How can I clone an ide xp drive to dual boot on i5 laptop

Either SysPrep or run a XP Repair Install after reimaging it onto the space you create on the new laptop HD. Partition or Volume - Shrink

However XP wont' start on most newer hardware because it doesn't have modern SATA drivers and there's no way to insert them from CD without floppy support. They'd need to be slipstreamed into the CD so the Repair Install will inject them: SATA Drivers - Slipstream into Windows XP CD.

THis is purely experimental as sometimes it won't even offer a Repair Install when reimaged, but then you could clean install if the SATA drivers are in the CD.

As you can see it really is a dying OS.

I'd use free Macrium or the premium Acronis cloning/imaging app which comes free with any WD or Seagate HD in the mix if you have one.

Hi Greg,
Thanks for your fast and helpful reply.

Yeah I know XP is being obsoleted - by time. It is like buying an older 'mechanical' manual car. it certainly does not have all the easy comfortable features when u are hiking down the freeway, but if you get any problems with it, there is a lot that can be done - quite easily - to get it going. .

So, last 1st.
Have Macrium, and have been talking with support there, as it does not seem to want to copy a drive to a nominated (logical) partition. Only wants to copy to the primary active one, which of course would have overwritten my whole OS.
I was thinking of usiing Clonezilla, although I do have an old version of Acronis, which certainly got me out of trouble 5 years ago, when "ghost" would not clone my sata drivers at all. Held me up a long time. Never used that app again.

Yes slipstream the drivers. So what you are saying is that I d/l the sata drivers onto cd, then slipstream them with my imaged xp disk. Is this correct? What do you mean by floppy support? I did say I do not have the install cd, only the whole system + 3rd party programs and docs.
Does it matter at all if xp is 32 bit?

I have just contacted Sony, as they have no listing for my machine on their site from which to d/l the drivers.

Ok, thanks for telling me about sysprep.
Is any source ok? Is it a better option than the 'repair install', or vice-versa?

Cheers

I would imagine SysPrep is better than Repair Install since the latter will not run sometimes at all.

The last time I imaged XP onto a Dual Boot I made the image with Acronis free version which comes free with any WD or Seagate HD and is by far the best IMO.

Using the installed Acronis app from Win7, I reimaged it to empty space I created. I then installed EasyBCD and added XP, accepting its boot files and letting it autocomplete. I then rebooted chose XP and it wouldn't start, so I reboot into XP CD and ran a Repair Install.

But I also had options to use Acronis True Image 2010 which has Universal Restore while will adjust it to boot on new hardware, Paragon Adaptive Restore CD which does the same thing when booted and run on the new installation. This precluded the need to SysPrep which I've never had to do with those other tools.

Hi Greg,
Thanks.
Have contacted Sony, who have said that there are no drivers available for this laptop; but I found what is described as "drivers and info" - whatever that means - for my model. I have asked for clarification.
Also told me that if I install xp I will "void the warranty".

I do not understand why this is. I will ask when I get a reply to my 1st question.
What will they say if I was to change the hdd?

Also have contacted Paragon, as they have "Adjust P2P" in their "2011 Backup and Recovery" program. It seems that this facility checks for - and finds - missing drivers. May be a good option. Otherwise I will get the Acronis free version (2010?) as you suggested, and go with sysprep from there.

Will I have any issues with 32 bit XP in a 64 bit environment?

Regards

32 bit can run in a 64 bit environment.

Sony's claim that installing XP will void warranty is for Tech Support only as your hardware warranty will legally remain for the first year, although it's best to have the Recovery disks or save a recovery image of the factory install to reapply if you need to ship it in under warranty. This is the same policy most OEM's state for clean reinstall of the preinstalled OS to enforce the sponsor's bloatware that helps defray their costs and also so they don't have to do much more than scripted fixes or running Factory Recovery anyway.

I guess the free PAR version is no longer available now and is added into Paragon's backup suite as in Acronis True Image with Universal Restore full suite. If these are too pricey I'd probably use SysPrep.

Before going to all the trouble though I would first sample virtualizing XP in Win7 using free VIrtual Box, VMWare, Virtual Player or XP Mode in Ultimate/Pro versions. As much trouble as XP is to install now on new hardware, this is becoming the modern way to run it. XP Mode
VMware Player: Free Download for a Virtual PC

Hi Greg,
Thanks for this. It sounds a far more elegant (and easier) soluttion.
Appreciate the suggestion re the recoverry media, and the 32 bit.

Trying to do some investigation of VM, but
can you say what is the difference between Virtual PC, VM Player, and Virtual Sandbox. It seems the info page says VMP is superior to xp mode. Or can you point me to where I can find it. I have been looking at the VM Community you directed me too, but not getting a clear overview so far.

Also, will it boot straight into xp, or into Win 7, then I choose the VM XP?
When using XP in VM, is the GUI the XP one, or a Win 7 one.
I imagine I will still need to d/l drivers, or does VM sort that out as it is being created.

Yu have given me great advice so far