need advice on drive cloning

Normally, I would make this type of thread in the "Hardware" section of the forum, but due to XP being involved, it may be inappropriate to do so.

What I want to do is to install XP Media Center on my desktop. Naturally, it won't install conventionally. But I found a treasure inside of my WD Passport backup drive, a small SATA drive (must be one of those 2.5 inch ones) with a 160GB capacity.

What I'd like to do is clone my notebook drive to the drive that I'm speaking of, then attach it through an SATA extension cable that I bought to use with both of my other hard drives, I can simply choose which one I want, plug it in and go.

Can this work out for me? And will it cause damage to my computer to attempt to do so? I'm using Acronis cloning software, so the clone should be good, plus it's a fresh install on a clean drive that's been wiped with DBAN using the Guttman method, plus a seven time random wipe with ones and zeros (twice), with the Free Partition Wizard. When I did the install, it showed that my drive was either new or wiped, and needed formatting. So the OS is clean, not corrupted in any way. Prior to the install, I ran a "surface check" with the Free Partition Wizard, all blocks were perfect, zero errors. So file corruption shouldn't be an issue this time around.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Cat

Yes you can clone it, that part isn't a problem. No it won't hurt your desktop. But it will have the drivers for the laptop, not the desktop so their will be driver issues when you try to boot the desktop from this disk - you will need XP drivers for the desktops components.

Also, I don't do dual-boot and am not sure how W7s boot manager will play with XP so I would disconnect your internal HD (I assume this is where your W7 is) so XP is the only drive it see when you try it. <- not doing this is the only part that might hurt your desktop - and it wouldn't damage the hardware, but I don't know it wouldn't screw up your W7 build (others might know for sure if this is safe, I just don't have the experience)

I have two hard drives that I'm currently using through a SATA extension cable (remember, a few months back, I needed help selecting a cable). I can only run one disc at a time with it.

Assuming that I can boot it, could I simply remove the notebook drives, and allow Windows Update download new ones for it? I wouldn't be using the OS on my notebook any longer, anyway. I seriously doubt that HP would have the proper drivers, this computer was built to run Vista, it was upgraded to 7 at the factory, according to the installed Windows files, around July 2009.

It would certainly need a SATA controller, it's present is an IDE one. I just don't understand why the OS won't simply install on the drive, I've already tried, after the initial rounds of XP files loads, before it goes into the actual setup, a blue screen appears with the message that there may be a virus. This also happens when I tried to install it on my main hard drive as the first OS, but that was a while back.

Hopefully, there will be other answers.

Cat

Unlike Win7, XP doesn't really find most drivers. Plus with W7 or XP, if you don't actually have the ethernet drivers you won't have network connection. If this is a store bought desktop then it would be best going to their website and see if XP drivers exist for it. If this is a newer computer XP drivers may not exist or you may be able to find generic drivers or at the individual parts websites.

BUT, you won't hurt anything to try and if you can get it online, you can search for the drivers.

Actually, my wireless adapter (Atheros AR5007EG) is so old that there are XP drivers for it. I found it surprising that so old of a part was installed on a computer built in 2009. I guess they had a ton of them, and dumped them on their lower cost models.

So getting the wireless to work shouldn't be that hard. As far as the wired connection, I'll have to see what's installed. Probably something just as old. Oh well, I'll get it figured out, one way or the other.

Thanks for the advice. It's at least a starting point to go with.

Cat

Cat, that wireless adapter you have is only using the Atheros chipset. That model number is the chipset number, not the adapter itself.

It's probably manufactured by another company. If so, you can probably get the latest driver for it on the mfr. website.

Tye msinfo32 in the start menu then press enter. Look at components, network, adapter section for the real model number of the card.

Sometimes, even this won't show the manufacturer. In this case, you probably could look at the card itself to see.

I just looked it up, and the name of the adapter is: "Atheros AR5007EG Wireless Network Adapter". I also have a Ralink adapter installed (802.11 b/d/g USB wireless adapter). I know that this one works with 7, Vista, XP, and even Win 2K. So even if the OEM installed adapter doesn't work for me, this one will.

Cat

In device manager, right click it then choose properties. Details tab. Change dropdown to hardware ids.

Then copy the line with subsys in it, starting with the V in Ven and ending at the end of the subsys number.

Use I.E. for this page and search for your copied string:

http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/Home.aspx

Cat - as TorrentG stated; the Atheros AR5700EG is the chipset that runs the adapter. Not the name of the adapter itself. Atheros does not make wireless adapter card either for the desktop or laptop systems. They only make the chipsets that are installed on the adapter cards.

They don't even offer drivers at the website.