Setting up New computer-Networked- How to mirror old to new

New Dell computers will have newer Windows XP Pro than old computer as well as Newer Microsoft Office. How do I mirror the old drive into the new drive without damaging the new software on the new computer. Network is peer to peer with one server and two work stations. Have never mirrored before and need network settings to remain accurate.

 

If I understand this correctly, you have a hard drive with a current Windows installation and it's running OK and on a new Dell. You also have a hard drive from a different PC. You want to copy the entire contents into the hard drive on the new Dell without disturbing the contents of the new Dell, but you want the previous network settings from the different PC copied into the Dell. Correct? If I explained this right, it is impossible. You cannot take 2 separate operating systems and 'merge' them into a single cohesive OS. If you want data from the old drive on the new Dell, you have to hook up the old drive (via a USB adapter/enclosure or use one of the motherboard headers) as a secondary drive, boot into the Dell's Windows, then browse the old drive and copy-n-paste the data that's needed; this will NOT work for transferring programs from one drive to another; you can only copy documents, pictures, videos, etc. Technically, you can copy an entire program over, but it won't run. If you want to "transfer" network settings, the only way to do this (that I'm aware of) is to boot up the old computer with its original hard drive, browse to the Network Connections via the Control Panel and just look at the settings, then enter these same settings on the new Dell.

Drive mirroring refers to a full copy of one drive to another; from drive "A" to drive "B". Anything on drive "B" will be wiped out and overwritten by the contents of drive "A". This type of mirroring is commonly done when someone upgrades from an older smaller drive to a newer larger drive and they need the PC to run exactly the same but with the newer large hard drive.

 

The new Dells will arrive in two weeks. I have 3 software programs that must be viable
immediately. The current systems function perfectly. If I cannot mirror the entire system, is it possible to mirror the software from one computer to another? They are insurance rating systems which cost over $2500.00 each.
Thank you for your assistance.

 

No. Software developers do their best to make copying software from one system to another after it's been installed as close to impossible as they can. They see this type of activity as piracy. Essentially, it is. If you legally purchased the software, then you'd have install CDs; -OR- maybe you purchased licenses for 3 PCs (for example) and copying the software to additional PCs would be considered breaking the terms of the license agreement in which you agreed to install the software on only 3 systems. Anyway- all legalities aside, when a program is installed, many different files are copied to many different areas on the hard drive, and many different new entries are created in the registry. If any ONE of these hundreds (possibly thousands) of files and/or registry keys is not where it should be, the program will not function. And it is essentially impossible to gather up each and every file and registry entry associated with a particular program and successfully copy it to a different hard drive. And nevermind all the shared files and registry entries.... so, I have just outlined the 'how and why' of my previous statement:

If you need to install the software on the systems, simply use the install discs. If you legally purchased the software but have misplaced the install discs, then you should try to contact the software developer or publisher and ask them how to proceed.

Good luck!

 

Thank you for your help. I do have the software and customer support. They will have to go reinstall everything after backing up the databases. Thank you again, dlb.