Best process to synch legacy HDD with a new PC Build

[Cvengr]

Question: How is he best way to take several older legacy hard drives, which were Windows XP boot drives, and capture the data in a new PC build?

Process is important to me as I haven't done this, and easily understand I might be blundering in the following process. Any corrections to my process are appreciated.

I assume the Motherboard BIOS will bring up the USB / Keyboard / mouse I/O and SATA controllers to operate and control the devices, but I'm still studying the particular process in verifying all drivers are the most recent versions, and will work with the operating system.

Install disc for the MB is a DVD-ROM.

My new PC Build list is:
CPU Intel i5 6500 3.2GHz
Motherboard
ASUS Z170-A ATX LGA 1151
Memory
Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4-3000
HDD
Seagate Barracuda 3TB 7200RPM IntHDD
DVD/CD
2 x Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD WRITER
OS
MS Windows 8.1 Pro OEM

Legacy HDD w/XP in Boot sector, 5 HDD <500GB ea + 2 Ext HDD, 1TB, 2TB
All the legacy drives are about 1/2 full each and haven't been synch'd, but share probably 30-70% common files. (7-20 yr old devices)

Most of the pertinent data is MS Office application based data files and Adobe .pdf files, AutoCAD dwg/dwf, and probably 1% valuable 3rd party software data files on on XP file systems.

Any recommendations for a proper sequence for the SW loading?
BIOS (default or refresh and how?)
CD-ROM drive device driver before or after OS loading?
Boot with old HDD and synch all the drives???
Remove all drives and install new HDD, and format/load new Win 8.1 OS?
Update drivers?
Add synched legacy drives from XP filing system and transfer data files???

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Cvengr]

Followup question.

When and which Security software is recommended and best method to keep unwanted ads from popping up from internet surfing?

In the past, I've used, Norton, ESET, Malwarebytes, Zonealarm, and probably 10 others (paid versions), but each seems to work well for 2-4 yrs, then a competitor seems to prevail in better AV/Firewall protection. I know they should all be fairly functionally competitive, but am interested if others have a preference in their implementation of security software.

Pop-up ads
Obviously, configuration management is king, and I do want search engines which will venture outside the local domains of local Internet providers and expand my horizons beyond a village of squalor, but am curious as to the latest search engines to meet those intentions, without harvesting unwanted cookies and pop-up ads.

"De-crapifier"
At one time, there was software to help get rid of all the ad cookies and junk which somehow gets embedded in the PC. I suspect proper configuration goes a long way to solve this problem. Any recommended white papers or sites to read up on this issue?

 

[Mushkins]

It depends on your intentions. Are you trying to create a process for a business upgrade/migration where this is going to be applied en-masse to large numbers of workstations, or are you doing this for a single PC at home? There's some terminology in your post that's kind of ambiguous as to how things are set up.

Here's my process for doing this on a single PC that has multiple hard drives, or at least multiple partitions on a single drive (aka when I upgrade at home).

1) Back up all important data from the boot drive/partition onto a secondary drive/partition.

2) *Optional*, if you care about Windows config personalizations use Windows Easy Transfer to make a backup file. I only do this at work when moving an end user to a new PC, personally I like a fresh start. If you're running XP you need to download it from Microsoft, Win7/Win8 have WET preinstalled.

3) Shut down the PC.

4) VERY IMPORTANT: if your secondary HDD you backed up to is a physical drive. DISCONNECT IT.

5) Format your old boot partition and any of those system reserved/recovery partitions that go with it. Clean install your new OS.

6) Install system drivers (motherboard, GPU, SATA drivers, etc). Restore from your WET backup if you made one *before* reinstalling any application software.

7) Shut down and reattach your secondary drive (if needed).

8) Reinstall your applications and go right back to work.

 

[Cvengr]

Thank you very much.
Gives me proper study material.