Need help please! Need to reproduce/clone/migrate HDD (newbie)

[drmcgahey]

Hi, 

Hoping somebody can provide some guidance.

I have an old PC running XP home.  This computer contains a lot of programs and info that can't be reproduced and the HDD is starting to die.  I have another machine with a new and similar (IDE) HDD, running XP Pro.

I would like to reproduce the old HDD on the new machine.  I want the ability for the new HDD to behave exactly as the old, being the primary, stand-alone internal drive.  Is that cloning?  Migrating?  Mirroring?  I have no idea.

Is this possible, and what is the best solution for making that happen.  I would assume I need to take the old HDD out of the old machine, install in the new and use a particular software solution installed on the new machine (System Recovery?).

Thanks in advance!  I realize there are solutions - I've done some reading before posting - but am not sure the correct way to proceed and don't want to create further problems.

K.

[Markus_Koestler]

SSR can do the job. Just boot of the SRD and select the copy drive option.

[drmcgahey]

Thanks Markus!

So,

- install SSR on the new machine
- connect the old drive at the same time
- open SSR, and select copy drive option and proceed with copy old to new?

This will produce a bootable, working copy of the old drive running the same OS, etc.?

Thanks again!

[Markus_Koestler]

No you needn't to install SSR, just use the recovery CD (SRD), and then proceed as you pointed out.

[drmcgahey]

Hi Markus,

I haven't purchased SSR yet, so I have no recovery CD from the old machine.  Moving forward, do I need to install SSR on the old machine and produce a recovery disc?  Sorry, this is all new to me.

[Markus_Koestler]

The recovery CD is not bound to a specific machine. You can create a SRD from any machine where SSR is installed.

[Markus_Koestler]

Any questions still open?