dumb partition question

[NCCOP]

I have a 20 GB HD right now and I just got a 40 GB HD and I want to first partition the new HD and then move the info from the old HD to the new one. How do I partition the new HD (i.e. should I remove my current HD and put the new one in its place and then format and create the partitions, or should I add the drive as a slave)? Also, should I use Fdisk or my Windows XP disk (if I am not mistaken, XP comes with some kind of partitioning software)?

I hope what I am trying to do is clear....Thanks.

 

[CurtCold]

Partition with fdisk. Transfer the files with Norton Ghost. You can put the new drive in as a slave if you wanna.

 

[NCCOP]

Thanks.

 

[XeonTux]

no need to fdisk, ghost can partition for you.

For the FASTEST transfer of data, hook your new drive up as primary master as you plan on using it... then put your old drive on the secondary channel for the data transfer (probably replacing any optical drives temporarily)

 

[TheCorm]

Remember that if you have your old drive in there and it has a primary partition with windows on it and then you partition and install windows on the new drive it will use the next drive letter....windows will install onto D:\ instead of C:\ so you might like to keep the other drive out and then when you put it in as a slave, it "should" be forced to use D:\ and other partitions on your new drive will be dropped down to E:\ onwards.

You can of course put new drive in, format, install windows and then drop the old one and format it, then it will use the next available drive letter after all the partitions on your first drive!....phew.

Of course, you can Ghost like XeonTux advised too if you have it!

Corm