I've just succeeded in getting a new hard drive for my wife's computer up and runnung. It's formatted and partitioned. Now --- on to the next challenge.

The reason for the new drive is that the old one, which is the C: drive  is small (3 gig) and almost full. I thought that I'd replace it with a larger drive. I don't want to go through the hassel of re-installing Windows, and then having to re-install all the programs, because of the Registry. I thought I could coppy the entire contents of the old C: drive to the new drive, and then SET the new drive as the Master, and I'd be off and running. I should have known .....

Copying all the contents of the old drive (except for the Windows directory) was easy. Copying the Windows directory is a challenge I haven't overcome yet.

I've booted from a Start-up disk, and then tried to use xcopy to copy the Windows directory from the C: drive to the new drive I've st up as a slave (D:), but no luck. I get a message saying the F: Drive isn't ready (F: Drive, what F: Drive?)

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to do what I want; or any other suggestions as to a different way to go about it.

Incidentally, I'm using WIN98SE as the OS on the existing C: drive.
TomSometimes a new hard drive comes with the software to do this. Or did you just get a bare drive? What brand? Did you check the drive maker's site?

If you hooked the hard drive up as a slave, then it is an extended partition, not a primary partition which is what is needed for Win98 to boot.I agree with GX here...the CD that shipped with that HDD should have a "clone" utility which will make an exact copy of your existing drive and all that is left is to reset the jumpers and cabling and you should be good to goUnfortunately, the hard drive was a used one. It's a Maxtor, and I've been to their site. They provided programs so that I could format and partition the drive, but nothing to let me copy the contents of another drive. Maybe I overlooked something. I'll go back and check again.
Meanwhile, any other ideas?
TomEverything You Need

Remember after you are DONE to move the new drive to the end of the ribbon cable, jumper it as master and it should boot up into Windows exactly as the old one did with all your Programs, data etc. Quote

Everything You Need

Remember after you are done to move the new drive to the end of the ribbon cable, jumper it as master and it should boot up into Windows exactly as the old one did with all your Programs, data etc.

Quote

Everything You Need

Remember after you are done to move the new drive to the end of the ribbon cable, jumper it as master and it should boot up into Windows exactly as the old one did with all your Programs, data etc.

Thanks, but that's not particularly helpful. If I were able to copy the Windows folder to the new drive I wouldn't have asked the question.
Tom

just use the utility..........already or do a clean install.
I wuld just to a clan istall with windows xp and slave up your old drive easy acces to your files and you have a new updated OS