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I'm hoping for help in coming up with a plan for replacing the primary hard drive on my desktop computer. I have the WD Black 1 TB replacement drive, but I'm going in circles about the best way to approach this replacement.
What I'm working with:
Dell Vostro 420, ~5yo, originally w/ Win XP Prof'l 32-bit, upgraded to Win 7 Prof'l 64-bit
Reinstallation CD for Win XP Prof'l SP3
Reinstallation DVD for Win Vista Business 32-bit (never used)
Upgrade DVDs for Win 7 Prof'l, 32-bit and 64-bit (used the 64-bit disc to do the Win 7 upgrade)
Current c:\ - 250GB SATA with main partition and Dell's hidden OEM partition (39 MB); OS and programs installed here
Current d:\ - ???GB SATA (probably 250-500GB); data files reside here (Win 7 Libraries point to this drive); this drive is currently unaccessible
Current x:\ - 750GB SATA; backups land here, along with downloads, files from an old EHD, etc.
Couple of DVD-RW drives (g:\ & h:\)
The situation that started it all:
An HD started clicking, during both bootup and beyond, and d:\ was 'disappearing' with increased frequency, finally lost it altogether. Decided nothing was going to miraculously fix itself, ordered the new drive. While waiting for it, I opened the case and first disconnected the d:\ drive's SATA cable. While there was still a bit of clicking during bootup, there's been none at all since everything loaded.
My thoughts so far:
My thought when I ordered the new drive was that I'd replace the data drive (d:\) with the new one, altho' it seems to be overkill for just data storage. After finding out that the clicking only mostly stopped with d:\ disconnected, I'm thinking maybe that c:\ is starting to go out, and it's showing up as the part of the drive that handles accessing d:\. My current thinking is to use the new drive to replace c:\, and partition it for c:\ (OS & programs) and d:\ (data storage), and either leave the existing d:\ out of the mix altogether (if it's even recognized by the new drive), or use it for an additional data backup (paranoid? yes!). Based on what I've gleaned in various forums online, I seem to have 3 approaches:
1 - A clean install, first with either the XP or Vista reinstallation discs, then with the Win 7 upgrade disc & reinstall all programs
2 - A clean install, with the Win 7 upgrade disc, using one of several options (registry edit, etc.) that seem to make this possible, then reinstall all programs
3 - Try my hand at making a system image of the existing c:\. I've downloaded WD's edition of Acronis True Image, but haven't ever attempted this process before, and don't even know if I would create the image on the new HD, or save it to x:\ and then restore it to the new drive.
If you've read this far, thank you! You can probably tell that I have no real computer training, so feel free to laugh at any of my assumptions! I've replaced HDs before (desktop & laptop), but it's been awhile, and now all the info I'm finding just serves to tie my brain in knots! I'm in the position of having enough knowledge to be dangerous, and I certainly don't know all the pitfalls of the different approaches, other than that I've always heard a clean install is the best way to go. I hope I haven't given so much info that I've lost you, but I just don't know what detail would give someone an 'aha' moment with the perfect solution. Any suggestion gratefully appreciated, and hand-holding thru this process earns double gold stars! ;-)
Suzanne
What I'm working with:
Dell Vostro 420, ~5yo, originally w/ Win XP Prof'l 32-bit, upgraded to Win 7 Prof'l 64-bit
Reinstallation CD for Win XP Prof'l SP3
Reinstallation DVD for Win Vista Business 32-bit (never used)
Upgrade DVDs for Win 7 Prof'l, 32-bit and 64-bit (used the 64-bit disc to do the Win 7 upgrade)
Current c:\ - 250GB SATA with main partition and Dell's hidden OEM partition (39 MB); OS and programs installed here
Current d:\ - ???GB SATA (probably 250-500GB); data files reside here (Win 7 Libraries point to this drive); this drive is currently unaccessible
Current x:\ - 750GB SATA; backups land here, along with downloads, files from an old EHD, etc.
Couple of DVD-RW drives (g:\ & h:\)
The situation that started it all:
An HD started clicking, during both bootup and beyond, and d:\ was 'disappearing' with increased frequency, finally lost it altogether. Decided nothing was going to miraculously fix itself, ordered the new drive. While waiting for it, I opened the case and first disconnected the d:\ drive's SATA cable. While there was still a bit of clicking during bootup, there's been none at all since everything loaded.
My thoughts so far:
My thought when I ordered the new drive was that I'd replace the data drive (d:\) with the new one, altho' it seems to be overkill for just data storage. After finding out that the clicking only mostly stopped with d:\ disconnected, I'm thinking maybe that c:\ is starting to go out, and it's showing up as the part of the drive that handles accessing d:\. My current thinking is to use the new drive to replace c:\, and partition it for c:\ (OS & programs) and d:\ (data storage), and either leave the existing d:\ out of the mix altogether (if it's even recognized by the new drive), or use it for an additional data backup (paranoid? yes!). Based on what I've gleaned in various forums online, I seem to have 3 approaches:
1 - A clean install, first with either the XP or Vista reinstallation discs, then with the Win 7 upgrade disc & reinstall all programs
2 - A clean install, with the Win 7 upgrade disc, using one of several options (registry edit, etc.) that seem to make this possible, then reinstall all programs
3 - Try my hand at making a system image of the existing c:\. I've downloaded WD's edition of Acronis True Image, but haven't ever attempted this process before, and don't even know if I would create the image on the new HD, or save it to x:\ and then restore it to the new drive.
If you've read this far, thank you! You can probably tell that I have no real computer training, so feel free to laugh at any of my assumptions! I've replaced HDs before (desktop & laptop), but it's been awhile, and now all the info I'm finding just serves to tie my brain in knots! I'm in the position of having enough knowledge to be dangerous, and I certainly don't know all the pitfalls of the different approaches, other than that I've always heard a clean install is the best way to go. I hope I haven't given so much info that I've lost you, but I just don't know what detail would give someone an 'aha' moment with the perfect solution. Any suggestion gratefully appreciated, and hand-holding thru this process earns double gold stars! ;-)
Suzanne
8 Replies
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1555 views
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/z72cjoZP83E
Direct YouTube Link - AI Can Self-Replicate: Unplugging the Threat! #shorts
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/z72cjoZP83E
Direct YouTube Link - AI Can Self-Replicate: Unplugging the Threat! #shorts
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
0 Replies
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2 views
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/w5TOILSc_U8
Direct YouTube Link - AI Model Poisoning: The Hidden Threat on Hugging Face #shorts
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/w5TOILSc_U8
Direct YouTube Link - AI Model Poisoning: The Hidden Threat on Hugging Face #shorts
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
0 Replies
·
2 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
68495 Replies
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2670565 views
Supporting Founder
Several Dish offers showed up today in my account. Once you choose one the rest are removed. Offers were Showtime, Starz, AMC and others.
32 Replies
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1557 views
Not for me, mines has no mention of how long aka the offer period and the Terms and conditions the $0.00 is good for. All I see is one can lose $5.00 if you decide to remove it before day 31 after you add it to the account.
Pub Member / Supporter
Cutting Edge
I created this thread on the original Edgecutter Cutting Edge Forums site. It's simply a place for those to review the latest software available for those using Windows 10 and Windows 11. To date it has received 112,559 views. I have been asked by staff to continue this thread here.
521 Replies
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47195 views
To each there own but I've found that Windows can't do much more than Linux can. Can't have everything.
For niche use cases, yes I agree. Kali for ethical hacking and security testing, and running a Cacti server for network monitoring are the two things I have experience in. Plus thousands and thousands of other things, but for every day use I just can't see it. The owner of the GMRS repeater that I pay to access is changing the Tx DPL tones tomorrow, while Chirp is available on Linux, the software to program my MXT500 is not.To each there own but I've found that Windows can't do much more than Linux can. Can't have everything.
I run Fedora and Ubuntu in VMWare, honestly I don't care much for the UI of either of them and I don't feel like spending days/weeks to customize the UI to make it look Windows-like when I could just use Windows. The cartoonish dock at the bottom of the screen reminds me of Apple products.
As I said above, and, FWIW, I run Win11 Pro and Arch on separate 250 GB NVME drives, using F8 to select which I boot to, with a 1TB SSD for storage, accessible to both OSs and a third formatted Nvme I want to use to learn Kali. It was much faster to setup Arch than it was to strip down Windows. Windows still takes much longer to boot.
For some reason, the satelliteguys.us site is loading a lot slower than usual on both Chrome on my Asus laptop and Safari on my iPhone.
I'm also seeing longer appearances of the blue bar at the top and the "3 blue bars" loading symbol.
Is anyone else also having the same problem? Thanks in advance.
I'm also seeing longer appearances of the blue bar at the top and the "3 blue bars" loading symbol.
Is anyone else also having the same problem? Thanks in advance.
527 Replies
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17924 views
Remember folks... just like DNS... its always Foxbat. 
WTF… …What the Foxbat!Remember folks... just like DNS... its always Foxbat.
S
wow what a kick in the balls!!! the wife blames you when things don't work now scott's blaming youWTF… …What the Foxbat!
I know. Here's what Scott has in store for me if I get out of line:wow what a kick in the balls!!! the wife blames you when things don't work now scott's blaming you
Help, I'm a little confjused on the activation process.
I purchased the Joey 4 from Solid Signal and shipping box has Call 866 726-4282 to Avtivate new Receiver. That number is Solid Signals number.
I googled and that search said call Dish to activate. I assume that is correct unless this requires a 2 step process.
Please let me know.
Thanks
I purchased the Joey 4 from Solid Signal and shipping box has Call 866 726-4282 to Avtivate new Receiver. That number is Solid Signals number.
I googled and that search said call Dish to activate. I assume that is correct unless this requires a 2 step process.
Please let me know.
Thanks
6 Replies
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196 views
All good called Dish and new Joey 4 is activated and working.
Old Joey 2 deactivated and no need to return.
Old Joey 2 deactivated and no need to return.
S
i bought mine straight from dish as it was only $ 100.00 bucks!!! had the protection plan they came out removed and deactivated the 4k joey and activated and installed the joey 4.All good called Dish and new Joey 4 is activated and working.
Old Joey 2 deactivated and no need to return.
Supporting Founder
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Apple has finally released their Apple TV 4K with built-in Siri and a microphone so it can respond to your queries even if you don't have the remote. It also increases in price, to $299. I had been planning on updating my current Apple TV 4K streamers, but that's $600 for the two of them, and that's a pass at this point.
At $299, it had better come with 256 GB of Storage, Gigabit (or better) Ethernet, the latest HDMI tech and standards, and one year of free Apple One. But it probably won't…
At $299, it had better come with 256 GB of Storage, Gigabit (or better) Ethernet, the latest HDMI tech and standards, and one year of free Apple One. But it probably won't…
Apple TV 4K
Apple TV 4K. New Siri AI and hands-free control. Stunning picture and immersive HomePod surround sound. Works with your Apple and smart home devices.
www.apple.com
14 Replies
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179 views
S
. apple's been making money off of software and not hardware for a while
they all do that anyways.. ever notice your cell phone slows down when you come up for an upgrade..
. apple's been making money off of software and not hardware for a while
The new curated multiview is now live.
While on many of the sports channels and non sports channels there is a multi view option button. It will pull up a side bar with many different multi view options.
While on many of the sports channels and non sports channels there is a multi view option button. It will pull up a side bar with many different multi view options.
3 Replies
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161 views
Supporting Founder
Really excited for this season with Kentucky having a new coach and some really exciting recruits. Probably won't last long, but here's hoping this season is great.
141 Replies
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1356 views
