installing xp on a different hard drive

i think my primary hard drive is failing. i want to use my other hard drive as my primary by installing windows on it 'prior' to formatting or binning my current primary where the problem seems to lie. can i install windows thru my desktop onto say drive D the same way you would a game? everytime ive tried it goes straight to my C drive and doesnt give me the option of copying the win files anywhere else. i mean, surely i dont have to format my d drive before copying the files do i?

 

You could install Windows onto the new drive and install your old drive as slave to get the files you want to save. Also, most HD manufacturers supply a utility disc which will allow you to clone your current HD onto the new HD, making it the new primary drive. Both of those options would be easier than what you propose.

 

yes but how do i do this without deleting the new drive?

 

If you have files on your new drive, copy them to the old drive then remove the old drive. Set the jumper as master then you put the new drive in it's place and install Windows. After that is done, you can then set the jumper on the old drive as the slave and put it back in . Your Windows OS will then recognize the old HD and assign it a letter (probably D and you can access it like any other drive, copy/move files to the new drive, etc. All of this should be covered in detail in your new drive's instructions.

 

ok so i just copy and paste? thanks for the help man!!