Moving Windows To Another HDD ?

MadMan-JaMeS · 19 Aug 2010 at 17:42

Hey guys,

At the moment my windows Vista is insalled on a 80gb Sata HDD which is full

I want to move it over to a new HDD which is 250Gb, how would i go about doing this ?

Also is it possible to move game files to another HDD and still play them ?

The reason my boot drive is so full is cos of WoW, MW2 & Other games, so i thought if i could move them over to another HDD i wouldn't need to move my Vista over cos there is obviously enough space for it on a 80Gb HDD.

Any help appreciated thanks

SourChipmunk · 19 Aug 2010 at 17:52

Unfortunately Windows does not copy nicely at all. Personally I would get all my saved game data copied, uninstall the games from your 80GB, put the 250GB in as another drive, then install the games to it.

jasonjax1 · 19 Aug 2010 at 17:53

welll there is a few way of doing this, but the best way is to get another HD and install windows there just for the solo purpuse of copying one hd to another.

or get one of those fancy hd caddies that you can press a button and it copies from 1 hd to another.

either google or a device like this
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-060-AK&groupid=1657&catid=1660&subcat=

i have something similar, but not the backup facility or hd copy facility.

search around or use google.

orderoftheflame · 19 Aug 2010 at 18:02

jasonjax1 said:
or get one of those fancy hd caddies that you can press a button and it copies from 1 hd to another.

I've used one of these a few times, works brilliantly.

SiriusB · 19 Aug 2010 at 18:07

Any disk imaging software such as Macrium Reflect or Acronis will let you copy one HDD to another.

Or if you would rather just copy your games over, you shouldn't have a problem. I can't think of any game that does anything terribly important to the registry. Just copy it, and recreate any shortcuts to point to the new location and away you go.

[You can always test before deleting the old location]

Azza · 19 Aug 2010 at 18:12

As SiruisB says with the games there shouldn't be a problem just copying over the game files.

I have a separate hard drive with all my games installed on, including Steam and some have been on there ages now. Done 3 new W7 installs since I first copied them over and last week I copied the whole lot from one hard drive to another after re-installing Windows and they all work fine .

MadMan-JaMeS · 19 Aug 2010 at 18:17

okay thanks, think i'll do that then just move my games to another HDD.

And acronis would let me copy windows from one HDD to another ?

I just brought a second hand WD Raptor 74gb and think that'll be faster than my standard 80gb seagate

MadMan-JaMeS · 19 Aug 2010 at 20:53

Done it now.

Thanks for ya help

siege2 · 20 Aug 2010 at 09:52

MadMan-JaMeS said:
Done it now.

Thanks for ya help

using acronis for years now.

very easy to image a drive when i know all updates and programs are complete restart PC with boot CD in drive , get it to make a image to HD which in turn can be used in the future to restore a working pc in 5 to 10 minutes.

PS Akasa is great device for the HD's.