XP Migration to Windows 7

Hey guys,

I am looking for some advice from all of you. I currently have a desktop using Windows XP. I just recently bought a new hard drive which I plan on installing a clean version of Windows 7 on. Is their a way to image my XP drive to my new hard drive that will have Windows 7 on it so I will have all the programs, etc (using like Acronis True Image?) Or will i have to reinstall all of my programs that I had on the XP drive if I want them on my new drive which will have Windows 7. Am I best off just using the transfer wizard? Just trying to see if their is an easy way to image all of my programs from XP to my new drive.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

You have to reinstall programs any time you clean install an OS.

Imaging would copy the XP partition to your new HD, which is possible if you want to dual boot the two OS's. But you can have a cleaner dual boot via the BIOS Boot Menu key.

I do not recommend Windows Easy Transfer as it transfers settings corruption into the new OS. It is better to just copy your files via drag and drop from the XP drive to an external HD.

If you want to copy files from the XP drive directly into Win7, then keep XP HD unplugged during Win7 install. Afterward plug XP HD back in to copy files over from Win7.

If you want to also boot XP HD, after replugging it use the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key given on first boot screen or in your Manual. If you fill in your System specs we can tell you which key is used for your make.

Well, here is my issue. Right now I get a bad pool header BSOD error whenever I plug in my External, otherwise I would just image the stuff from my old XP drive to the external. What is the best way to get the emails and stuff that I have in Outlook, etc. BTW the PC is a Dell Dimension 8400, Pentium 4, 3.0Ghz, 2.5GB RAM. Also, when you say plug your XP drive back in, do you mean after I load up Windows 7 or before?

I was just hoping that I would be able to copy some programs over from my XP drive, but it is clear that I need to re-install them using the installation disks.... Imaging my old XP drive won't do me much good correct? I might just leave the XP drive in for a backup (move over what I need to) and take it out of the boot menu. Is their a tutorial for that? I appreciate all your help!

If you image XP to your HD, you have no access to your files on it, just the ability to reimage it to a HD to boot the same OS you have now.

Here is some information about the bad pool header error which may be from trying to use your external to clone HD: http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=204466

Since you mention the need to back up Outlook mail, you probably need to run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor as there is no Outlook mail in Win7, instead you have to download new Windows Mail from the internet: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...e-advisor.aspx

In this case you might want to consider Easy Transfer which others can advise you upon, as I have never had to transfer mail as such and am not even sure where it is stored in XP.

If you want to copy the files from XP, unplug the XP HD during Win7 install, then after installation plug back in XP to copy over your files. There may be some issues with file permissions which we can help you with if this doesn't help: Take Ownership Shortcut

Once you are sure you have your files copied over, we can help you clean and format the old XP HD as a data drive: Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command

Clean Install Windows 7