OS Transfer

[Jakeosaur]

Ok, so my PC stopped booting up about a month ago and I found out that the motherboard was the component causing the issue. I bought a new motherboard (I've forgotten the specifics) but my system runs on an Intel i5 3470 and 16gb of Hyper X black ram. I'm a newbie when it comes to PC building. Before my system failed, my hard drive had about 250GB of storage with Windows 8. Along with the purchase of the new mono, I also got a 2TB Seagate hard drive. Lastly I got an external drive enclosure that I can put my 250GB hard drive in and it will act as an external HDD via a USB port. Here's my dilemma: I want to keep all of my files etc. But move them to the new hard drive...and keep the OS on the old hardrive. Is that possible without any data loss or new components getting in the way? Sorry for the lengthy story.

[Jakeosaur]

The name of this topic doesn't really match the story but I clicked 'post' before I could change it.

[Altecice]

so if i get you correctly you want to move everything on your 250gb to your new 2TB?

 

If so use a cloning software like Clonezilla its very simple and will do a perfect sector clone from one drive to the other.

[Sors]

Most cloning tools will do what you need, I have use acronis that came with one of my external drives and the copied disc is exactly like the old one was.

[Jakeosaur]

Thank you for replying so when I have both HDDs installed, can I just run everything from the 250GB one, download a cloning software, then move everything (except the OS) to the 2TB hard drive?

[shujin]

Thank you for replying so when I have both HDDs installed, can I just run everything from the 250GB one, download a cloning software, then move everything (except the OS) to the 2TB hard drive?

you can just install a new os on the 2TB one than manually drag and drop the rest at the same location on the new drive it should work the same ^^ (you should consider only saving files and reinstalling important software since it's way more easy and fast)

[Jakeosaur]

But I don't have any more money to buy another OS disc. I have a Windows 8 disc already but it's a one use disc and I've already used it on the 250GB drive so I can't reinstall the OS unless I uninstall it first.

[LogicalDrm]

But I don't have any more money to buy another OS disc. I have a Windows 8 disc already but it's a one use disc and I've already used it on the 250GB drive so I can't reinstall the OS unless I uninstall it first.

 

Well its nice surprise that OS even works on different mobo after the change. If you like to keep OS as is in drive and just move stuff (non-programs) to other HDD, copy-paste or some sync software is way easier than cloning. You can then reinstall it on 250gb drive or leave it be.