Pavillion 753n and hard drive replacement

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

I have a Pavillion 753n with an 80GB hard drive running win XP with
SP1 installed.. It is 90% full and i have purchased a new Western
Digital 250GB hard drive to replace it. The 80GB of course is
partitioned at 75GB NTSF in c drive and 5GB as d drive in Fat32 for HP
Recovery. I have heard some horror stories about copying one drive to
another. For instance i have read that the system will only see my new
250GB as a 137 GB. That it wont copy both c and d drive correctly,
that i will lose system restore and the list goes on. The new drive
came with software to assist in copying one to another, but it says
itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
runs into problems. I have purchased Arcronis MigrateEasy and had
planned on using it instead. I've change hard drives in the past but
usually simply re-installed the os and everything else. I have far to
much this time to do so and copying in my best alternative. Anyone
with any experience at doing what i want to do? tia

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

"The new drive came with software to assist in copying one to another, but it
says itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
runs into problems."

"brand name computers like HP and Dell" ??? Talk about FUD, fear, uncertainty,
and doubt. And stupid vague disclaimers. Dell and HP systems use pretty much
the same generic components as anybody else these days. Both change the generic
motherboard BIOS to impose their own look-and-feel, but the deep down inside
core of the BIOS which manages the hard disk does not change. These companies
sometimes (often in the case of HP) do pretty dumb stuff, but they have better
things to do than mess up a motherboard BIOS.

Suggestions:

Try Seagate's Seatools. I have used it many times with success to clone hard
drives, regardless of the manufacturer. If it works, you are home free. If
not, use the Acronis package. You may have to activate Windows again. Make
sure your computer is free of viruses and spyware before doing this.

.... Ben Myers

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 08:22:01 -0500, krackerjak <krackerjak46@yahoo.com> wrote:

>I have a Pavillion 753n with an 80GB hard drive running win XP with
>SP1 installed.. It is 90% full and i have purchased a new Western
>Digital 250GB hard drive to replace it. The 80GB of course is
>partitioned at 75GB NTSF in c drive and 5GB as d drive in Fat32 for HP
>Recovery. I have heard some horror stories about copying one drive to
>another. For instance i have read that the system will only see my new
>250GB as a 137 GB. That it wont copy both c and d drive correctly,
>that i will lose system restore and the list goes on. The new drive
>came with software to assist in copying one to another, but it says
>itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
>runs into problems. I have purchased Arcronis MigrateEasy and had
>planned on using it instead. I've change hard drives in the past but
>usually simply re-installed the os and everything else. I have far to
>much this time to do so and copying in my best alternative. Anyone
>with any experience at doing what i want to do? tia

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

Ben Myers wrote:
> "The new drive came with software to assist in copying one to another, but it
> says itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
> runs into problems."
>
> "brand name computers like HP and Dell" ??? Talk about FUD, fear, uncertainty,
> and doubt. And stupid vague disclaimers. Dell and HP systems use pretty much
> the same generic components as anybody else these days. Both change the generic
> motherboard BIOS to impose their own look-and-feel, but the deep down inside
> core of the BIOS which manages the hard disk does not change. These companies
> sometimes (often in the case of HP) do pretty dumb stuff, but they have better
> things to do than mess up a motherboard BIOS.
>

Gosh, the software didn't say anything specifically about BIOS's. If it
has trouble copying the idiotic hidden partition on his HP correctly, would
that come as any great shock??

 

[craigm]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

David Kinsell wrote:
> Ben Myers wrote:
>
>> "The new drive came with software to assist in copying one to another,
>> but it
>> says itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
>> runs into problems."
>> "brand name computers like HP and Dell" ??? Talk about FUD, fear,
>> uncertainty,
>> and doubt. And stupid vague disclaimers. Dell and HP systems use
>> pretty much
>> the same generic components as anybody else these days. Both change
>> the generic
>> motherboard BIOS to impose their own look-and-feel, but the deep down
>> inside
>> core of the BIOS which manages the hard disk does not change. These
>> companies
>> sometimes (often in the case of HP) do pretty dumb stuff, but they
>> have better
>> things to do than mess up a motherboard BIOS.
>>
>
> Gosh, the software didn't say anything specifically about BIOS's. If it
> has trouble copying the idiotic hidden partition on his HP correctly, would
> that come as any great shock??

If it is doing a sector by sector copy, yes it would be a shock. Norton
Ghost can copy the disks fine, including the recovery partition.

craigm

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 14:46:03 GMT, ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net
(Ben Myers) wrote:
you happen to mention one of my other fears in doing this..."you may
have to avtivate windows again"! How does that work?
>"The new drive came with software to assist in copying one to another, but it
>says itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
>runs into problems."
>
>"brand name computers like HP and Dell" ??? Talk about FUD, fear, uncertainty,
>and doubt. And stupid vague disclaimers. Dell and HP systems use pretty much
>the same generic components as anybody else these days. Both change the generic
>motherboard BIOS to impose their own look-and-feel, but the deep down inside
>core of the BIOS which manages the hard disk does not change. These companies
>sometimes (often in the case of HP) do pretty dumb stuff, but they have better
>things to do than mess up a motherboard BIOS.
>
>Suggestions:
>
>Try Seagate's Seatools. I have used it many times with success to clone hard
>drives, regardless of the manufacturer. If it works, you are home free. If
>not, use the Acronis package. You may have to activate Windows again. Make
>sure your computer is free of viruses and spyware before doing this.
>
>... Ben Myers
>
>On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 08:22:01 -0500, krackerjak <krackerjak46@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>I have a Pavillion 753n with an 80GB hard drive running win XP with
>>SP1 installed.. It is 90% full and i have purchased a new Western
>>Digital 250GB hard drive to replace it. The 80GB of course is
>>partitioned at 75GB NTSF in c drive and 5GB as d drive in Fat32 for HP
>>Recovery. I have heard some horror stories about copying one drive to
>>another. For instance i have read that the system will only see my new
>>250GB as a 137 GB. That it wont copy both c and d drive correctly,
>>that i will lose system restore and the list goes on. The new drive
>>came with software to assist in copying one to another, but it says
>>itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
>>runs into problems. I have purchased Arcronis MigrateEasy and had
>>planned on using it instead. I've change hard drives in the past but
>>usually simply re-installed the os and everything else. I have far to
>>much this time to do so and copying in my best alternative. Anyone
>>with any experience at doing what i want to do? tia

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

If the hardware configuration changes substantially from the original on which
XPee was installed, the operating system will tell you that you have to activate
it. This is usually done somewhat painlessly via the internet. Sometimes,
Microsoft's product on-line activation balks at an attempt to activate, and you
are told to call an 800 phone number and talk to a Microsoft representative
usually speaking English as a second language. After you whine and plead to
explain why this happened, the Microsoftie will give you a long-winded code to
enter. Make sure you get all the letters and numbers correct and in the right
order. Should you succeed, your system will be reactivated. If XPee needs to
be reactivated, you get 30 days from the date of reinstallation to do so. If
you do not do so, your system probably will not boot.

If you have sensed from my description that product activation is a pain in the
ass, you are absolutely correct.

"If the hardware configuration changes substantially..." Ask Microsoft to
explain further.

"Sometimes, Microsoft's product on-line activation balks at an attempt to
activate..." Ask Microsoft to explain further... Ben Myers

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 15:09:05 -0500, krackerjak <krackerjak46@yahoo.com> wrote:

>On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 14:46:03 GMT, ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net
>(Ben Myers) wrote:
>you happen to mention one of my other fears in doing this..."you may
>have to avtivate windows again"! How does that work?
>>"The new drive came with software to assist in copying one to another, but it
>>says itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
>>runs into problems."
>>
>>"brand name computers like HP and Dell" ??? Talk about FUD, fear, uncertainty,
>>and doubt. And stupid vague disclaimers. Dell and HP systems use pretty much
>>the same generic components as anybody else these days. Both change the generic
>>motherboard BIOS to impose their own look-and-feel, but the deep down inside
>>core of the BIOS which manages the hard disk does not change. These companies
>>sometimes (often in the case of HP) do pretty dumb stuff, but they have better
>>things to do than mess up a motherboard BIOS.
>>
>>Suggestions:
>>
>>Try Seagate's Seatools. I have used it many times with success to clone hard
>>drives, regardless of the manufacturer. If it works, you are home free. If
>>not, use the Acronis package. You may have to activate Windows again. Make
>>sure your computer is free of viruses and spyware before doing this.
>>
>>... Ben Myers
>>
>>On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 08:22:01 -0500, krackerjak <krackerjak46@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>>I have a Pavillion 753n with an 80GB hard drive running win XP with
>>>SP1 installed.. It is 90% full and i have purchased a new Western
>>>Digital 250GB hard drive to replace it. The 80GB of course is
>>>partitioned at 75GB NTSF in c drive and 5GB as d drive in Fat32 for HP
>>>Recovery. I have heard some horror stories about copying one drive to
>>>another. For instance i have read that the system will only see my new
>>>250GB as a 137 GB. That it wont copy both c and d drive correctly,
>>>that i will lose system restore and the list goes on. The new drive
>>>came with software to assist in copying one to another, but it says
>>>itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
>>>runs into problems. I have purchased Arcronis MigrateEasy and had
>>>planned on using it instead. I've change hard drives in the past but
>>>usually simply re-installed the os and everything else. I have far to
>>>much this time to do so and copying in my best alternative. Anyone
>>>with any experience at doing what i want to do? tia
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

One thing with Windoze XP is that even with a very good program like Norton's Ghost,
you could end with real problem upgrading the harddrive. The scaring thing is not any
particular Brand of Computer. I have many cases that the newer HD will not even boot
like there is no boot sector on the HD yet I could put it in another system and it
will come up and asked to Registered again. Hope you do have a very good back up of
all the data you can't afford to loose on CD or tape drive first. It is a good thing
to do first.

Dewaine

Ben Myers wrote:

> If the hardware configuration changes substantially from the original on which
> XPee was installed, the operating system will tell you that you have to activate
> it. This is usually done somewhat painlessly via the internet. Sometimes,
> Microsoft's product on-line activation balks at an attempt to activate, and you
> are told to call an 800 phone number and talk to a Microsoft representative
> usually speaking English as a second language. After you whine and plead to
> explain why this happened, the Microsoftie will give you a long-winded code to
> enter. Make sure you get all the letters and numbers correct and in the right
> order. Should you succeed, your system will be reactivated. If XPee needs to
> be reactivated, you get 30 days from the date of reinstallation to do so. If
> you do not do so, your system probably will not boot.
>
> If you have sensed from my description that product activation is a pain in the
> ass, you are absolutely correct.
>
> "If the hardware configuration changes substantially..." Ask Microsoft to
> explain further.
>
> "Sometimes, Microsoft's product on-line activation balks at an attempt to
> activate..." Ask Microsoft to explain further... Ben Myers
>
> On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 15:09:05 -0500, krackerjak <krackerjak46@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 14:46:03 GMT, ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net
> >(Ben Myers) wrote:
> >you happen to mention one of my other fears in doing this..."you may
> >have to avtivate windows again"! How does that work?
> >>"The new drive came with software to assist in copying one to another, but it
> >>says itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
> >>runs into problems."
> >>
> >>"brand name computers like HP and Dell" ??? Talk about FUD, fear, uncertainty,
> >>and doubt. And stupid vague disclaimers. Dell and HP systems use pretty much
> >>the same generic components as anybody else these days. Both change the generic
> >>motherboard BIOS to impose their own look-and-feel, but the deep down inside
> >>core of the BIOS which manages the hard disk does not change. These companies
> >>sometimes (often in the case of HP) do pretty dumb stuff, but they have better
> >>things to do than mess up a motherboard BIOS.
> >>
> >>Suggestions:
> >>
> >>Try Seagate's Seatools. I have used it many times with success to clone hard
> >>drives, regardless of the manufacturer. If it works, you are home free. If
> >>not, use the Acronis package. You may have to activate Windows again. Make
> >>sure your computer is free of viruses and spyware before doing this.
> >>
> >>... Ben Myers
> >>
> >>On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 08:22:01 -0500, krackerjak <krackerjak46@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>>I have a Pavillion 753n with an 80GB hard drive running win XP with
> >>>SP1 installed.. It is 90% full and i have purchased a new Western
> >>>Digital 250GB hard drive to replace it. The 80GB of course is
> >>>partitioned at 75GB NTSF in c drive and 5GB as d drive in Fat32 for HP
> >>>Recovery. I have heard some horror stories about copying one drive to
> >>>another. For instance i have read that the system will only see my new
> >>>250GB as a 137 GB. That it wont copy both c and d drive correctly,
> >>>that i will lose system restore and the list goes on. The new drive
> >>>came with software to assist in copying one to another, but it says
> >>>itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
> >>>runs into problems. I have purchased Arcronis MigrateEasy and had
> >>>planned on using it instead. I've change hard drives in the past but
> >>>usually simply re-installed the os and everything else. I have far to
> >>>much this time to do so and copying in my best alternative. Anyone
> >>>with any experience at doing what i want to do? tia
> >

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 08:22:01 -0500, krackerjak <krackerjak46@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I have a Pavillion 753n with an 80GB hard drive running win XP with
> SP1 installed.. It is 90% full and i have purchased a new Western
> Digital 250GB hard drive to replace it. The 80GB of course is
> partitioned at 75GB NTSF in c drive and 5GB as d drive in Fat32 for HP
> Recovery. I have heard some horror stories about copying one drive to
> another. For instance i have read that the system will only see my new
> 250GB as a 137 GB. That it wont copy both c and d drive correctly,
> that i will lose system restore and the list goes on. The new drive
> came with software to assist in copying one to another, but it says
> itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
> runs into problems. I have purchased Arcronis MigrateEasy and had
> planned on using it instead. I've change hard drives in the past but
> usually simply re-installed the os and everything else. I have far to
> much this time to do so and copying in my best alternative. Anyone
> with any experience at doing what i want to do? tia

If you have not already done so, I would create the recovery tools CD and
recovery DVD or CD's just in case you run into a problem with the recovery
partition (which is actually the first partition and not hidden).

If your 753n is newer than my a530n, then it should support larger drives
(mine came with 200 GB drive). If for some reason your system does not
support the drive size, the software included with the drive usually
includes drive overlay software to make that work (along with disk copying
software that should be compatible).

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

craigm wrote:
> David Kinsell wrote:
>
>> Ben Myers wrote:
>>
>>> "The new drive came with software to assist in copying one to
>>> another, but it
>>> says itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
>>> runs into problems." "brand name computers like HP and Dell" ???
>>> Talk about FUD, fear, uncertainty,
>>> and doubt. And stupid vague disclaimers. Dell and HP systems use
>>> pretty much
>>> the same generic components as anybody else these days. Both change
>>> the generic
>>> motherboard BIOS to impose their own look-and-feel, but the deep down
>>> inside
>>> core of the BIOS which manages the hard disk does not change. These
>>> companies
>>> sometimes (often in the case of HP) do pretty dumb stuff, but they
>>> have better
>>> things to do than mess up a motherboard BIOS.
>>>
>>
>> Gosh, the software didn't say anything specifically about BIOS's. If it
>> has trouble copying the idiotic hidden partition on his HP correctly,
>> would
>> that come as any great shock??
>
>
> If it is doing a sector by sector copy, yes it would be a shock. Norton
> Ghost can copy the disks fine, including the recovery partition.
>

That would be a brilliant idea, wouldn't it? Copy a 40 gig drive sector
by sector to an 80 gig drive, and you end up with a drive that looks just
like a 40 gig drive. Wonder why no body does that????

 

[craigm]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

David Kinsell wrote:
> craigm wrote:
>
>> David Kinsell wrote:
>>
>>> Ben Myers wrote:
>>>
>>>> "The new drive came with software to assist in copying one to
>>>> another, but it
>>>> says itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it
>>>> sometimes
>>>> runs into problems." "brand name computers like HP and Dell" ???
>>>> Talk about FUD, fear, uncertainty,
>>>> and doubt. And stupid vague disclaimers. Dell and HP systems use
>>>> pretty much
>>>> the same generic components as anybody else these days. Both change
>>>> the generic
>>>> motherboard BIOS to impose their own look-and-feel, but the deep
>>>> down inside
>>>> core of the BIOS which manages the hard disk does not change. These
>>>> companies
>>>> sometimes (often in the case of HP) do pretty dumb stuff, but they
>>>> have better
>>>> things to do than mess up a motherboard BIOS.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Gosh, the software didn't say anything specifically about BIOS's. If it
>>> has trouble copying the idiotic hidden partition on his HP correctly,
>>> would
>>> that come as any great shock??
>>
>>
>>
>> If it is doing a sector by sector copy, yes it would be a shock.
>> Norton Ghost can copy the disks fine, including the recovery partition.
>>
>
> That would be a brilliant idea, wouldn't it? Copy a 40 gig drive sector
> by sector to an 80 gig drive, and you end up with a drive that looks just
> like a 40 gig drive. Wonder why no body does that????

If you knew anything about Ghost, you also know it can resize partitions.

You could also create a second partition.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 08:22:01 -0500, krackerjak
<krackerjak46@yahoo.com> wrote:

>I have a Pavillion 753n with an 80GB hard drive running win XP with
>SP1 installed.. It is 90% full and i have purchased a new Western
>Digital 250GB hard drive to replace it. The 80GB of course is
>partitioned at 75GB NTSF in c drive and 5GB as d drive in Fat32 for HP
>Recovery. I have heard some horror stories about copying one drive to
>another. For instance i have read that the system will only see my new
>250GB as a 137 GB. That it wont copy both c and d drive correctly,
>that i will lose system restore and the list goes on. The new drive
>came with software to assist in copying one to another, but it says
>itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it sometimes
>runs into problems. I have purchased Arcronis MigrateEasy and had
>planned on using it instead. I've change hard drives in the past but
>usually simply re-installed the os and everything else. I have far to
>much this time to do so and copying in my best alternative. Anyone
>with any experience at doing what i want to do? tia
Let me take a sec and thank you for your assistance.
Basically all went well using Arcronis MigrateEasy. It allowed me to
resize my partitions(almost). And it did have a read earror on sector
1, i retryed several times and then ended up ignoring. Everything at
present appears to be working fine. Two more quick questions. When
partitioning the new drive it did not allow me to create new
partitions. It attempted to simply resize them in poportion to the
new drive. I ended up with a C drive of about 217 GB, and left D at
the 5 GB it was on the 80 GB hard drive. The program stated that I
had about 232 GB to work with. Thus I ended up with 10 GB of
unallocated space. Can I recover that? Also now that all is
operational with the new drive, I installed the old 80 GB as a slave.
I never did erase the data on it. How do I go about erasing those 80
GB and if possible partitionng it? Once again tia.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

craigm wrote:
> David Kinsell wrote:
>
>> craigm wrote:
>>
>>> David Kinsell wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ben Myers wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> "The new drive came with software to assist in copying one to
>>>>> another, but it
>>>>> says itself that on "brand name computers like HP and Dell" it
>>>>> sometimes
>>>>> runs into problems." "brand name computers like HP and Dell" ???
>>>>> Talk about FUD, fear, uncertainty,
>>>>> and doubt. And stupid vague disclaimers. Dell and HP systems use
>>>>> pretty much
>>>>> the same generic components as anybody else these days. Both
>>>>> change the generic
>>>>> motherboard BIOS to impose their own look-and-feel, but the deep
>>>>> down inside
>>>>> core of the BIOS which manages the hard disk does not change.
>>>>> These companies
>>>>> sometimes (often in the case of HP) do pretty dumb stuff, but they
>>>>> have better
>>>>> things to do than mess up a motherboard BIOS.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Gosh, the software didn't say anything specifically about BIOS's.
>>>> If it
>>>> has trouble copying the idiotic hidden partition on his HP
>>>> correctly, would
>>>> that come as any great shock??
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> If it is doing a sector by sector copy, yes it would be a shock.
>>> Norton Ghost can copy the disks fine, including the recovery partition.
>>>
>>
>> That would be a brilliant idea, wouldn't it? Copy a 40 gig drive sector
>> by sector to an 80 gig drive, and you end up with a drive that looks just
>> like a 40 gig drive. Wonder why no body does that????
>
>
> If you knew anything about Ghost, you also know it can resize partitions.
>
> You could also create a second partition.

Yes, I'm quite familiar with Ghost, thank you. Of course when it resizes
partitions, it sure isn't doing a sector by sector copy, is it? Not that
the issue has anything at all to do with the freebie software that the OP
was asking about. Hidden partitions frequently trip up disk copying software,
as people who know anything about the subject realize.