STORM2K

Okay, I've had to transfer data before, but I don't know the realities of the situation. Here's how it worked for me. We were building a network for the DSL modem (so that everyone could have access through the wiring we were installing) and we were upgrading all the computers to Win2k. Before formatting the hard drives, I would transfer everything except the windows directory over to another computer on the network (it took an hour or two but it worked) and then we would format the drive, install Win2k and get that set-up. Afterwards, I would simply transfer the data back over the network. The only issue is that whenever you do a change like that (e.g. upgrading the operating system), you have to reinstall the programs. You can't simply have all the files there because they must be registered in the system (what's wrong with .ini files? I ask myself often) and all that jazz.

Anyways, I believe you probably have to have the hard drive hooked up to a computer somewhere to be able to transfer data to it. One option is to install it in your computer as is (that is, before you make any changes to the computer) and transfer the data you want from the original hard drive to the new one using Windows Explorer/My Computer (or, if you're old fashioned, File Manager). It will probably be fairly fast since it's all on the same computer, depending on your bus speed. If you have two computers and networks cards and cat-5 cables, or some other method of connecting, you can do the equivalent of what I did (or exactly the same as what I did), assuming that the new hard drive is on another computer. If you are putting the hard drive in the same computer (i.e. upgrading it), then I suggest simply doing the first thing I said. It would be worthwhile to go through your files and decide what you want to keep, transfer that, and leave everything else behind. It's a good way to clean house. I didn't do that and should have (at least for one of the computers) as I simply transfered the whole hard drive minus, as I said, the windows directory.

I hope that helps.

More:

Now I have a question on that. Is it possible to transfer everything BUT the OS from this hard drive to the new one and leave the OS on this hard drive so that I can use it on my backup comp? If so, that would save me $200 in buying Win XP all over again; since when I bought this comp I did not get a Win XP CD with it.

Yes, in fact, you probably have no choice. I'm not quite understanding the set-up you want. Let me see if I have this straight:
- You have two computers
- In the final set-up, you want one to have Windows 98 and be your back-up with the 20 gig hard drive.
- You want the other to have an 80-gig hard drive with Windows XP.

If I don't have that right, then tell me.

The short ad sweet is that you can transfer data files , documents and such, but not programs. Programs must be reinstalled so the the registry setting get setup correctly. Also, WinXP will have to be installed. With the new Microsoft registration for WInXP you can;t install the same copy on two computers.

Also, WinXP will have to be installed. With the new Microsoft registration for WInXP you can;t install the same copy on two computers.

If they are trying to prevent real pirating, this isn't the way. Real pirates can just find ways around this. And they aren't really going to lose much by having people let a friend or two borrow a copy of XP or even just install it on another computer in the same house. These happen to be the people that really get screwed by this and it doesn't really help the pirating. Plus, Bill Gates and Microsoft are already filthy rich. Can't they just let it go.

Microsoft has every right to defend their intellectual property. In fact if they don't, they can lose their rights to do so under the law.

Microsoft has every right to defend their intellectual property. In fact if they don't, they can lose their rights to do so under the law.

I find it unnecessary from a practical standpoint. I see it is a slide down a slippery slope that will curtail the ability of people to use computers and the 'net as freely as they do now, and it is that freedom and flexibility that makes it what it is.

I have to disagree with you strongly. Microsoft has every right to protect their program from unlawful copying. Just because you have a computer does not give you the right to pirate someone's software. If you want free sooftware go to Linux. Microsoft protecting their investment does not impinge on your ability to use the internet, just on people stealing their software.....

I have to disagree with you strongly. Microsoft has every right to protect their program from unlawful copying. Just because you have a computer does not give you the right to pirate someone's software. If you want free sooftware go to Linux. Microsoft protecting their investment does not impinge on your ability to use the internet, just on people stealing their software.....

It's not a question of right, it's a question of practicality. Yeah, sure it is wrong to pirate software. But to what extents are we going to go to preven it? And moreover, is it not okay if there is a little bit of piracy around the edges? In my opinion, the cure is worse than the disease. And the last thing we need is an escalating war between the pirates and the software makers. You know who loses in that war? It isn't the pirates. It's the consumers. The pirates will always find new ways to pirate. Either that, or software will altogether become completely unusable. We just have to accept some things and this is one of them.

I really didn't expect this much help on my hard drive data transfer issue, so thank you in advance. Disregarding the last 4 or 5 posts, I will keep in mind the information that you have given me here. Thank you very much for it.

mf_dolphin wrote:I have to disagree with you strongly. Microsoft has every right to protect their program from unlawful copying. Just because you have a computer does not give you the right to pirate someone's software. If you want free sooftware go to Linux. Microsoft protecting their investment does not impinge on your ability to use the internet, just on people stealing their software.....

MF_Dolphin is absolutely correct. Pirating software hurts the consumer who is buying his software legitimately. The software companies just raise the prices to compensate. Just as stores raise prices due to shoplifting. Pirating is the same as shoplifting. If you want or need a program, you should be willing to pay for a legitimate copy. Besides pirated programs are not always clean copies of the program, they may raise havoc with your PC. Sorry to remain off topic with this, but I feel that someone is advocating the wrong ideas here, and it's not the Dolphin.

MF_Dolphin is absolutely correct. Pirating software hurts the consumer who is buying his software legitimately. The software companies just raise the prices to compensate. Just as stores raise prices due to shoplifting. Pirating is the same as shoplifting. If you want or need a program, you should be willing to pay for a legitimate copy. Besides pirated programs are not always clean copies of the program, they may raise havoc with your PC. Sorry to remain off topic with this, but I feel that someone is advocating the wrong ideas here, and it's not the Dolphin.

You guys are still arguing in the pretty little world of theory and idealism. Sure, it would be great if nobody pirated and everyone bought their software illegally. It would also be nice if there wasn't poverty or evil in the world. But it ain't gonna happen. So, the question is, what should we do then? Going down the path of ever greater security features almost to the point of unusability, just to try to prevent Joe pirate, who will eventually find a way around it anyways, doesn't help anybody. I think it's worthwhile to accept that there is going to be some piracy always. The best we can do is discourage it and moreover, make it worthwhile not to pirate. The wrong path to go down is to fight it fiercely. That would simply be a big waste of time, money and effort and in the end, nobody would be happy.

You're right it will probably not go away, someone has always found a way around everything and that'll never change. But you said it best when you said " the best we can do is discourage it and make it not worth while to pirate. You sound like you are encouraging it am I reading this right?

Perfect example of pirates getting around security? Counterfeit!! The gov't changed the 20 dollar bill while saying it could not be duplicated. Two days later a man in Texas was passing around bogus twenties.