[Fineus]

This might seem kinda obvious, but I want to make sure I get this right.

I want to transfer information from one computers hard drive to another computers hard drive using the fastest, safest means possible. What would I do to go about this? I get the impression theres a better way than copying to CD then copying it from the CD to the new hard disk, can I just plug a parrallel port cable into them or something?

Cheers  

[Shrike]

Plug 'em both into one box.  

[Fineus]

Is there another way? I don't want to mess with the config on the new system if I can help it.

[wEvil]

if you mean boot sector and all...

try a program called "norton ghost"

it copies the hard disk sector by sector across.

if its a win2k system you'll need to install the OS and all the service packs (about 200mb of downloads in total ), but everything else *should* work.

there is no other way to properly copy a hard disk across...unless you own a 40gb USB drive or something?


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I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired!!

[Nico]

just make a direct link with the parrallel port cable (like when you played doom in multi so long ago   -you did, true?-).
then get a link manager of any kind (norton gots things like that I'm sure) et voila (don't ask me the details, as I said, it's so long ago for me :þ )

[Jabu]

Get a null cable.

[Setekh]

 

Originally posted by Shrike:
Plug 'em both into one box.    

That's what I'd do... hella fast IDE transfers. Make sure they're on different controllers, obviously...

[Martinus]

 

Originally posted by Thunder:
This might seem kinda obvious, but I want to make sure I get this right.

I want to transfer information from one computers hard drive to another computers hard drive using the fastest, safest means possible. What would I do to go about this? I get the impression theres a better way than copying to CD then copying it from the CD to the new hard disk, can I just plug a parrallel port cable into them or something?

Cheers  

What's your current setup? One drive in each computer? If so do they have network cards? Fill me in I know of more than a few ways to do this, BTW Parallel and null transfer will work but it'll take the best part of the rest of your life  


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He strikes from the darkness. He is unseen, unheard, he is the snack ninja. Pray your refrigerator isn't next.

[Fineus]

More info needed? More info given:

Rig 1: My current computer, two hard disks but I figure that what works for one will work for the other. It uses Windows 98.

Rig 2: My (hopefully) soon to be delivered new computer, one hard disk and this will also use Windows 98.

I guess I could plug in one HD at a time and just copy stuff across then uninstall it again when I'm done.

On the other hand I'd rather keep them separate, so a parrallel cable sounds better (or a null cable, whatever that is?).

Also note that I don't want to mirror the drives, just choose select programs/files and copy from one to the other (I.E. MP3 collections and so on). But I don't want to copy the boot sector.

[Anduril]

It's actually pretty easy to put them in one box- you do it a bit differently depending on if it's IDE or SCSI though. If it's IDE, there should be two main ribbons of cable, with connectors on the ends as well as halfway down. Just attach the second drive to the halfway-down connector on the ribbon attached to the first drive, set it up as a slave drive in the BIOS, and it should work just fine. Copy what you want, shut it down, pull it back out, and you're done. Don't forget to attach power supply to the second drive as well.  

You should be able to manage everthing with with only one controller.

Good luck!

[aldo_14]

 just plugged 'em in the same machine last time...although my Pc is set up incredibly badly, and can only fit in 1 HD and 1 CD drive without over heating  

[Thorn]

 

Originally posted by Setekh:
That's what I'd do... hella fast IDE transfers. Make sure they're on different controllers, obviously...

Actually its faster if you have one drive slaved to another... copying from the primary to the secondary is slow.......as......hell....
Slave to Master is a lot faster...

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Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard kids! Be evil!

[Vertigo1]

Two ways:

1. Pop the case and connect the drive as a slave.  Detect drive in the BIOS and begin transfer.

2. Use a crossover cable if you have two NICs and network the two machines together.  Transfer the data that way.

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"You know you've played Freespace too much when you're driving along trying to use countermeasures to shake off pursuing highway police." - Top Gun

Material Defender Studios

[This message has been edited by MD-2389 (edited 09-21-2001).]

[Thorn]

Yeah.. you can get pretty decent transfer rates over a LAN.. up to 100 mbp/s if you have it set up right...

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Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard kids! Be evil!

[QXMX]

If you already have NIC's installed, than I'd say LAN.  Attaching a second HD won't do jack to your configuation, you should be able to start it up immediatelly with no problems and do your transfers.

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Webmaster of Subspace Zero

Co-Creator, GroundZero
ICQ# 117983680

[Martinus]

If you're really not up for installing the drive in computer number 2 transfer by LAN is your best bet, if the machines don't have NICs I'd advise that you buy some anyways, you can pick up 10/100Mbps cards for around £5 to £8. You don't need to buy a hub you can use a single crossover cable to hook them up and you'll get transfer speeds of up to 12.5MBps. This is a helluva lot faster than parrallel transfer and infintely faster than a null modem cable.

Secondly, you'll have a working 100Mbps network from which you can share resources (and play counterstrike   ) which will come in very handy.

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He strikes from the darkness. He is unseen, unheard, he is the snack ninja. Pray your refrigerator isn't next.

[Setekh]

 

Originally posted by Thorn:
Actually its faster if you have one drive slaved to another... copying from the primary to the secondary is slow.......as......hell....
Slave to Master is a lot faster...

Ack, sorry - I'm just used to having my special 3OS system, and my head wasn't screwed on right  

[Thorn]

 

Originally posted by Setekh:
Ack, sorry - I'm just used to having my special 3OS system, and my head wasn't screwed on right  

Lol... yeah.. I work in a shop doing repairs and the like... I deal with this a lot.. backing up data and whatnot...

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Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard kids! Be evil!

[Kazan]

For Reference

Cross Over Cable

End one
White Orange / Orange / White Green / Blue / White Blue / Green / White Brown / Brown

End Two

White Green / Green / White Orange / Blue / White Blue / Orange / White Brown / Brown




[This message has been edited by Kazan (edited 09-23-2001).]

[Vertigo1]

If you can wait till tomorrow afternoon, I can give you a pic or two to add to Kazan's reference.

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"You know you've played Freespace too much when you're driving along trying to use countermeasures to shake off pursuing highway police." - Top Gun

Material Defender Studios