Copying Windows onto a new hard disk

FAQ about Powercopy's Boot CD Connecting P(arallel) ATA hard disks properly

Copying any (Windows) operating system under XP, 200x, Vista or NT4 onto a larger hard disk or one of equal size and enlarging partitions:

Step A: Copying hard disk

In this example we do this by connecting the first hard disk (target disk) as a second hard disk (USB/FIREWIRE/SATA). This cunning technique features a Hot-Plug which allows the entire hard disk being copied without Windows interfering in any way.

This is how it works:
Preparation: Erase target hard disk

1. Boot up computer in Windows.
   
2. Connect  hard disk (target disk/USB/FIREWIRE/SATA) now (not beforehand). In this manner you can avoid boot errors and Windows-internal conflicts.
   
3. Wait for about 30 seconds until the new hardware has been fully recognized.
   
4. Start pc32.exe (Powercopy Windows Version).

5. Now select Powercopy's Function menu "Erase" and erase the new hard disk.
   

   Select the hard disk you have just connected as source. Normally this is the last hard disk listed. Check hard disk size.
   Confirm "HD-Clear/HD-Backup information: ..."
   Make your selection in the follow-up dialog  "What should be cleared or removed?"
   
   

   Remove one entry of a Partition inside MBR     Erase the content of a partition(MBR entry# will remain)     Clear MBR Master Boot Record ****First 20 Megabytes****     entire hard disk     Mark as free hard disk, e.g.to prepare for     POWERCOPY HD-BACKUP

   
   

6. Check hard disk size once more in the  "Last chance to stop task" dialog and execute erasing
   

7. After the erasing process has been successfully completed, wait another 10 seconds. Now remove the (USB/FIREWIRE/SATA) hard disk just erased.
   

8. Wait another 10 seconds. Now re-connect the (USB/FIREWIRE/SATA) hard disk. Windows will now no longer recognize any drive letter on this external hard disk..
   
   The preparation phase has now been completed.
   

9. Again, start pc32.exe (Powercopy Windows Version)
   

10. Select Powercopy menu point "I Show information about connected HD's / Set copy range".
    Select the hard disk to be copied as source. Normally this is the first hard disk listed; check hard disk size! 
    Move cursor one line down to ensure that only drive C will be copied.
    Check  the partition size displayed ( in this case: 8149MB) to ensure that it matches your starting partition.
    

    Hard disk #80 - 76319 MB____________________________________________________ Partition Table: Set copy range. For details, see F1 HELP __PRIMARY PARTITION. __EXTENDED PARTITION __LOGICAL DRIVE  >-+ Select entire hard disk or the previously set copy range  >¦+ -- or a partition (logical drive) below   ¦   ¦+80 P#1:    8149MB (S=63 L=12498570 CHS0|1|1-1023|254|63)   ¦+'           'PT07=NTFS                            ser#C0524C83   ¦   ¦+80 P#2:   60000MB (S=16691535 L=122881185 CHS1023|0|1-1023|254|63)   ¦+'           'PT07=NTFS                            ser#205D2B51   ¦   ¦+80 P#3:    8165MB (S=139572720 L=16723665 CHS1022|254|63-1022|254|63)   ¦+'           'PT0c=FAT32-LBA(max2047GB)            ser#205814EB   -

    
    Set copy range with ENTER key.
    
11. You don't need to select the source drive, since the copy range was determined at the previous step.
    Confirm the set copy range once again by pressing the ENTER key.
    
    

    Hard disk #80 - 76319 MB_________________________________________________  Should a Partition(Logical drive) or the entire hard disk be handled? Select appropriate line! __PRIMARY PARTITION. __EXTENDED PARTITION __LOGICAL DRIVE  >-+ Entire hard disk or the previously set copy range  >¦+ -- or select a partition (logical drive) below

    
    
12. Select the connected external drive as source drive.
    Answer the comparison dialog with "No" and check once again the hard disk size in the "Last chance to stop task" dialog. Now perform the copy operation.
    
13. After the copy has been created successfully, wait for 15 seconds. Disconnect the external hard disk! Do not remove hardware by double-clicking the USB icon!

1. If the original hard disk contains additional partitions, you must erase these now. You may do so with Powercopy's help or by using the Windows disk manager. Leave the first partition alone and erase all other (unhealthy) partitions.
   

1. You may simply use Microsoft's diskpart tool.
   Call up Diskpart by clicking on Start->Run and enter diskpart. If Diskpart in not on your system, you may download it from Microsoft's Website. 
   Only for Windows NT4: Connect hard disk to an XP system and enlarge the partition with Diskpart.
   
   DISKPART> list volume  shows all volumes present (drive letter Ltr).
   Example of a hard disk with only one volume/drive letter.
   
   

   DISKPART> list volume   Volume ###  Ltr  Label        Fs     Type        Size     Status     Info   ----------  ---  -----------  -----  ----------  -------  ---------  --------   Volume 0     C   SYSTEM       NTFS   Partition      8 GB  Healthy    System

   
   
2. DISKPART> select volume c     selects the partition/volume to be enlarged.
3. DISKPART> extend size=xxxx   xxxx to be specified. Units in MB, e.g.,  "extend size=20000" enlarges the partition by 20 MB. If 'Extend' is not specified, the maximum size possible will be created.
   

Powercopy FAQ: "Copying Windows onto a new hard disk"

http://www.datapower.de/german/hdcopy.htm