Installing a backed up XP system to a different XP computer.

What sort of problems can I expect in trying to restore a 30GB XP backup onto a slower machine running a new install of MS XP.

I realize than some of the programs requiring the faster speed won't work, but what about the rest of the stuff? Will there be registry issues?

The backup was from a 1.8 MHz system and I am wanting to install as much of it as I can onto a 800 MHz system (with a clean new install of XP SP1, updated to SP3 before the 'restore'.

Thanks

Brian

I guess I've been lucky over all these years as I've never had to restore anything from a backup. But I don't know what problems to expect.

 

Thanks for your help.

I used a program called something like FB Backup. I'm not exactly sure of its name. I looked quickly for it in the backed up files on my portable HD but couldn't find it. I could probably find it given an hour or so.

As I mentioned, I've never had to do this before (install a backup) so I'm flying blind here.

What I did was (I think) essentially COPY the entire contents of the hard drive to the portable. There was no compression done. I can see all the folders and files on the portable (while its attached to my ME machine...which I am hoping to upgrade to XP before the restore.)

There's another thread from last night regarding that issue and the machines involved.

I suppose I could at least copy the installation .exe's and .zips of many of the programs and reinstall those.

Just not sure where to start or how to prepare the new system before any transfering.

I do know enough that nothing is easy and never works at first, so I thought I'd ask before I screwed things up.


Brian

ps I should clarify that the backed up XP system was a notebook that really got fried inside and I think isn't worth fixing. I was just thinking that its backed up data might be of use on my older ME system if I can upgrade the slower ME system to XP.

 

Looks like I can enjoy the XP on the 'old ME machine' for 30 days, then because I won't be able to activate it...its back to ME again. But at least with a clean install, maybe it will run better.

I guess I have 30 days to find a new notebook.

 

Since you were very foggy on what backup program you used, people can offer little help.

If it was an image, rather than a backup, it is possible (at least with Acronis) to replace the hard drive in the broken XP computer and restore to the new hard drive. The computer will work as it did before the hard drive died.

I do all my images from a bootable CD and either put them on CDs, DVDs, or two external hard drives. That way, if the hardware dies, I'm not dependent on a program running inside windows to get the restore working.

I looked at another program Easus (free) but it would not let me create a bootable CD to get this program working before windows loads. Perhaps the paid program would allow it but since I've purchased Acronis, I don't want to buy another program. I tested it to see how easy it might be for the senior citizens I help to use.

 

I have the impression some misunderstanding is present in this discussion and some clarification from you is needed. I interpret your situation to be that you want to retrieve user files that were on your old computer and put them on another computer, not that you need to install Windows. Your comments indicate you've already installed Windows on the system on which you now want to put files from another computer. Again, I think you want to copy/restore files from a hard drive to another computer but this does not require installing Windows because it's already installed. Is this correct or do you, indeed, want to install an entire drive image, including the Windows operating system from one computer onto another computer?

 

usaf:

I wanted to install my version of XP onto another OLDER computer (then currently running Win Me) and to then copy the backup of my dead notebook (which came with the XP) onto it.

I now know that this isn't possible as I won't be able to Activate the XP on the new machine because MS doesn't let people swap XP from one machine to another.

So there's really no longer anything to resolve. I'll just pick off the programs and data from my backup and install them back onto the OLD computer once I install ME back onto it again.

The only question now is which new notebook I'm going to purchase. But that's not a question for this forum.

Thanks