File Transfer

[alero546]

This topic does not really pertain to any thinkpad question, although I do have a T41 that I am using at the moment. I have about 6 gig of files that I would like to save. I am trying to do a clean install of XP and I do not want to loose these files. Is there anyway I can save 6 gig without burnin 10 discs. I was thinking of trying to make a partition on my hardfrive and when doing a clean install, not deleting it. I am not a computer savy person, so any explanation is appreciated. Thank you.

[gcchatel]

yes, you could use a program such as partition magic to shrink your current partition and create a new one that is 6 gigs, you then move the files to there and reformat using the other partition. Then you will have two drives, one with the 6gigs and one with your OS. You could then expand the OS partition to the whole drive once you have moved your 6gigs over again. I could go into more detail if you need it, let me know.

Gael

[gb]

Do you have home network with another laptop or desktop?
You could pump all data from your laptop over network to another machine, reinstall XP and restore everything back

Do you have external hard drive larger than 6gb? You can buy very chip these days normal IDE HD with external enclosure and via USB port backup all your data to these HDD

rgrds

[alero546]

gcchatel,

Thank you for your reply. If you could go into more detail, I would really appreciate that. I am trying to use the guide that was recently posted of doing a clean install. I have done all the steps upto the part where I reformat. Before this, I'm trying to save my important date. Thank you for the help.

[gcchatel]

ok here goes:

first you have to have a partition program (i.e. partition magic). these programs make it easy for you to create, delete, resize partitions by using a GUI interface. If you do not have one of these programs it would be more complicated and you might be better off to do one of the other suggestions (move to another machine on the network (very easy), or transfer to another hard drive, or even burn to CD, 6 gigs is not too much information).

If you do happen to have this program or can get it, you just open it and delete the recovery partition for IBM (if you want to, you can keep it, if you want, makes recovery easy). Then tell it to resize your current partition to however big your drive is minus 6 GB, then you create a new partition in the 6GB. You will have to restart and then you should have a new drive (i forget if it asks you to format the drive, if it does, do that). Once you have access to that drive, move your 6 GB over to it.

After that, restart your computer with the bootable XP disk in the drive and make sure you have your boot order with the CD before your hard drive so that it recognizes the CD (it should do this as default, if it doesn't, you can easily change it in your bios). Then it will start setup, follow instructions until it gets to the part where you have to pick where to install. It will show 2 or 3 partitions depending on if you deleted the recovery parition. Pick the big one, the one where you currently have XP running, reformat it and then install XP. Once you finish setup and boot the new XP you will have two drives. The one with your new XP and the one with your 6 GB, transfer them back over. Then use partition magic again to resize the partitions as before to take up your whole drive.

That should do it. Sounds lengthy but if you have the program it's really easy and you won't have to mess with CD's. If you have a network transfer it that way though, much easier.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

Gael