xp install

I have a larger hard drive I'd like to move xp onto, but my current install has cronic problems that I don't care to duplicate, so I don't want to image it. I have heard that xp insists on being the first o.s. on a system, so i can't install it on a drive without disconecting the current drive. I'd like to be able to install the o.s. on the new drive, and transfer my files from the old drive onto the new install without having to put everything on removable media if possible. Is there a practical way to do this?

 

Thank you for your response. I'll try it tomorrow.

 

You safest route is as Steve says, but it’s not true that XP wants or needs to be the first OS on a system.