Best method to add new Hard drive and re-install Windows Xp?

[MickeyC]

After 2 years of running Windows XP Pro on my DELL desktop (PIII,996Mhz, 256mb ram) along with 2 sons and my wife, the PC is starting to screw up.
Have tried some registry cleanups, I defrag every month or so and try to keep track of stuff but it's gotten away from me.

I have an 80 gig HD thats got about 19 gig free. I decided to get a 200 gig Western Digital and do a clean re-install of XP Pro. The question I have is "what's the best method"?

Options as I see it:
1) a) Install New Hard drive as slave
b) Partition it
c) copy data from old to new
d) partition old hard drive
d) clean re-install XP Pro on old drive... and off we go
2) a) Install New Hard drive as master
b) Partition it
d) clean re-install XP Pro on new drive (C: partition)
c) copy data from old to new (E: partition)
d) partition old hard drive (slave now) and format it to wipe it
... and off we go
Anybody have any thoughts... suggestions?
Any other options?
If I do option 2 - Can I re-install XP even though slave drive has version still on it?
Any suggestions on Partition sizes?
I've been reading all kinds of online info on this but I'd rather hear what other people have experienced.
Thanks

[Slade]

Yes you can install xp even though the slave has it also. As far as partitioning goes you should be the one to decide. I mostly keep different things on my partitions e.g. one partition for games, another for apps, another for mp3's, one for movies etc. You need to decide how much each partition should be allocated. I would probably do the following:
a)Install new hdd as a slave
b)partition it
c)copy the needed data across from your 80gb
d) format the 80, partition as needed and re-install windows.

That's my opinion anyways :)

Hope this helped

Slade

[MickeyC]

Thanks. I guess there's no limit on partitions (not that I'm gonna create 30 of them). But thats what I was thinking about (mp3's, apps, etc.).
I just have to find the time to do it.

Yes you can install xp even though the slave has it also. As far as partitioning goes you should be the one to decide. I mostly keep different things on my partitions e.g. one partition for games, another for apps, another for mp3's, one for movies etc. You need to decide how much each partition should be allocated. I would probably do the following: a)Install new hdd as a slave b)partition it c)copy the needed data across from your 80gb d) format the 80, partition as needed and re-install windows. That's my opinion anyways :) Hope this helped Slade

[Slade]

glad to help :)

[MickeyC]

One more thing... concerning partitions.
Isn't it true that even if you set up a partition for the OS (so that you can re-install XP at a later date without having to wipe your hdd), when you re-install XP your register is fresh and chances are that some or all of your applications would have to be re-installed too?

[DMR]

Yes- with a fresh install you will have to reinstall your programs to register them with the new OS.