Hardware New HDD

[Isaac]

I'm thinking about getting a new HDD for my laptop... But the thing is, I don;t want to lose my OS. It's Vista, I know it sucks but I don;t have the money to replace it. But my question is, Can I just copy the contents of the hdd to a new one and have it run?

 

[TheRedfox]

Just copying the files won't work, i would suggest to

• Clone the drive, you can do it 1:1 if you have a PC with 2 sata slots or hdd->image->new hdd with a external usb drive
• After the cloning is done boot from new drive and extend partition/make a new partition if the new HDD is bigger

To clone i would use clonezilla, for extending partitions the most software you can find should work

 

[Isaac]

Let me ask you... I could make an image (similar to an iso) and put that on a portable hdd, and then put in the new drive using a linux distro from a flashdrive, and then "burn" the image to the new hdd?

 

[marcus134]

acronis true image is the name you're looking for and it comes with a live cd (it's also possible to do a live usb install)

 

[PityOnU]

You can do something like that, but if it's just the OS you're worried about you can reuse the license that came with the laptop to reinstall it.

You can actually download a perfect .iso of Vista for free directly from Microsoft's digital distribution partner. All the links you need are in this thread: http://forums.mydigitallife.info/archive/index.php/t-16472.html

Reinstalling the OS fresh would probably also benefit you by causing a huge boost in performance and battery life, because you'd be starting from an absolutely clean slate, not an OEM factory image.

The difference is actually large enough that a MacBook Pro is now the "best" Windows laptop simply because you HAVE to install Windows fresh on it. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolo...acBook-is-best-performing-Windows-laptop.html

 

[Originality]

Whilst its true that a clean install is far better than an OEM install (with certain exceptions), please don't spread misleading articles like that. It'll add more fuel to the Mac vs PC fire. MBP is not the best Windows laptop in an equal testing environment because hardware specs make a difference.

 

[izzydeank]

Whilst its true that a clean install is far better than an OEM install (with certain exceptions), please don't spread misleading articles like that. It'll add more fuel to the Mac vs PC fire. MBP is not the best Windows laptop in an equal testing environment because hardware specs make a difference.

You are wrong, because that laptop was the best/fastest at the time released. Just like long before that a desktop mac was the fastest windows computer for a little. Your hardware argument makes no sense. In an equal hardware spec comparison they would be the same speed. It doesn't matter if its a Mac or a "PC". The point was that with the fresh install without all the bloatware that manufactures put on windows computers, the computer will run faster then it even did new. It wasn't a windows mac argument.

 

[Originality]

No need to get personal (unless it's PMs or EoF). Besides, I've never seen a MBP outspec a laptop (or a Mac outspec a PC for that matter). Most MBPs I fix tend to just use Intel HD graphics.
EDIT: And a quick look tells me a GT 650M is the most they put in one.

 

[izzydeank]

No need to get personal (unless it's PMs or EoF). Besides, I've never seen a MBP outspec a laptop (or a Mac outspec a PC for that matter). Most MBPs I fix tend to just use Intel HD graphics.

Your joking right? Never seen a mac outspec a PC? Somebody is deff a PC fanboy. The desktop Mac pros are crazy spec'd. Those are the ones that I referred to earlier that were the fastest windows computer for a little. They go up to 12 core. You don't see many computers made by anybody that high.

 

[ouch123]

Your joking right? Never seen a mac outspec a PC? Somebody is deff a PC fanboy. The desktop Mac pros are crazy spec'd. Those are the ones that I referred to earlier that were the fastest windows computer for a little. They go up to 12 core. You don't see many computers made by anybody that high.

I know I'm jumping in here, and that this is a bit off-topic... but I'd just like to point out that marketing gimmicks like extra cores and high clock rates really are not good measures of any piece of hardware's actual ability to perform. The best way to measure performance is, well, to measure performance (such as with benchmarks). It may interest you to do some reading about an idea known as the Megahertz myth.

 

[izzydeank]

I know I'm jumping in here, and that this is a bit off-topic... but I'd just like to point out that marketing gimmicks like extra cores and high clock rates really are not good measures of any piece of hardware's actual ability to perform. The best way to measure performance is, well, to measure performance (such as with benchmarks). It may interest you to do some reading about an idea known as the Megahertz myth.

I'm already aware that higher clockspeed or more cores isn't a good way to measure speed. Especially clock speeds. I agree benchmarking is better. Still doesn't change the fact, that I find it hard to believe that he had never seen a mac be faster then a pc. Considering the large amout of budget PC's out there.

 

[Plainscript]

Just go with a clean installation, but just make sure you backup everything and get the most important drivers somewhere (wireless/LAN/display drivers/chipset) before you put your new HDD in.

Best option. I wouldn't go with cloning personally - just go with a clean installation. If the key on the bottom of the laptop isn't visible anymore - I would suggest to grab some a tool called Magical Jelly Bean. It will display it.

 

[LockeCole_101629]

Acronis is a good software
just buy a new drive, clone or create backup for an image file of your old HDD and it will be running just the way it is.

instruction is pretty much simple, and I mean simple at least you know how it do basically, you'll be just fine.