Windows 7: Hard Drive Upgrade & File Transfers

My old hard drive sounds like it is about to die. So I am wondering, once I install my new HD (format and install windows) will it be possible to hook up my old HD and transfer the files from it to the new HD? I am using Windows 7 and both drives would be SATA.

the simple answer is yes.

you just need to be careful that you will be booting from the new drive.

you can either select disk boot priority in the bios, or make sure the new drive is plugged into the first sata port on your mobo.

Access denied errors will be because your user accounts hold new and different SID's than your new os. You'll need to add the "Everyone" group with full control to the old hard drive in order to copy the contents over to the new drive.

Backup first.

you can use WET to transfer files.
Windows Easy Transfer - Transfer To & From Computers

Or

System Image Recovery
Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup
Restore Backup User and System Files

Thank you all for the quick responses!

The steps in that tutorial need to be taken "after" I install the new HD? And is there a time limit I have to transfer the files or just any time? I realize that ultimately depends on if the drive does die or not.

No -- the initial steps are taken BEFORE you install the new HD. You need to save off the stuff you want to transfer from the old HDD first -- and save it to an external drive.

Then, after you install the new drive, install WET, plugin the external drive, and reload all the stuff.

I'm not aware of any time limit, but you wouldn't want to wait months to do the transfer.