NEED ADVICE on eliminating original hard drive please

[Bobby A]

Hi,

I have a Pavilion 8485Z which has had me through the ringer enough
times to know to ASK as much as possible before attempting something
like this. Don't get me wrong though, I love my machine. It is a
learned love. You know, sort of like; We married for sex, but learned
to love each other over time. That sort of love.

Anyway, The machine came with 96 MB of RAM, a Zip drive and a 12.9 GB
hard drive. Over the years I have added 2 - 128 MB memory cards, so
it now totals 352 MB of RAM. I have replaced the Zip drive with a CD
burner. I added a 40 GB hard drive as storage, and another 80 GB hard
drive, also as storage, both of those being Maxtor. The problem I've
been having is that it hangs a long time to boot-up, and if I have
just cleared the cache and history, it'll boot to the safe mode.
Whenever it does this, all I have to do is go into msconfig/Advanced
and either check or uncheck the top box (Disable System ROM
Breakpoint), and it then can be restarted and will always restart in
the normal mode. I don't think that particular item is the key to a
successful normal reboot though. I think that as long as I make any
change it will work. But that's beside the point. Otherwise it works
fine. Experience has taught me about keeping up on maintenance too.
I have only the essential items load on start-up. I got rid of the
crappy Network Associates anti-virus stuff, and have Norton installed.
I regularly run Ad-aware and SpybotS&D. Oh yeah, it still has Win98
(first edition, which I believe was just a modernization of '95).
Okay, so that's my history.

Here is my Idea: I am of the belief that some of the hanging and
other quirks might go away if I were to eliminate the original 12.9 GB
hard drive and just use the two Maxtors. I want to learn how to load
Win98 on the 40 Gig drive and transfer all or most of my programs
before taking it out (the C drive). In other words, kill the need for
it, having a duplicate of the OS ready to go. My question is can this
even be done? If it is possible, can you at least give me an overview
of what I'll have to do? Is it worth the trouble, or am I just
barking up the wrong tree? If you're e-mailing, don't use the Yahoo
one. Use my Hotmail account that starts as rapidly2robert. Thanks in
advance for your attention.

Bob

[chuckie®]

The easiest and most efficient method is Norton Ghost. I'm fairly sure that you don't want to
purchase additional software, but that is one of the best. I have used it several times without a
hitch. Basically, it copies the entire contents of one HDD to another, and I do mean 'entire'. All
the times I have used it, it has been to copy the C drive contents onto a new HDD. I would suggest
that you reformat the drive that you are going to make your new C drive, as you stated that they
were both being used for 'storage'. I don't know which you would prefer, but whatever is stored on
that one will have to be moved or eliminated. I will add that there are other programs that do this
job too, but Ghost is the only one that I have experience with, so thus the recommendation...luck...

"Bobby A" <ledfloyd2000@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:baf6c81a.0402060336.a69d0f0@posting.google.com... Hi, I have a Pavilion 8485Z which has had me through the ringer enough times to know to ASK as much as possible before attempting something like this. Don't get me wrong though, I love my machine. It is a learned love. You know, sort of like; We married for sex, but learned to love each other over time. That sort of love. Anyway, The machine came with 96 MB of RAM, a Zip drive and a 12.9 GB hard drive. Over the years I have added 2 - 128 MB memory cards, so it now totals 352 MB of RAM. I have replaced the Zip drive with a CD burner. I added a 40 GB hard drive as storage, and another 80 GB hard drive, also as storage, both of those being Maxtor. The problem I've been having is that it hangs a long time to boot-up, and if I have just cleared the cache and history, it'll boot to the safe mode. Whenever it does this, all I have to do is go into msconfig/Advanced and either check or uncheck the top box (Disable System ROM Breakpoint), and it then can be restarted and will always restart in the normal mode. I don't think that particular item is the key to a successful normal reboot though. I think that as long as I make any change it will work. But that's beside the point. Otherwise it works fine. Experience has taught me about keeping up on maintenance too. I have only the essential items load on start-up. I got rid of the crappy Network Associates anti-virus stuff, and have Norton installed. I regularly run Ad-aware and SpybotS&D. Oh yeah, it still has Win98 (first edition, which I believe was just a modernization of '95). Okay, so that's my history. Here is my Idea: I am of the belief that some of the hanging and other quirks might go away if I were to eliminate the original 12.9 GB hard drive and just use the two Maxtors. I want to learn how to load Win98 on the 40 Gig drive and transfer all or most of my programs before taking it out (the C drive). In other words, kill the need for it, having a duplicate of the OS ready to go. My question is can this even be done? If it is possible, can you at least give me an overview of what I'll have to do? Is it worth the trouble, or am I just barking up the wrong tree? If you're e-mailing, don't use the Yahoo one. Use my Hotmail account that starts as rapidly2robert. Thanks in advance for your attention. Bob

[Ben Myers]

The other less expensive (free) choice to copy contents of a hard drive is
Seagate's SEATOOLS, which has a WIndows-based hard drive format-and-drive-copy
program. SEATOOLS complains if the target drive is not Seagate brand, but works
anyway. It has worked for me many times in cloning hard drives and copying
contents to a newer larger drive... Ben Myers

On Sat, 07 Feb 2004 03:14:06 GMT, "chuckie®" <chuckie®@yahoo.com> wrote:
The easiest and most efficient method is Norton Ghost. I'm fairly sure that you don't want topurchase additional software, but that is one of the best. I have used it several times without ahitch. Basically, it copies the entire contents of one HDD to another, and I do mean 'entire'. Allthe times I have used it, it has been to copy the C drive contents onto a new HDD. I would suggestthat you reformat the drive that you are going to make your new C drive, as you stated that theywere both being used for 'storage'. I don't know which you would prefer, but whatever is stored onthat one will have to be moved or eliminated. I will add that there are other programs that do thisjob too, but Ghost is the only one that I have experience with, so thus the recommendation...luck..."Bobby A" <ledfloyd2000@yahoo.com> wrote in messagenews:baf6c81a.0402060336.a69d0f0@posting.google.com... Hi, I have a Pavilion 8485Z which has had me through the ringer enough times to know to ASK as much as possible before attempting something like this. Don't get me wrong though, I love my machine. It is a learned love. You know, sort of like; We married for sex, but learned to love each other over time. That sort of love. Anyway, The machine came with 96 MB of RAM, a Zip drive and a 12.9 GB hard drive. Over the years I have added 2 - 128 MB memory cards, so it now totals 352 MB of RAM. I have replaced the Zip drive with a CD burner. I added a 40 GB hard drive as storage, and another 80 GB hard drive, also as storage, both of those being Maxtor. The problem I've been having is that it hangs a long time to boot-up, and if I have just cleared the cache and history, it'll boot to the safe mode. Whenever it does this, all I have to do is go into msconfig/Advanced and either check or uncheck the top box (Disable System ROM Breakpoint), and it then can be restarted and will always restart in the normal mode. I don't think that particular item is the key to a successful normal reboot though. I think that as long as I make any change it will work. But that's beside the point. Otherwise it works fine. Experience has taught me about keeping up on maintenance too. I have only the essential items load on start-up. I got rid of the crappy Network Associates anti-virus stuff, and have Norton installed. I regularly run Ad-aware and SpybotS&D. Oh yeah, it still has Win98 (first edition, which I believe was just a modernization of '95). Okay, so that's my history. Here is my Idea: I am of the belief that some of the hanging and other quirks might go away if I were to eliminate the original 12.9 GB hard drive and just use the two Maxtors. I want to learn how to load Win98 on the 40 Gig drive and transfer all or most of my programs before taking it out (the C drive). In other words, kill the need for it, having a duplicate of the OS ready to go. My question is can this even be done? If it is possible, can you at least give me an overview of what I'll have to do? Is it worth the trouble, or am I just barking up the wrong tree? If you're e-mailing, don't use the Yahoo one. Use my Hotmail account that starts as rapidly2robert. Thanks in advance for your attention. Bob

[chuckie®]

I knew there had to be others, but Ghost is the only one I've had experience with, thanks for the
update!!!

<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:40245b3f.7842026@news.charter.net... The other less expensive (free) choice to copy contents of a hard drive is Seagate's SEATOOLS, which has a WIndows-based hard drive format-and-drive-copy program. SEATOOLS complains if the target drive is not Seagate brand, but works anyway. It has worked for me many times in cloning hard drives and copying contents to a newer larger drive... Ben Myers On Sat, 07 Feb 2004 03:14:06 GMT, "chuckie®" <chuckie®@yahoo.com> wrote:The easiest and most efficient method is Norton Ghost. I'm fairly sure that you don't want topurchase additional software, but that is one of the best. I have used it several times without
ahitch. Basically, it copies the entire contents of one HDD to another, and I do mean 'entire'.
Allthe times I have used it, it has been to copy the C drive contents onto a new HDD. I would
suggestthat you reformat the drive that you are going to make your new C drive, as you stated that theywere both being used for 'storage'. I don't know which you would prefer, but whatever is stored
onthat one will have to be moved or eliminated. I will add that there are other programs that do
thisjob too, but Ghost is the only one that I have experience with, so thus the
recommendation...luck..."Bobby A" <ledfloyd2000@yahoo.com> wrote in messagenews:baf6c81a.0402060336.a69d0f0@posting.google.com... Hi, I have a Pavilion 8485Z which has had me through the ringer enough times to know to ASK as much as possible before attempting something like this. Don't get me wrong though, I love my machine. It is a learned love. You know, sort of like; We married for sex, but learned to love each other over time. That sort of love. Anyway, The machine came with 96 MB of RAM, a Zip drive and a 12.9 GB hard drive. Over the years I have added 2 - 128 MB memory cards, so it now totals 352 MB of RAM. I have replaced the Zip drive with a CD burner. I added a 40 GB hard drive as storage, and another 80 GB hard drive, also as storage, both of those being Maxtor. The problem I've been having is that it hangs a long time to boot-up, and if I have just cleared the cache and history, it'll boot to the safe mode. Whenever it does this, all I have to do is go into msconfig/Advanced and either check or uncheck the top box (Disable System ROM Breakpoint), and it then can be restarted and will always restart in the normal mode. I don't think that particular item is the key to a successful normal reboot though. I think that as long as I make any change it will work. But that's beside the point. Otherwise it works fine. Experience has taught me about keeping up on maintenance too. I have only the essential items load on start-up. I got rid of the crappy Network Associates anti-virus stuff, and have Norton installed. I regularly run Ad-aware and SpybotS&D. Oh yeah, it still has Win98 (first edition, which I believe was just a modernization of '95). Okay, so that's my history. Here is my Idea: I am of the belief that some of the hanging and other quirks might go away if I were to eliminate the original 12.9 GB hard drive and just use the two Maxtors. I want to learn how to load Win98 on the 40 Gig drive and transfer all or most of my programs before taking it out (the C drive). In other words, kill the need for it, having a duplicate of the OS ready to go. My question is can this even be done? If it is possible, can you at least give me an overview of what I'll have to do? Is it worth the trouble, or am I just barking up the wrong tree? If you're e-mailing, don't use the Yahoo one. Use my Hotmail account that starts as rapidly2robert. Thanks in advance for your attention. Bob

[terry_b17]

Bob ,
go to http://www.maxtor.com/en/support/downloads/maxblast3.htm

this is maxtors tool for moving your files from your old drive to the
larger drive . it is easy to use and it worked great for me .
good luck,
terry

[Bobby A]

"chuckie®" <chuckie®@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<02dVb.1950$PY.1319@newssvr26.news.prodigy.com>... I knew there had to be others, but Ghost is the only one I've had experience with, thanks for the update!!! <ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message news:40245b3f.7842026@news.charter.net... The other less expensive (free) choice to copy contents of a hard drive is Seagate's SEATOOLS, which has a WIndows-based hard drive format-and-drive-copy program. SEATOOLS complains if the target drive is not Seagate brand, but works anyway. It has worked for me many times in cloning hard drives and copying contents to a newer larger drive... Ben Myers On Sat, 07 Feb 2004 03:14:06 GMT, "chuckie®" <chuckie®@yahoo.com> wrote:The easiest and most efficient method is Norton Ghost. I'm fairly sure that you don't want topurchase additional software, but that is one of the best. I have used it several times without ahitch. Basically, it copies the entire contents of one HDD to another, and I do mean 'entire'. Allthe times I have used it, it has been to copy the C drive contents onto a new HDD. I would suggestthat you reformat the drive that you are going to make your new C drive, as you stated that theywere both being used for 'storage'. I don't know which you would prefer, but whatever is stored onthat one will have to be moved or eliminated. I will add that there are other programs that do thisjob too, but Ghost is the only one that I have experience with, so thus the recommendation...luck..."Bobby A" <ledfloyd2000@yahoo.com> wrote in messagenews:baf6c81a.0402060336.a69d0f0@posting.google.com...> Hi,>> I have a Pavilion 8485Z which has had me through the ringer enough> times to know to ASK as much as possible before attempting something> like this. Don't get me wrong though, I love my machine. It is a> learned love. You know, sort of like; We married for sex, but learned> to love each other over time. That sort of love.>> Anyway, The machine came with 96 MB of RAM, a Zip drive and a 12.9 GB> hard drive. Over the years I have added 2 - 128 MB memory cards, so> it now totals 352 MB of RAM. I have replaced the Zip drive with a CD> burner. I added a 40 GB hard drive as storage, and another 80 GB hard> drive, also as storage, both of those being Maxtor. The problem I've> been having is that it hangs a long time to boot-up, and if I have> just cleared the cache and history, it'll boot to the safe mode.> Whenever it does this, all I have to do is go into msconfig/Advanced> and either check or uncheck the top box (Disable System ROM> Breakpoint), and it then can be restarted and will always restart in> the normal mode. I don't think that particular item is the key to a> successful normal reboot though. I think that as long as I make any> change it will work. But that's beside the point. Otherwise it works> fine. Experience has taught me about keeping up on maintenance too.> I have only the essential items load on start-up. I got rid of the> crappy Network Associates anti-virus stuff, and have Norton installed.> I regularly run Ad-aware and SpybotS&D. Oh yeah, it still has Win98> (first edition, which I believe was just a modernization of '95).> Okay, so that's my history.>> Here is my Idea: I am of the belief that some of the hanging and> other quirks might go away if I were to eliminate the original 12.9 GB> hard drive and just use the two Maxtors. I want to learn how to load> Win98 on the 40 Gig drive and transfer all or most of my programs> before taking it out (the C drive). In other words, kill the need for> it, having a duplicate of the OS ready to go. My question is can this> even be done? If it is possible, can you at least give me an overview> of what I'll have to do? Is it worth the trouble, or am I just> barking up the wrong tree? If you're e-mailing, don't use the Yahoo> one. Use my Hotmail account that starts as rapidly2robert. Thanks in> advance for your attention.>> Bob

Hi again,

And thanks for the help. I will look at all the alternatives and
probably go with the free one first. However, I have Norton's
Anti-virus 2002 that has a feature called Rescue. I never paid much
attention to it, and recall glancing over the details briefly some
time ago. Do you know if that can be made to do the same thing? I
kind of doubt it though. I recall that it involved backing up the
whole computer or at least one drive onto CD-ROMs and would replace
everything. I'll check out what it says after I finish this. I can
go ahead with this, now that the connection speed problem is somewhat
resolved. I was finally able to get Comcast to send out a REAL tech
out to fix my problem, after they blew me off three times. It was the
RCA modem from Radio Shack that was the problem. He replaced it with
a Motorola that I now rent for $3/Mo. Well, thanks again and I'll
update you when I can.

Bob