Hi all,

 

I am currently am running XP Pro (media center) and have 2 SATA drives. I
have just ordered a 3rd drive, larger and faster than either of the other 2.
Eventually I may retire the smallest of the 3, but for now plan to have all
3.

   

I want to make the new, faster, larger-cache drive as my boot drive but
prefer not to re-install Windows and all of my programs. Here is what I am
assuming I can do, but want a reality check or advice to the contrary if I
have this all wrong :(

   

If I make an image of the current C: partition on Drive 1, say with Norton
Ghost or similar (advice as to which program to use is welcome please!) can
I simply transfer the image to the new HD, which I assume as soon as I plug
it in will be assigned by the OS to have a drive letter that is not C:
(let's call it X: for now). 

   

That gets my current C: drive image over to Drive 2 on a new partition
called X:. If I then change the Drive letter of the current bootable C:
partition (on Drive 1) to something else arbitrary that is not yet in use,
and changed the assigned Drive letter (X:) on Drive 2 to now be C: and then
re-boot the whole machine, will I in fact be booting from the new drive, and
have my system resident on the new drive, but keep all my paths and
references as they are now and allow me to not to have to re-install
everything?

   

Or will I not even be able to boot at all and really have screwed myself to
the wall, because I am not understanding, or am overlooking, something
fundamental?

   

All advice welcome, please.

   

Michael


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