Moving data and swapping HDs

I have a 30gb HD C:\ (OS and program files)
13gb HD D:\ (Storage)

i wanna swap the drives so the 13gb HD is the OS and program files, and the 30gb is storage.

my 13gb drive is almost full (hence the swap) and my 30gb is used about 12gbs (full of **** now)

the way i thought i could do this is:

Format C:\ (OS and program files)
Make two partitions out of the 30gb drive, C:\ 15gb D:\ 15gb

install windows on C:\ (15gb)

copy all files from what was D:\ but now E:\ to new D:\ (2nd 15gb)

Format C:\ (removing OS)

Format E:\ was D:\ (13gb)

Move Hds round in case and jumpers to make the (E:\) the master and the C:\ D:\ the secondary.

Install windows on new C:\ which should be 13gb,

then all should be alrite? all my files on E drive with D free for whatever, and C on my 13gb drive.

does that sound right? (in theory) . problem is, its gonna take a long time to copy 13gb from 1 drive to another isnt it? what i need is just a new HD.!

so is all that ok. any comments welcome.! cuz i think this is a mess

 

Copying files from one drive to another shouldn't take you long at all. Everything sounds good in your procedure but you should partition the 30 gig and then format it, not the other way around (your paragraph #4)

Good luck

 

Your theory is fine IF all goes well. But something to think about.

Or, look before you leap. Or, food for thought. ( Your choice )

If all is going well with no problems I would leave as is.

You will just need to start storing stuff on the 30gig.

I am willing to bet that the 13gig may have a lot of downloaded stuff ( maybe drivers and such ) that will be lost unless you have a CDR/RW to store them on. And if you are running any version of 98, some stuff * MAY NOT * be available any longer.

Microsoft, Software and Hardware venders are droppping support for 98 FAST. ( too fast or my liking )

You could also get Partition Magic and repartition the 1st HD without losing anything.

You may need to copy stuff from from the old D: to the new D: then format the old. But that would depend on whether the 2nd HD has a Primary partition on it or not.If it does have a Primary partition then it would stay as D:

BillyBob

 

After thought

Even if the 2nd does not have a primary partition you could use Partition Magic to make it a one. Just do not set it Active.

This would aslo leave it as D:

BillyBob

 

god reading through it now, iv confused myself. thing is i REALLLLY dont wanna lose anything on my 13gb HD, iv had it all for years! and its important and useful stuff.

how would this partition magic make it easy for me?
i could split the 30gb HD now? then copy everythign to that space.

format the old half and old drive with my files which have now been copied. then install windows on it (swapping jumpers obviously)

 

That is exactly what I was thinking about.

how would this partition magic make it easy for me?
i could split the 30gb HD now? then copy everythign to that space.

Yes. You could use PM to split up the 30gig drive.

What would need to be done after that would depend on the 2nd HD as to whether it had a Primary or was all extended. If all extended then all you would need to do would be to copy what was on it to the new D: drive. ( after formating it of course. )

If the 2nd HD has a Primary partition on it then it would stay as the D: drive it is now. And the new partiton on the first HD would be E:

format the old half and old drive with my files which have now been copied. then install windows on it (swapping jumpers obviously)

No need to format the old HD ( other then the new partition(s)).

No need to change jumpers.

I would suggest leaving the existing 1st HD in the position that it is in now. Moving it * MAY result * in a re-installing of the OS. Which I am quite sure you wish to ( and can be ) prevent(ed) if at all ( and is ) possible.

BillyBob

 

the thing is i want to reinstall the OS its gettin messy and things going wrong. thats y i thought the opetunity to swap my files over. my 13gb HD is faster than the 30 hence y i put the OS on that one. also i dont need more than 13gb for OS. but i need more storage..

so if i use PM to make to pertitions out of 30gb drive(os) i wont have 2 format it after so i wont lose OS. correct?

 

OK. Rather than gamble on losing the data I would leave it on the 13gig drive till I got the 1st HD redone.

Fdisk and repartiton the 30gig, then do what you wish with the data on the 13gig.

Depending on the OS you are using you do not really need more then 3gig for the OS partition. XP or 2K may need more but nothing else does.

I myself would divided the 30gig into 3, 15, 12. ( C: D: E: ) then the data from the 13gig can be copied to the new D: Or left where it is.

Or C: E: F: Again, depending whether the existing D: is a primary partition or not. If it is I would leave it as is.

Also unless you are familiar with the BIOS, switching the positions of the drives can cause problems there.

My 40gig is set up as 3.6, 7.06, 5.9, 7.9 7.9 7.0. That makes it much easier to keep things separated. And very little space is lost due to cluster size. Defrag is MUCH faster. Gives me plenty of room to keep things like the Swap file. Other then the C: drive I don't think my other partitions have been defraged for ages. Unless I add or remove programs.

BillyBob

 

Hehehe ..... lets make it confusing if it isn't already but you better leave your Data on old D (eventually new C) until you get the new D & E or D,E & F set up along the lines of your original proposed switcheroo.

You can be real safe by first disconnecting old D temporarily (may need to move jumpers on old C depending on HDD mfg), FDisking and setting up however many partitions on old C but make none of them active (one will have to be primary). Format these and then reconnect old D (help me here BB cause I'm not a DOS Guru) and boot from a floppy and copy old D which will now be renamed as your third drive if two partitions on old C or fourth if three. Simple command (I think - help me again BB) copy E:\*.* X:\ where X is the first or second partition on old C (wherever you want to put old D). Obviously E: would be F: if three partitions. Then shutdown and rejumper your drives so old D is master and old C is Slave (or change cable positions if Cable Select). Now FDisk old D (new C) and make it active. Format it, do your install and take a refresher course at the local kindergarten so you can post back the alphabetical configuration of your new setup. Phew ......

Maybe they have night classes and we can get a group rate.

Hehehe - already edited this 4 times in two minutes

 

Rockster2U

I somewhat understand you but I see no reason at all for switching HDs. I see nothing to be gained. And I feel would be too much unnecessary work.

Plus I strongly suggest that the C: drive be no more than 3gig. I would know better what to suggest there If I knew what OS was being used. I think 5 or 6gig is plenty for even XP.

I suggest this because I myself keep NOTHING other than the OS and associated programs on the C: drive.

Again I do follow your idea but if one is not VERY CAREFUL and/or things do not work as the should the data could be lost.

I know DOS can be helpfull but it can also be dangerous cause if anything goes wrong the data can be lost FOREVER.

And this is what I am basing my suggestions on.

Not if it is going to be a SLAVE. Or even master on the 2nd controller.

I have 3 HDs in one machine and only one has a Primary on it.

BillyBob

 

Billy Bob

Its confusing alright. I do a lot with hot swappable and removable hard drives on my own machines and always set up a primary partition even though its not necessarily active. With the exception of one modded Netpliance I-Opener and my laptop, all of my machines have 3 or 4 hard drives. I'll try a HDD with no primary this week. Also a big fan of Partition Magic and Drive Image but use PM mostly to reset or undo things - use FDisk for almost all of my initial setups unless the HDD is too big.

Suggested what I did because old D is SteveS's fastest drive and personally, I'd put the OS on that one if it were my machine.

As for DOS, I always move real slow because yes, one can muck things up if they don't know what they are doing and I'm dangerous enough there to realize and admit it. Then again, it can be a lifesaver at times.

Regardless, sorry about the off topic banter SteveS - good luck.

 

***I do a lot with hot swappable and removable hard drives on my own machines

That is a whole different ballgame my Friend.

Under average use of a machine a primary partition on any other than the 1st HD is not needed.

My main reason for not putting a primary on other than the 1st is so that I can add or remove a 2nd HD without messing up the drive letters of the previous.

For example;

Right now I have on HD which has partitions C: thru H:. If I added the 2nd HD with a primary partition on it my existing would become C: E: F: G: H: I:

Then if I Later removed the 2nd HD they would revert back to C: thru H:

Up until I got this new machine I had my OS on an old 4gig HD.

I do not believe that the 13gig would be the faster drive. Could be but I do not think so. And I might also IF I did not know that it contains what may be non-replaceable data.

And my ideas may only work in DOS and up to Windows ME.

As to copying file using DOS. If the proper version of DOS is not used it * MAY NOT * copy long file names.

That is why I much prefer to do all the copying that I can with Windows.

BillyBob

 

Billy Bob

You raise some very good points. SteveS, this is worth thinking about before you make your switcheroo.

Also, couple of other thoughts - you may want to backup your driver files. Best tool I know of is from JerMar software, WinDrivers Backup - it will grab all of your currnet drivers and permit you to copy them to a seperate folder on either drive. http://www.jermar.com

Also, Billy Bob - if you haven't tried it, Karen Kenworthy's Replicator is one of the better incremental backup tools I've ever seen - you can even back up a complete drive although it isn't going to be able to get all Windows Program files that are in use at the time if you are trying to backup your OS while its running. Awesome tool - highly recommended:
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/powertools.asp

 

I do not care what type of backup is used. It is only as good as;

1-- it is kept up to date. And with me I know that sometimes a backup made this morning may well be out of date by evening.

2-- it is stored on a partition other than C:

3--and be capable of being run from DOS.

I have seen too many users with a large HD with just one partition go thru a lot of un-necessary work when the C: drive went South.

I know it is a personal choice but for the average user, there are many, many advantages to Partitioning.

And keeping a Primary partition off of any HD other than the 1st one.

BillyBob

 

i have windows XP Pro.

 

i have windows XP Pro.

I do not think that would have any effect on my Partitioning ideas.

I still would leave the present 13gig as is until I got the 30 gig setup.

I might even take the suggestion by Rockster2U to remove the 13gig entirely until the 30gig is setup.

Get the 30gig set up and then see what XP does with the 13gig and then we can make better suggestions.

XP does handle HD lettering differently. That much I do know.

And I do not want to see you losing the stuff on the 13gig.

BillyBob

 

no i know, but i thought i should mention it as it came up afew times what OS i had.

well i backup ed the 13gb hd onto the c drive using that karens power tools thing.

so now im gona try split the 30gb into two.

my 13gb hd is full which is y im swapping hds. + my 13gb drive is faster

 

Geez - color me dumb. I thought you originally posted this on the Win98 forum - am I losing it or is that in fact where this was before it got moved to Hardware.

Regardless, I think you have enough info to make your decision re: how to proceed so I'll sit back and wait to hear results. Guess I'll also think twice about recommending tools based on the reception they received. I'll put the lock on that trick bag.

 

???????????
Just wondering how things are going.

 

i havnt started yet i mite in a min. i have alot fo work too do for college and dont really want the agro, i may try anyway. lol