Can i ghost another hd to replace the info that was on one already?

[whannanna]

can i ghost a win xp on to a hd from another computer?
like the hd i have is missing a couple files and i dont have my XP disc someone borrowed it and never gave it back if i ghost it off my cousins computer on to my hd its the same xp corp. but differnt computers his is athlon xp 1400+ myns p4 1.6. would it work? the hd i have is missing files needed to boot windows. i just installed Dual channel DDR in myn and now it tells me its missing files from windows. thanks

[muno]

Probably it will boot up, but you'd have a lot work to do to get it function correctly.

Chances are, that it will not boot though, your systems are totally different.
-M

[John Prophet]

If its just the "ntldr is missing"..then you should be able to just copy that file from his comp and bring it over to yours.

Should just be in the C:\ folder..it may be "hidden" so you may have to set "folder options" to "view all files"

JP

[whannanna]

i tried it with a WD data thingie, and it copied,.... and it booted once,.... then died,... it pooped the bed soo i need my xp junk which i cant find which i dont wanna buy another one

[Bovon]

Unless M$ has made some changes in the XP software, I don't think XP can be copied in any manner (ghosting or otherwise) or reinstalled without calling M$ and getting a word?..number??...something.. to allow the install to work. This has to do with the applications hijacked P/W and keys that can be found by hackers to allow pirated apps...this is supposed to defeat such as that...the software is said to recognize when it is placed on a different hard drive than originally installed on.

As I said, this may have been changed in the recent past..but I know one guy who jumped on XP soon after it hit the market, called M$ to get the necessary to install it..then several days later, it crashed..and like many of us, he reformatted and started over..then found he must call M$ again...and discovered that every time it was reinstalled or copied to another drive would require a call to M$ to ascertain that the person actually had purchased the product.

[Chuckiechan]

If you can prove to Microshaft that you purchased it, then you can ask (grovel a little) for a replacement.

[whannanna]

I have the CD Key to it i think thats proof enough. its registerd to me, etc its just dealing with them is like dealing with a little kid and power they dont like me