Vista - Upgrading the hard drive when there is only one slot for a hard dr

I've just got a brand new Sony VGC LA2 with Vista Home Premium and am
thinking of upgrading (swapping) the hard drive from the 300GB it came with
to 750 GB to turn it into a super personal video recorder (this PC has a tv
tuner), store all my music, work files etc.

However, it only has one hard drive and no space for another. How do I
transfer the copy of Vista from one hard drive to a new one?

All the googling I've done seems to talk about situations where there is
more than one hard drive slot in a PC, so you can copy one to the other, then
switch the master switches. Old style PCs. The Sony is really slim so only
has a slot for one hard drive as far as I'm aware

Do I have to buy additional hardware to do this?
thanks in advance

Hint: You don't actually need a slot to temporarily connect a second hard
drive. You can lay it on a piece of insulating material on the bottom of the
case. All you really need is either a dual IDE cable and power connector or
a 2nd SATA port and the associated cables.

I have done this countless times while repairing computers.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

"me" <me@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E7A73BE0-4383-4A6A-B9B5-37A81ABB4935@microsoft.com...
> I've just got a brand new Sony VGC LA2 with Vista Home Premium and am
> thinking of upgrading (swapping) the hard drive from the 300GB it came
> with
> to 750 GB to turn it into a super personal video recorder (this PC has a
> tv
> tuner), store all my music, work files etc.
>
> However, it only has one hard drive and no space for another. How do I
> transfer the copy of Vista from one hard drive to a new one?
>
> All the googling I've done seems to talk about situations where there is
> more than one hard drive slot in a PC, so you can copy one to the other,
> then
> switch the master switches. Old style PCs. The Sony is really slim so only
> has a slot for one hard drive as far as I'm aware
>
> Do I have to buy additional hardware to do this?
> thanks in advance

According to the specification it has only one SATA cable.

"Richard Urban" wrote:

> Hint: You don't actually need a slot to temporarily connect a second hard
> drive. You can lay it on a piece of insulating material on the bottom of the
> case. All you really need is either a dual IDE cable and power connector or
> a 2nd SATA port and the associated cables.
>
> I have done this countless times while repairing computers.
>
> --
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>
> Quote from George Ankner:
> If you knew as much as you think you know,
> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>
> "me" <me@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:E7A73BE0-4383-4A6A-B9B5-37A81ABB4935@microsoft.com...
> > I've just got a brand new Sony VGC LA2 with Vista Home Premium and am
> > thinking of upgrading (swapping) the hard drive from the 300GB it came
> > with
> > to 750 GB to turn it into a super personal video recorder (this PC has a
> > tv
> > tuner), store all my music, work files etc.
> >
> > However, it only has one hard drive and no space for another. How do I
> > transfer the copy of Vista from one hard drive to a new one?
> >
> > All the googling I've done seems to talk about situations where there is
> > more than one hard drive slot in a PC, so you can copy one to the other,
> > then
> > switch the master switches. Old style PCs. The Sony is really slim so only
> > has a slot for one hard drive as far as I'm aware
> >
> > Do I have to buy additional hardware to do this?
> > thanks in advance
>
>

You are in a hard spot then. There is no easy way out of your situation.

Two suggestions.

1. Install TrueImage HOME 10.0 on your computer. Create the emergency
boot CD from within TrueImage. Connect up an external USB hard drive of
sufficient capacity. Then use TrueImage to create an image of your original
hard drive and save it to the external drive.

Change your hard drives. Then, boot up from the emergency boot CD and
restore the image file you created to the new drive. You will have to
reactivate the O/S most likely.

2. Install a new hard drive and install a new copy of the operating
system. Of course, Sony didn't give you a hard copy of Vista so you will
have to purchase one.



--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

"me" <me@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6BF9E9B8-F5AC-4123-8E3F-F98DABBBB886@microsoft.com...
> According to the specification it has only one SATA cable.
>
> "Richard Urban" wrote:
>
>> Hint: You don't actually need a slot to temporarily connect a second hard
>> drive. You can lay it on a piece of insulating material on the bottom of
>> the
>> case. All you really need is either a dual IDE cable and power connector
>> or
>> a 2nd SATA port and the associated cables.
>>
>> I have done this countless times while repairing computers.
>>
>> --
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Richard Urban
>> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
>> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>>
>> Quote from George Ankner:
>> If you knew as much as you think you know,
>> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>>
>> "me" <me@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:E7A73BE0-4383-4A6A-B9B5-37A81ABB4935@microsoft.com...
>> > I've just got a brand new Sony VGC LA2 with Vista Home Premium and am
>> > thinking of upgrading (swapping) the hard drive from the 300GB it came
>> > with
>> > to 750 GB to turn it into a super personal video recorder (this PC has
>> > a
>> > tv
>> > tuner), store all my music, work files etc.
>> >
>> > However, it only has one hard drive and no space for another. How do I
>> > transfer the copy of Vista from one hard drive to a new one?
>> >
>> > All the googling I've done seems to talk about situations where there
>> > is
>> > more than one hard drive slot in a PC, so you can copy one to the
>> > other,
>> > then
>> > switch the master switches. Old style PCs. The Sony is really slim so
>> > only
>> > has a slot for one hard drive as far as I'm aware
>> >
>> > Do I have to buy additional hardware to do this?
>> > thanks in advance
>>
>>

"me" <me@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6BF9E9B8-F5AC-4123-8E3F-F98DABBBB886@microsoft.com...
> According to the specification it has only one SATA cable.
>
> "Richard Urban" wrote:
>
>> Hint: You don't actually need a slot to temporarily connect a second hard
>> drive. You can lay it on a piece of insulating material on the bottom of
>> the
>> case. All you really need is either a dual IDE cable and power connector
>> or
>> a 2nd SATA port and the associated cables.
>>
>> I have done this countless times while repairing computers.
>>
>> --
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Richard Urban
>> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
>> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>>
>> Quote from George Ankner:
>> If you knew as much as you think you know,
>> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>>
>> "me" <me@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:E7A73BE0-4383-4A6A-B9B5-37A81ABB4935@microsoft.com...
>> > I've just got a brand new Sony VGC LA2 with Vista Home Premium and am
>> > thinking of upgrading (swapping) the hard drive from the 300GB it came
>> > with
>> > to 750 GB to turn it into a super personal video recorder (this PC has
>> > a
>> > tv
>> > tuner), store all my music, work files etc.
>> >
>> > However, it only has one hard drive and no space for another. How do I
>> > transfer the copy of Vista from one hard drive to a new one?
>> >
>> > All the googling I've done seems to talk about situations where there
>> > is
>> > more than one hard drive slot in a PC, so you can copy one to the
>> > other,
>> > then
>> > switch the master switches. Old style PCs. The Sony is really slim so
>> > only
>> > has a slot for one hard drive as far as I'm aware
>> >
>> > Do I have to buy additional hardware to do this?
>> > thanks in advance
>>
>>


And... keep in mind, that if you follow Richard's recommendation... the
external USB HD only needs to be large enough to hold the image file, not
the entire 300GB's, unless you've filled it up already...

Lang

Couple of follow up questions if you don't mind.

"Richard Urban" wrote:

> You are in a hard spot then. There is no easy way out of your situation.
>
> Two suggestions.
>
> 1. Install TrueImage HOME 10.0 on your computer. Create the emergency
> boot CD from within TrueImage. Connect up an external USB hard drive of
> sufficient capacity. Then use TrueImage to create an image of your original
> hard drive and save it to the external drive.
>
> Change your hard drives. Then, boot up from the emergency boot CD and
> restore the image file you created to the new drive. You will have to
> reactivate the O/S most likely.


I don't follow why you need to create an emergency boot CD, the True Image
manual doesn't seem talk about this. Is the emergency boot the thing that
allows you to copy from the external to the new drive?
The True Image manual from what I make out seem to say copy the image to a
USB Drive (I'd be using a caddy which would have the brand new 750gb drive in
it), then swap the drives.

Other points to note:
The OS isn't activated currently, its a new PC.
The current hard drive has an hidden partition for recovery

>
> 2. Install a new hard drive and install a new copy of the operating
> system. Of course, Sony didn't give you a hard copy of Vista so you will
> have to purchase one.
>
>
Sony does let you create Recovery discs. Could I create the discs, swap the
drive for a new one and boot from the new discs? This would involve not using
True Image


> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>
> Quote from George Ankner:
> If you knew as much as you think you know,
> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>
> "me" <me@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6BF9E9B8-F5AC-4123-8E3F-F98DABBBB886@microsoft.com...
> > According to the specification it has only one SATA cable.
> >
> > "Richard Urban" wrote:
> >
> >> Hint: You don't actually need a slot to temporarily connect a second hard
> >> drive. You can lay it on a piece of insulating material on the bottom of
> >> the
> >> case. All you really need is either a dual IDE cable and power connector
> >> or
> >> a 2nd SATA port and the associated cables.
> >>
> >> I have done this countless times while repairing computers.
> >>
> >> --
> >>
> >>
> >> Regards,
> >>
> >> Richard Urban
> >> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
> >> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
> >>
> >> Quote from George Ankner:
> >> If you knew as much as you think you know,
> >> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
> >>
> >> "me" <me@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:E7A73BE0-4383-4A6A-B9B5-37A81ABB4935@microsoft.com...
> >> > I've just got a brand new Sony VGC LA2 with Vista Home Premium and am
> >> > thinking of upgrading (swapping) the hard drive from the 300GB it came
> >> > with
> >> > to 750 GB to turn it into a super personal video recorder (this PC has
> >> > a
> >> > tv
> >> > tuner), store all my music, work files etc.
> >> >
> >> > However, it only has one hard drive and no space for another. How do I
> >> > transfer the copy of Vista from one hard drive to a new one?
> >> >
> >> > All the googling I've done seems to talk about situations where there
> >> > is
> >> > more than one hard drive slot in a PC, so you can copy one to the
> >> > other,
> >> > then
> >> > switch the master switches. Old style PCs. The Sony is really slim so
> >> > only
> >> > has a slot for one hard drive as far as I'm aware
> >> >
> >> > Do I have to buy additional hardware to do this?
> >> > thanks in advance
> >>
> >>
>
>

The PCs is as new, with no data on it that I have added, but I'm assuming I
need to copy the whole disc as there is a hidden recovery partition on it
somewhere. This is common with Sony PCs, and I don't think you can see the
partition normally.

I am wondering if I can use the recovery discs to install a larger drive, as
I have not other data to transfer.


"Lang Murphy" wrote:


>
> And... keep in mind, that if you follow Richard's recommendation... the
> external USB HD only needs to be large enough to hold the image file, not
> the entire 300GB's, unless you've filled it up already...
>
> Lang
>

When you install TrueImage there is an option to create the boot CD. You
need this to work with imaging/restoring the system partition if you do not
have TrueImage on the computer that has the problem. After all, you "will
be" transferring the image to a clean new hard drive which = TrueImage is
not installed on that drive.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

"me" <me@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E27981E0-3187-4069-91F6-6CC3754B13B3@microsoft.com...
> Couple of follow up questions if you don't mind.
>
> "Richard Urban" wrote:
>
>> You are in a hard spot then. There is no easy way out of your situation.
>>
>> Two suggestions.
>>
>> 1. Install TrueImage HOME 10.0 on your computer. Create the emergency
>> boot CD from within TrueImage. Connect up an external USB hard drive of
>> sufficient capacity. Then use TrueImage to create an image of your
>> original
>> hard drive and save it to the external drive.
>>
>> Change your hard drives. Then, boot up from the emergency boot CD and
>> restore the image file you created to the new drive. You will have to
>> reactivate the O/S most likely.
>
>
> I don't follow why you need to create an emergency boot CD, the True Image
> manual doesn't seem talk about this. Is the emergency boot the thing that
> allows you to copy from the external to the new drive?
> The True Image manual from what I make out seem to say copy the image to a
> USB Drive (I'd be using a caddy which would have the brand new 750gb drive
> in
> it), then swap the drives.
>
> Other points to note:
> The OS isn't activated currently, its a new PC.
> The current hard drive has an hidden partition for recovery
>
>>
>> 2. Install a new hard drive and install a new copy of the operating
>> system. Of course, Sony didn't give you a hard copy of Vista so you will
>> have to purchase one.
>>
>>
> Sony does let you create Recovery discs. Could I create the discs, swap
> the
> drive for a new one and boot from the new discs? This would involve not
> using
> True Image
>
>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Richard Urban
>> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
>> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>>
>> Quote from George Ankner:
>> If you knew as much as you think you know,
>> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>>
>> "me" <me@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:6BF9E9B8-F5AC-4123-8E3F-F98DABBBB886@microsoft.com...
>> > According to the specification it has only one SATA cable.
>> >
>> > "Richard Urban" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Hint: You don't actually need a slot to temporarily connect a second
>> >> hard
>> >> drive. You can lay it on a piece of insulating material on the bottom
>> >> of
>> >> the
>> >> case. All you really need is either a dual IDE cable and power
>> >> connector
>> >> or
>> >> a 2nd SATA port and the associated cables.
>> >>
>> >> I have done this countless times while repairing computers.
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Regards,
>> >>
>> >> Richard Urban
>> >> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
>> >> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>> >>
>> >> Quote from George Ankner:
>> >> If you knew as much as you think you know,
>> >> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>> >>
>> >> "me" <me@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:E7A73BE0-4383-4A6A-B9B5-37A81ABB4935@microsoft.com...
>> >> > I've just got a brand new Sony VGC LA2 with Vista Home Premium and
>> >> > am
>> >> > thinking of upgrading (swapping) the hard drive from the 300GB it
>> >> > came
>> >> > with
>> >> > to 750 GB to turn it into a super personal video recorder (this PC
>> >> > has
>> >> > a
>> >> > tv
>> >> > tuner), store all my music, work files etc.
>> >> >
>> >> > However, it only has one hard drive and no space for another. How do
>> >> > I
>> >> > transfer the copy of Vista from one hard drive to a new one?
>> >> >
>> >> > All the googling I've done seems to talk about situations where
>> >> > there
>> >> > is
>> >> > more than one hard drive slot in a PC, so you can copy one to the
>> >> > other,
>> >> > then
>> >> > switch the master switches. Old style PCs. The Sony is really slim
>> >> > so
>> >> > only
>> >> > has a slot for one hard drive as far as I'm aware
>> >> >
>> >> > Do I have to buy additional hardware to do this?
>> >> > thanks in advance
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>

Not if you are working from a hidden partition on the drive. If you have
recovery media, maybe.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

"me" <me@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C8811056-4A34-4923-AB61-20DAD8A1A8B8@microsoft.com...
> The PCs is as new, with no data on it that I have added, but I'm assuming
> I
> need to copy the whole disc as there is a hidden recovery partition on it
> somewhere. This is common with Sony PCs, and I don't think you can see the
> partition normally.
>
> I am wondering if I can use the recovery discs to install a larger drive,
> as
> I have not other data to transfer.
>
>
> "Lang Murphy" wrote:
>
>
>>
>> And... keep in mind, that if you follow Richard's recommendation... the
>> external USB HD only needs to be large enough to hold the image file, not
>> the entire 300GB's, unless you've filled it up already...
>>
>> Lang
>>
>
>