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@danzoo wrote:
I have a Dimension 8400. I have installed a new SATA hard drive in addition to my operating SATA hard drive. I formatted the new one - 1 partion NFTS. Since the new hard drive is faster and a little bigger, I would like to make the new hard drive be the one with windows XP and pretty much re-install all of my old software onto the new one. I want the old hard drive to be the backup. (It is badly in need of formatting) I would like to be able to transfer all of the documents, pictures, music etc to the new drive at my leasure since I don't want to be sitting at the computer all day.

The question I have is can I install XP on to the new drive while the old drive still operates XP?
Will the computer get confused if (for a few days) I have Windows on two hard drives?
If not, can I copy data on to the new drive before install XP on it?
If I can't do it this way, what is the best way of going about transfering the data?

Since your 8400 likely has Dell PC Restore by Symantec which will make it "as shipped", I'd take this approach.

1) Move all data to new drive.

2) Use Dell PC Restore to make the computer "as shipped".  Systems shipped after July 15, 2004 came with Symantec PC Restore. This utility restores the computer to an "as-shipped" condition. If you haven't reformatted, repartitioned, or otherwise modified the master boot record, it should work. Click here for instructions about Symantec PC Restore.

3) Move data back to old drive.

4) Use the drive manufacturer's software to copy old to new and then switch the data cables.

Much faster than reinstall XP, drivers, software.

Rick

I have a similar problems with a few twists

Dell 8400 two Sata 250 g hard drives, xp installed on "C" drive "F" used as backup

Drive "C" will no longer boot to windows, crashed yesterday while installing norton software.

Initial error message after reboot  "missing or corrupt windows\system32\config\system file

Attempted to restore full system and received  "PC sytem restore not successful" attempted multiple times with same result.

Dell windows XP recovery disc does not boot from CD drive

trying to install XP on F drive returns message NTLDR missing (this drive was purchased drrectly from dell)

Now after trying to boot I get a blue screen with the following error code

stop: 0x000000CD, (0x86F4AA68, 0Xc0000185, 0X0000000, 0X0000000)

HELP Please!

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@brucep216 wrote:

Rick

I have a similar problems with a few twists

Dell 8400 two Sata 250 g hard drives, xp installed on "C" drive "F" used as backup

Drive "C" will no longer boot to windows, crashed yesterday while installing norton software.

Initial error message after reboot  "missing or corrupt windows\system32\config\system file

Attempted to restore full system and received  "PC sytem restore not successful" attempted multiple times with same result.

Dell windows XP recovery disc does not boot from CD drive

trying to install XP on F drive returns message NTLDR missing (this drive was purchased drrectly from dell)

Now after trying to boot I get a blue screen with the following error code

stop: 0x000000CD, (0x86F4AA68, 0Xc0000185, 0X0000000, 0X0000000)

HELP Please!

If you want to install XP on the F drive, then make it SATA-0 and try it.  I suspect that C failed, and until you disconnect it you're not going to have success.  Of course putting XP on F erases your backup...