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Topic: Thanks Wiz. and one more question...... |
J. R. McClung
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 3 Jun 2008 8:02 am |
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Thanks for the advice on my computer troubles in this thread: http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=132466
After adding some RAM and replacing the power supply the computer is running better than ever.
My question is about using ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE:
Whilst I was tinkering with the troubled computer, I got a super-fast computer for my wife. Now, I want to clone everything from the old hard drive onto her new one.
How should I hook them up? Can I simply use a USB cable to connect them or do I need to install both hard drives in one machine?
Thanks again....Joel
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Forget "world peace". Visualize using your turn signals. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 3 Jun 2008 9:46 am
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You can't "clone" or "copy" everything from one PC to the other. You can copy user data, music, photos, etc but programs must be installed using the program's installation setup.
Whether you can temporarily install the old hard drive in the new PC and then copy off the user data is also questionable and depends on the type of drive. Many older PC's used PATA (IDE) interface hard drives and most new computers use SATA interface and if there is no PATA connections available in the new PC you can't connect the old drive. If you have a USB connected hard drive that you use for backup you can just copy off the user files from the old PC to the USB hard drive and then connect the USB hard drive to the new PC and copy the user files on to the new PC.
I just recently finished copying my user data from my old PC to the new home built PC using a USB connected hard drive as described above. |
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J. R. McClung
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 5 Jun 2008 4:46 am Huh????
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Still need help.
Anybody know how I should connect these hard drives?
_________________
Forget "world peace". Visualize using your turn signals. |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 5 Jun 2008 9:44 am Re: Thanks Wiz. and one more question......
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| J. R. McClung wrote: |
My question is about using ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE:
Whilst I was tinkering with the troubled computer, I got a super-fast computer for my wife. Now, I want to clone everything from the old hard drive onto her new one.
How should I hook them up? Can I simply use a USB cable to connect them or do I need to install both hard drives in one machine?
Thanks again....Joel |
Joel;
If I read your intentions correctly you want to duplicate your programs and settings from the old to the new computer, using Acronis True Image. Acronis True Image is a backup utility, not a migration tool. Its backups are meant to be restored onto the computer they were made on, in the event of corruption, malware attacks or hard drive replacements. However, Microsoft operating systems from Windows 2000 up have a built in utility to transfer your personal data files, settings, email and desktop icons to another computer that is already up and running. It is named the "Files and Settings Transfer Wizard" in Windows 2000 and XP, and "Windows Easy Transfer" in Windows Vista. Since you said you bought your wife a "new" computer, I will assume it runs on Vista. You can read this illustrated tutorial that explains the process of using the Windows Easy Transfer utility to migrate your files and settings from XP to Vista.
The article linked to above uses a USB cable between the two machines. You could also connect them over a wired or wireless network if they have the identical "Workgroup" name and file sharing is enabled on both computers and is permitted through the firewalls. The USB solution is a lot simpler!
Note however, you cannot use Windows Easy Transfer, nor Acronis True Image, to move actual program files and registry entries. Windows Easy Transfer can only move data and program settings. To transfer the settings of a program to Windows Vista, you must install the program on the Windows Vista-based computer before you run Windows Easy Transfer.
That is the free solution, which requires not only time to collect and transfer files and settings, but also to reinstall and possible re-activate licenses for your programs onto the new target machine. Some applications you have may be limited to installation on just one computer and you will have to purchase additional licenses to install them onto another one. Others won't care and you can install them onto the new computer without any resistance, except from Windows Vista itself. If your old programs cannot install or run properly under Vista - try installing them in XP Compatibility Mode, or look for a newer version that is rated either Vista Certified, or Vista Compatible.
There are also a few commercial applications that can "migrate" many of your actual programs onto another computer, along with the files and settings. One such application is LapLink PCMover, which is pay-per-use (pay once run once). Note, that some programs requiring a key will still have to be reactivated to be used on the new computer. Software makers are getting more stringent about licensing all the time. Furthermore, PCMover cannot migrate anti virus/spyware programs or hardware drivers from the old to new computer.
You used the word "clone" in your original post. Let me explain how cloning works and why it won't work for you.
Cloning, also known as "ghosting," is the process of duplicating the entire contents of one hard drive onto another one, bit by bit, sector by sector. A cloned disk contains every byte of data, as well as unused and fragmented space and any bad sectors, from the original disk. A successfully cloned boot drive can be used to replace the original (C:) drive and is bootable itself, since it was cloned from a bootable drive. Cloned data drives are not bootable if the original was just used for file storage. Cloning is designed for either safe storage backups of, or direct replacement of the original hard disk.
Because a clone hard drive contains all of the data from the original disk, including the hardware drivers for the onboard devices, it will not recognize the hardware on another computer, unless that computer is an identical twin, using the same brand and revision of motherboard and any plug-in cards and internal disk or media drives. This even applies to the same computer if the motherboard has to be replaced. If the replacement is not the identical type your cloned hard drive may not boot into Windows.
From reading the previous paragraph it should be apparent to you that one cannot use cloning to move the contents of one Windows PC to another (unless they have identical components and operating systems). Neither can you use a saved "image" of the old hard drive on a different computer that is not identical, since images contain all of the data and drivers from the original disk being imaged. The only real difference between cloned and imaged disks is that images usually do not do a sector-by-sector copy (as does cloning), unless that option is selected by the user. Therefore, an image does not transfer over unused space or bad sectors, making the file size smaller than a cloned image would be.
In the end you are going to have to reinstall any program (application) onto the new computer before you transfer the files and settings from the old one. As I stated earlier, this may require you to either reactive, or pay for additional license keys to use some of those programs. In the worst case you will have to purchase new copies of programs that can only be licensed once and only on one computer. Some of the programs that ran perfectly ubder Windows XP will not install or run under Vista, unless they can be installed in XP Compatibiltiy mode (See link in 4th paragraph).
I hope this clarifies the issues you are facing with your desired goals.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 5 Jun 2008 10:12 am Re: Huh????
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| J. R. McClung wrote: |
Still need help.
Anybody know how I should connect these hard drives? |
Joel;
You have several options for "connecting" two hard drives to transfer data between them. They are as follows:
- A USB cable between two computers and a file transfer program to create a sharable network between them.
- An Ethernet crossover cable plugged into the Ethernet jacks on the two computers, plus file sharing enabled on both and folders shared and "Direct Cable Connection" setup on both.
- Ethernet cables from the computers to a wired router, along with networking and file sharing setup and enabled on both. Both must get their IP addresses from the wired router's DHCP server and have the same Workgroup name, but different "computer" names. You may also have to setup identical user names and passwords on each computer, to allow trusted file sharing to occur between them.
- Wireless networking on both, using a common router, Workgroup name and file sharing setup and enabled on both. Both must get their IP addresses from the same wireless router's DHCP server. The same requirement for user names and passwords may apply, depending on what type of file sharing security you have. The computer with the strongest security will set the policy for the other one.
- The hard drive can be removed from the old computer and installed into an external enclosure that connects via a USB or Firewire cable to the new computer. The enclosure must be compatible with the type of hard drive you wish to install (Parallel IDE or SATA connectors and power plugs). Allow all users to have full control over the external drive.
- The old hard drive can be removed from it's computer and made a "slave" drive in the new computer. The new computer must have a compatible controller, output connector block, signal cable and power plugs to hook up the old drive. If the old drive is IDE and the new one is SATA, the motherboard must also have an IDE controller and output block, as well as the old style, white molex power connectors.
- If both drives are SATA, just plug the signal cable into the second SATA output jack on the motherboard and it will become a slave drive. You will also need a free SATA power plug.
Note, that none of the above methods will transfer "programs" in such a way to make them function on the new computer. The only things transfered will be the data itself. You must reinstall any programs that are specific to your data files if you want to be able to open/run/edit them on the new computer. If all you need to transfer are images, sound and video files then you should have no problems opening them on the new computer, using its built-in/installed applications.
As I mentioned in my previous post, some programs that require activation codes or license keys will not work on the new computer until you activate them on it, paying additional fees if required.
IHTH
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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