HDD Replacement (a WinXP Question)

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SleepilyTyped

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For the last few weeks when I boot up, my Maxtor SMART thing keeps predicting disk failure. Whether my HDD is really about to die or not might be debatable, but I bought a new drive anyway.

Now, does anybody have any opinion/advice on how to make my new HDD my new main drive, from a Windows perspective?

As far as I can tell, I have two options:
1). A clean install of Windows, and then a re-installing all of my drivers, settings, applications, and what-not.

PROS: The new drive is free and clear of any old crapola that might be currently gunking it up.

CONS: That is SOOOO much work. I was all set to do it this way. I sat down, did a quick dir > text of my Program Files directory so I knew what I'd have to locate, and popped a CD into my second drive. Then friggin' AutoPlay popped up! ARRGGHH! I have to fix this stuff, too! Then I tried to print my WordPad document, and Windows can't automatically get my printer set up.
Now I'm really considering the second option:


2). I find myself some sort of disk imaging software so that I just copy this drive to that drive (more or less?).

PROS: Let the computer do the tedious and boring work (as they were designed to do).

CONS: Well, I have to locate the software, and possibly purchase it. Then I wonder if I have to have my drive partitioned in a similar way. Plus, all that gunk follows me to my next HDD. This option leaves me with some questions.

The third option is that I hack my way through, trying to piece together all of the parts of each application and registry entries. That sounds worse of all (but the most fun?).

In case you've never used it, the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard is a piece of SH*T!! It transfers just enough to make you think it's all set, but there is plenty of settings that don't make it. If I remember correctly, all of my beautiful tool boxes don't transfer, I have to do my outlook mail by hand, and nothing related to administration comes over. So what's the friggin' point? I can copy my stupid Documents and Settings folder by hand and would have accomplished more than that Wizard does.

Anyway, anybody with some input?

thanks
sleepily.
 
How 'bout a master-slave deal? You format the new one, and copy all of that stuff over.. This way, it will bring the registry over, and you don't have to "hack" it.
 
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