard
http://www.forensit.com/move/index.htm

There is also a profile wizard tool which is great incase you want to do something like have two logons but share the same profile, or rename your profile directory, migrate a local profile to a domain profile (or back again) etc..etc..

All products are free to use :)