Cloning an old HP Windows XP computer to a duplicate hard drive

[bucolic_frolic]

This is proving to be an adventure. Drive cloning softwares generally no longer support XP. They tend to install on a higher Win OS and work directly, or can be used from USB stick.

HP links to methods of direct cloning inside XP are listed as "content was archived" and a blank page.

The only XP cloning software I found was from a German company, Paragon. https://www.paragon-software.com/home/dc-xp/;

148 pages of manual. Going to be a long process.

This XP is my main backup and archive of digital media. It's a Media Center Edition which was quite the rarity and lots of $$ back in the day. Media Center operated like a separate entity inside XP. I don't even know how to get the Media Center files out of the PC for another operating system. I could move it all to Linux, but first step is to backup XP drive.

Oh yes, the reason for posting .... anyone clone an XP drive lately? Got any tips?

[Cheezoholic]

1. Easeus To Do backup should do it and its free

As long as the data on the drive or the physical drive itself is not corrupted it doesn't matter what OS is on the drive. I would strongly recommend creating a drive image on a backup drive then clone your new drive from that image.

https://www.easeus.com/disk-copy/clone-resource/free-disk-cloning-software.htm

[Earth-shine]

2. Pull the drive. Clone using another computer or external cloning machine.

Good luck.

[canetoad]

3. +1

That's what I'd do.

[Nictuku]

4. Get all your Data copied off before you do anything.

Just in case things go wrong, and they very well could. If you have access to the data, copy it off.

Some considerations:

To actually help you, there are too many variables and not enough info to give firm advise here. I would want to know why you want to do this actually. Other than being able to use old installed programs on that OS image you want to clone, why not start with a new OS updated and able to address today's websites, as well as security concerns. I have to think you good reason to want to do this, and I can think of a few myself! Edit: I just re-read your post and see your reasoning. So really, I think you just need to be able to get that data off so it can be used in any environment. - rather than clone it. Can you export the data? - end edit

I do know this, newer computers use a different method to 'boot up', and so if say, you are taking a clone of this drive to use on a new computer, there may be some BIOS setting changes needed in order to boot from the old style way of doing things.

And when cloning a drive that is supposed to "boot up", you have to do it differently than just copying. Depending on how you are making the copy. You have to make it 'bootable'. I think this has to do with a lot of hidden system files that have to be copied to a specific place on the drive.

If all you want is access to data and files, then easy peasy.

- just trying to be helpful, but by no way committing to help someone do this - online. Oh no, not me. But... There should be step by step documentation on how to do this found online.

[Nictuku]

5. I've used Paragon, it is good software cor this

[bucolic_frolic]

7. Yes, thanks for the ideas

I suppose the day will come when I migrate everything to a new PC. But this is simple. I have a few issues to resolve on this PC. I have a very good Canon scanner, but it's XP generation. There are no driver updates for it, and its performance on generic Linux drivers is poor. Also have a host of video files which last time I checked were not producing sound. Not sure the resolution on that. Someone gave me software links to reconnect. To complicate I replaced the CRT with a 2010 HP LCD. The color rendition for video is sometimes good, sometimes bad. Don't know what that's about. It's using the latest HP driver.

The XP is not connected to the internet. I run Linux laptops for that. My thought is to dual boot Linux and XP so the desktop can be used for internet too. A grand idea was to triple boot by adding Win10, but I think eventually I'll go with another and new laptop instead.

Thanks again!

[bucolic_frolic]

6. I found another cloning software, and this one is very simple

hdclone.x.3

This video explains how to do it, where to download. It's about 2/3 the size of other programs, and 90% simpler. Literally. The directions are about 15 pages. It's click, clone, resize if needed (may have to use GParted), and do. Supports Windows and Linux, and I think can also be run as ISO on stick.

https://www.miray.de/download/sat.hdclone.html

[mahatmakanejeeves]

9. I had an HP Media Center Edition running XP. My brother decided I didn't need it,

so he threw it away. I wish I could be of assistance.

[bucolic_frolic]

10. Thanks for your thoughts!

Brothers are great sometimes! Sometimes not, too.

Although only 2 cores, it still runs, and they say it will run Win10 and Linux Mint 20 as well. I upped the RAM to 8Gb, and the cpu from 1.87 to 2.7. The old motherboard does concern me though.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

11. Mine was pretty old. There's no way mine could have handled Windows 10.

It had a boatload of audio and video inputs. It would be coming in handy right about now. There's a recurring radio show I'd like to record.