how do i transfer files between hard disks?

[The Overclocker]

i have just got a new hard disk and want to transfer everything in it's original condition from one hard disk to the other, how do i do it? (this may sound very basic but i dont know how to do it - dragging and dropping does not get eveything)

 

[VaTechHokies]

If you want to move EVERYTHING (including your OS files...so your new hard drive will look exactly like your old..) there are a couple of programs that you could choose from. I have used disk copy from PowerQuest(they make partition magic) and got very good results...its copies bit for bit, so the new drive is the exact same as the old. Another one I have but haven't used and have heard good things about is Norton Ghost. Heard this lets you copy whole partitions w/o copying the whole disk, or you can copy the whole disk if you want.

There is also a dos command that you can use to copy everything from one partition to another...don't remember it though I think Yodums or someone else mentioned it in another similar thread.

On the other hand...if you don't want to use any of these programs (they cost more than I would want to spend to only do this once) you could go to folder options and enable hidden system files and a couple of the other options, and that should show you every file on the partition, so you can copy the data. Hope this helps. If anyone else wants to chime in...don't hesitate

EDIT: I hope you use windows or else all of this is useless to you!

 

[Xaotic]

The easiest way is to goto the manufacturer's site for the new hard drive and download their installation and diagnostics disk. This will normally have a way to clone the disk painlessly. The DOS command is XCOPY (source:\*.*) (target /E /K /H /E.

 

[VaTechHokies]

DOHHHHHHH! (as a sidenote, did you actually know that webster's is going to add doh to the dictionary?) I forgot about the disk that came w/ my WD to copy from one disk to another! thanks for reminding me Xaotic!

 

[The Overclocker]

cant find anything on WD's web site to transfre files - i will have to wait a bit untill i get norton utilites.

 

[Xaotic]

For WD, it's the data lifeguard disk.

http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp

It has prompts inside the shell when you boot from their boot disk.

 

[The Overclocker]

i run xp - so no data lifeguard for me

 

[RED Hot Machine]

The easiest way is to goto the manufacturer's site for the new hard drive and download their installation and diagnostics disk. This will normally have a way to clone the disk painlessly. The DOS command is XCOPY (source:\*.*) (target /E /K /H /E.

If you use XCOPY, you also need to use ATTRIB -RASH /D/S before xcopy.

 

[Maximus Nickus]

Okay here's how:

Say I wish everything to be from C: to D:

You will have to Boot from a Boot-Disk then type:

Copy C:/*.* D:/

The *.* command means it will copy everything.
If you wish to copy it all into a directory say "old stuff" then:

MD old stuff
Copy C:/*.* D:/old stuff

This will create the directory (hence MD) and copy it all.
Good Luck,
M_N

 

[Xaotic]

DOH! forgot the attrib commands, thanks RED Hot Machine. Ghost makes it too easy and my memory fades.

 

[The Overclocker]

thanks all , i will go and have a go at it now.

 

[The Overclocker]

OK - unfortunatly i cannot get the XCOPy command to work, can someone please go over it again with me

 

[Maximus Nickus]

At least try my method Thom!!!!

 

[The Overclocker]

Nick i have tried your method, it dosn't work - it copies the files in the hard disk to the floppy! but nothing else.

the xcopy thingie does not work. i would have thought it was xcopy C:/*.* [ D: ]

 

[Maximus Nickus]

Maybe you did Copy C:/*>* A:!!!!!!!!!
It hould copy it to D:
Have another go...

 

[JigPu]

With XCOPY, you don't have to use the ATTRIB command to change the attributes of all the files. The "/h" switch takes care of hidden and system files, and XOPY will allready copy over archive and read-only files.

Also, from my knowledge, copy will not copy subdirectories. If you use the command COPY C:\*.* X:, you will end up copying the contents of the root directory to the X drive without ever touching the sub-directories.
Could be wrong though... Haven't used COPY in a month or two...

JigPu

 

[MadMan007]

If you are using NTFS as your WinXP filesystem, DOS (and Xcopy) would not be able to read the file system, yes?