Moving a Windows install

rubberduck · 13 Jan 2008 at 16:03

Hi

I would like to move my install of Windows XP from my old IDE drive to a new SATA drive. Is this possible? I realise I may have to buy a program to do this which is ok if necessary.

Thanks

Cob · 13 Jan 2008 at 16:17

Yeah you can clone it using either Acronis True image or Norton Ghost.

this_is_gav · 13 Jan 2008 at 18:52

...however it's very likely to work, as Windows will try to load from the old controller, get lost, fall over, blue screen and restart in a loop. If you've got a recent Intel ICH9 or 8 based board (might work on older southbridges too, and other chipsets if you can work around it) I'd post a link to a guide I know on another forum (never followed it), but OcUK block the name out.

Put the following into a google search: How to enable AHCI/RAID mode without reinstalling windows (ICH8/ICH8R/ICH9/ICH9R).

rpstewart · 13 Jan 2008 at 19:07

As long as the SATA controller is set to Legacy/IDE mode (or whatever the particualr BIOS calls it) everything should work fine.

rubberduck · 31 Mar 2008 at 12:41

Just to let people know (for future reference) that I succesfully carried out the transfer of the windows install and it is now working perfectly.

I was not able to get Norton Ghost to work as it has trouble when moving an OS install from PATA to SATA. Acronis True Image worked first time however and is available with a fully functional 30 day trial. Two thumbs up!

bledd · 31 Mar 2008 at 13:53

if you buy it, you can boot from cd instead of installing it (transfers faster and 'safer' (i like to think))

£25ish from their site, bargin for what it does