How to Copy Hard Drive to a New Computer

Copying a hard drive from one computer to another is challenging but sometimes necessary.

When you purchase a new computer, it is important to transfer all of your files from your old hard drive to your new one, especially if they are precious photos or you depend on them for school or work. If you simply want to transfer files, you can connect the computers with an ethernet cord and dump the files from one to the other, even if the two computers have different operating systems. Transferring complete hard drives complicates the process, because it involves the transfer of programs and systems in addition to simple files.

Instructions

1. Back up your files and other data. If something bad happens when copying the hard drive over to a new computer, you will at least have the files and program information backed up. You can do this by saving the digital data to an external, USB hard drive or by purchasing hard-drive cloning software.

2. Format your new hard drive. A hard drive cannot store any data unless it has been formatted. Most new computers come with pre-formatted hard drives. Formatting a hard drive deletes any information currently stored on it, so take caution with this step. To format the drive, go to "My Computer," right click on the drive you want to format, and click on "Format" in the menu that pops up.

3. Manually copy your data. Install your old hard drive into your new computer as a secondary drive, or install your new hard drive into your old computer as the primary drive. Move all information from the old drive to the new one, except for the WIN389.swp file. Turn off your computer, install the hard drives back into their proper places, and restart the computer.

   Note: Don't complete this step if you opt for step four instead.

4. Install transfer software. The following steps depend on the program you choose, but all will guide you through the process of moving your old hard drive to your new one from your computer screen. Move Me, Drive Backup Express, DriveImage XML and XXCLONE are designed for Windows operating systems, while programs like CloneZilla and EASEUS Disk Copy can copy hard drives across different operating platforms.

   Note: You don't need to complete this step if you completed step three.

5. Organize your files. Decide how you want to manage files on your new computer, and organize them accordingly. Decide which shortcut icons you want on your desktop and which ones you want to keep hidden. And finally, enjoy using your new computer.

References

• Web Tech Geek: Copy all Your Windows Hard Drive to a New Hard Drive
• Data Backup and Storage: A Migration Solution Using a Hard Drive Copy for Your New Computer
• Make Use Of: 5 Ways To Clone and Copy Your Hard Drive
• Web Tech Geek: Format a Computer Hard Drive