Duplicating Windows 95 Installation to a New Hard Disk

ID: Q166172

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 95
  • Microsoft Windows 98
  • Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition

SUMMARY

This article describes how to swap your current primary boot hard disk (usually drive C) with a different hard disk and retain your current files and system configuration in the process. This primarily involves installing Windows 95/98 on a new hard disk and ensuring proper identification of the new hardware. This process uses Microsoft Backup to back up and restore files and configuration and registry settings.

Note that the method described in this article cannot be used to copy Windows 95/98 installations to multiple computers. Microsoft only supports the use of the standard Setup procedure as described in the Windows 95/98 product documentation for each computer on which Windows 95/98 is installed.

WARNING: Before proceeding, fully review this article. Because of the many steps involved, use this article only if you feel you have sufficient experience to correctly perform all required steps. If not, the safest approach is to back up your data files, run Windows 95/98 Setup on your new hard disk, reinstall all of your programs from original program CD-ROMs or disks, and then restore your data from backup.

If after reviewing this article you choose to proceed, carefully execute each set of steps as written.

IMPORTANT: This article applies only to the replacement of the hard disk. Do not use this article if you are making other hardware changes. Improper use of this article can result in the loss of all data on your hard disk. Microsoft is responsible only for the information pertaining to Microsoft software installation detailed in this article. For correct procedures and safeguards when handling hardware, refer to the documentation included with your hardware or contact your hardware vendor. Improper handling of hardware can be dangerous and can cause permanent damage to your computer. If you are unsure how to handle hardware, we recommend that you have a factory-qualified hardware technician perform the upgrade.

Notes

  • The WARNING designation is placed before procedures in which a mistake in following instructions can cause serious data loss. At these points, verify that you have properly followed the directions.


  • The information in this article applies only when Windows 95/98 is the primary operating system running on a standard MS-DOS partition. Windows 95/98 Backup cannot read files from non-MS-DOS partitions. A new installation of Windows 95/98 overwrites the Windows NT boot sector on computers configured to dual boot Windows NT, disabling the ability to start Windows NT.



MORE INFORMATION

Disks and Information Required

  • Windows 95/98 startup disk.

    To create a startup disk:


    1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Programs.


    2. On the Startup Disk tab, click Create Disk.


  • Proof of ownership of the previous operating system.

    You need Disk 1 of the disk set on which one of the previous operating systems was distributed:


    • Microsoft Windows version 3.x


    • Microsoft Windows NT version 3.x or later


    • OS/2


    NOTE: If you are reinstalling the full retail version of Windows 95, Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2 (OSR2), or Windows 98, proof of ownership of a previous operating system is not required.

  • CD-ROM driver installation disk.
    This disk must contain the MS-DOS-level drivers supplied by your hardware manufacturer. This applies only if you have the CD-ROM upgrade version of Windows 95/98.


  • Complete set of Windows 95/98 Setup disks (if you are reinstalling Windows 95/98 from floppy disks).

    NOTE: If your computer came with Windows 95/98 preinstalled and you do not have a manufacturer-supplied Windows 95/98 CD-ROM or disks, refer to the literature that came with your computer for instructions on obtaining the software.


  • The name of the folder in which Windows 95/98 is currently installed (typically, C:\Windows).


Choosing a Backup Method

The procedures outlined in this article require Microsoft Backup, which is supplied with Windows 95/98. If Backup is not currently installed, see the instructions in the "Installing Windows 95/98 on Your New Hard Disk" section of this article.

Each of the following methods uses different hardware. Use the appropriate method:
  • Method 1: Windows 95/98 Backup with a compatible tape backup hardware device attached to your computer. See the instructions in the "Method 1" section below.


  • Method 2: Windows 95/98 Backup using both the original and new hard disks attached to the computer at the same time. See the instructions in the "Method 2" section below.


Method 1: Using Backup with a Tape Drive

This method requires compatible tape drive hardware. For additional information about tape drives that are compatible with Microsoft Backup, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q124730 Tape Backup Units Supported in Windows 95
Q242864 Tape Backup Units Supported by the Windows 98 Backup Program
WARNING: When you are using Backup as described below, manually selecting drive C instead of using the Full System Backup set does not back up vital parts of your system (such as registry files). If you do not see the following message after Step 5 in the following procedure, you have not performed these steps correctly and you will need to restart the process: 

   Microsoft Backup is now making a copy of the settings in your system
   registry. This will take a few minutes.
Before starting Backup, perform the following steps:
  1. Double-click My Computer.


  2. On the View menu, click Folder Options.


  3. On the View tab, click Show all files and then click OK.


  4. Rename the following files:


    5. 
   File           New name
   ---------------------------
   System.1st     System.1sx
   Suhdlog.dat    Suhdlog.dax
   Setuplog.txt   Setuplog.txx
   Detlog.txt     Detlog.txx
   Bootlog.txt    Bootlog.txx
    NOTE: These files must be renamed, not copied.
After you follow steps 1-3 above, use the following steps to back up your hard disk:

Windows 95

  1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.


  2. Click OK to close preliminary informational dialog boxes.


  3. On the Backup tab, click Open File Set on the File menu.


  4. Click Full System Backup, click Open, click Next Step, select the destination for the tape drive, and then click Start Backup.


    5. NOTE: If Backup does not automatically detect your tape drive, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    Q130946 Troubleshooting Windows 95 Backup
  5. Type a name for the backup set, and then click OK. Record the name for later use.


Windows 98

  1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.


  2. Click Create a new backup job, and then click OK.


  3. On the Job menu, click New.


  4. Expand My Computer, and then click to select the check box next to each drive.


  5. Click Options, and then click Advanced in the Backup Job Options dialog box.


  6. Click to select the Back up Windows Registry check box, click OK, and then click Start.


When Backup is finished backing up your files, click OK to close the program, and then perform the following steps:
  1. Shut down Windows 95/98 and turn off your computer.


  2. Detach the original hard disk from your computer, and then attach the new hard disk in its place.

    NOTE: For hardware setup and configuration information, see the documentation included with your hardware or contact your hardware manufacturer.


  3. When the new hard disk is set up correctly, go to the "Preparing Your New Hard Disk" section below.


Method 2: Using Backup with Your New Hard Disk

WARNING: Do not use method 2 if your computer requires disk overlay software to access your hard disks.

Before starting Backup, calculate the estimated minimum disk space required on your new hard disk as follows: 

   (total space in use on current hard disk) + ((total space in use on
   current hard disk) * 0.66)
For example, if your current hard disk has 400 MB total used space, the estimated minimum disk space required on the new disk would be: 

   400 MB + (400 MB * 0.66) = 664 MB
The result equals the approximate size of a full system backup. The ratio (in this case, 3:2) is only an estimate and varies from drive to drive depending on the file types being backed up.

The new hard disk must have at least the estimated minimum disk space available.

If your current hard disk is compressed, substitute 1.0 for 0.66 in your calculation. In this situation, the required space in the example above is 800 MB.

If you have inadequate storage space on your new hard disk and you cannot remove any files or data, use method 1 instead. Note that the Temporary Internet Files folder may contain files that can be safely removed.

Install the New Hard Disk as a Secondary Drive:

Before running Backup, you need to install and configure your new hard disk. For information about how to install and configure your hardware, refer to the documentation that came with your hard disk or contact your hardware manufacturer.

After your new hard disk is configured, follow these steps:
  1. Follow the instructions in the "Preparing Your New Hard Disk Using FDISK and FORMAT" section below.


  2. When formatting is finished, follow the Backup instructions in the "Method 1" section above. Modify the instructions in step 6 to back up your files to the new hard disk (usually drive D).


  3. When Backup is finished, shut down Windows 95/98, turn off your computer, and remove the original hard disk from the computer, leaving the new disk in place.


  4. Boot with the Windows 95/98 startup disk.


  5. Run Fdisk to set the primary partition on the new disk as the active partition. For information about using Fdisk, see the following section.


  6. Restart your computer to a command prompt.


  7. Proceed to the "Installing Windows 95/98 on Your New Hard Disk" section below.


Preparing Your New Hard Disk Using Fdisk and Format

WARNING: If your computer requires disk overlay software to access your hard disks, apply Fdisk and Format as described below only if advised to do so in the documentation provided by your overlay software manufacturer. The installation of the overlay software may provide functionality equal to that described in this section.

Most new hard disks have not been partitioned or formatted. If your new hard disk requires this basic configuration, use the following tools to prepare it for file installation.

Partition Your New Hard Disk Using Fdisk:

WARNING: Before proceeding, verify that the disk you are about to partition is the new hard disk and contains no important data. If you are unsure, stop immediately.

For information about using Fdisk to partition your hard disk, see the "Repartitioning Your Hard Disk" section in following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q106423 Repartitioning Your Hard Disk to Upgrade to 6.0 or 6.2
NOTE: You can use the Windows 95/98 startup disk in place of the MS-DOS 6.x disks mentioned in the article.

Using Format to Prepare the File System:

After the new drive is partitioned, run the Format tool as follows:
  1. Insert the Windows 95/98 startup disk into drive A, and then restart your computer.


  2. At a command prompt, type the following line:


    3. WARNING: Verify that the hard disk you are formatting is the new empty hard disk.
    format c: /s
  3. Press Y, and then press ENTER.


  4. When formatting is finished, type a volume label or leave it blank, and then press ENTER.


  5. Remove the disk from drive A and restart your computer to a command prompt.


Next, install Windows 95/98 on the new hard disk.

Installing Windows 95/98 on Your New Hard Disk

For Windows Setup information, refer to the "Setting Up Windows 95/98" section of the booklet included with your Windows 95/98 CD-ROM or disks. If Windows 95/98 came preinstalled on your computer, refer to your manufacturer-supplied documentation.

When you set up Windows 95/98, verify that the folder in which you are installing Windows 95/98 has the same name as the original folder (typically, C:\Windows).

NOTE: The Setup procedure requires access to your original Windows 95/98 disks or CD-ROM or to the server-based-Setup shared installation of Windows 95/98. To install from a CD-ROM, the real-mode CD-ROM drivers must be loaded in the Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files. Refer to the documentation included with your CD-ROM drive for driver installation instructions.

When you are prompted during Setup, choose a typical installation.

After Windows 95/98 Setup is finished, install the Microsoft Backup program as follows:
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Programs.


  2. On the Windows Setup tab, click Disk Tools, and then click Details. NOTE: Click System Tools instead of Disk Tools if you are using Windows 98 or Windows 98 Second Edition.


  3. Click to select the Backup check box, and then click OK.


Next, restore the files from your backup file set.

Restoring Files and Folders from Backup

Before you restore your files and folders, verify that the following options are enabled on the Restore tab in Backup:

Windows 95

  1. In the Restore backed up files to box, click Original location.


  2. In the Advanced options box, click Overwrite older files only.


Windows 98

  1. In the Where to restore box, click Original Location.


  2. In the How to restore section, click Options, and then click Replace the file on my computer only if the file is older.


To restore your files and folders, use the appropriate method:

Windows 95

  1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.


  2. Click OK in the initial informational dialog boxes.


  3. Click the Restore tab.


  4. For method 1, click your tape drive. For method 2, click drive C in the Restore from window.


  5. Click the correct backup set, and then click Next Step.


  6. In the Select files from backup set window, use the appropriate method:


    • For method 1, double-click the tape drive icon, and then click to select the check box in front of the icon.


    • For method 2, double-click the backup set name, and then click to select the check box in front of the backup set name. Click to clear the check box for the secondary hard disk (usually drive D) in the Contents window.


  7. Click the Start Restore button.


Windows 98

  1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.


  2. Click Restore backed up files.


  3. In the Restore from box, click the appropriate media, file or drive, and then click Next.


  4. In the Select Backup Sets dialog box, click the backup set you want to restore, and then click OK.


  5. In the What to restore windows, click the media, file, or drive to restore, and then click Next.


  6. In the Where to restore box, click Original Location, and then click Next.


  7. In the When restoring files that already exist box, click Replace the files on my computer only if the file is older, and then click Start.


WARNING: If you are restoring files that were compressed on the original drive to an uncompressed drive, the new hard disk must have at least two times the storage capacity of the original hard disk. The exact ratio may vary depending on the file types being restored.

Backup restores the registry entries when the program is finished. The following text may be displayed in a dialog box near the end of the process: 

   Microsoft Backup is now restoring the settings in your system
   registry. This may take a few minutes. Do not shut down your computer
   until the registry is fully restored, or your computer will not work
   properly.

Restarting Windows 95/98 on Your New Hard Disk

When Backup finishes restoring your files, you need to close all programs and restart your computer. After you restart your computer, you may receive the following message:
Invalid System Disk. Replace the disk, and then press any key
If you receive this error message, use the following steps:
  1. Insert your Windows 95/98 Startup disk in drive A and press any key.


  2. At a command prompt, type the following command:


    3. a:\sys c:
  3. Remove the disk from drive A and restart your computer.


Your computer is now ready to use with the same files and programs that were on your previous hard disk.

Deleting the Backup File on the Hard Disk (Method 2 Only)

When you verify that all files and programs are properly restored to their previous functionality, you can delete the file created by Backup in the root folder. The file name is the name given in step 7 of the backup instructions in method 1 and is displayed with a .qic extension if Windows Explorer is set to show file extensions.

Additional Information

Using the procedures in this article to back up and restore files to your new hard disk protects your current configuration and long file names. If you choose to back up your previous operating system during your initial upgrade to Windows 95/98, you retain the ability to uninstall Windows 95/98.

The procedures listed in this article for swapping a hard disk containing Windows 95/98 on drive C with a new hard disk are the only procedures supported by Microsoft. Other methods may cause system instability or data loss.

Additional query words: move moving duplicate

Keywords : kbenv diskmem win95 win98 win98se
Version : WINDOWS:95
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto


Last Reviewed: October 18, 1999
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