copying hard drive image to laptop

[jaylee11]

I have a friend that needs a spare computer, as a backup. He has decided that he is going to buy a laptop. If I can, how is the best way to copy his harddrive from his desktop to the laptop. I need to use this as the operating system because he has some profesional programs that he cant afford to lose. He is using win98 on his desktop. Can I burn a hard drive image using ghost or some other software and use it "restore" the hard drive on the laptop? If so when it boots up will it just think that we changed the hardware and update for it? Any and all help will be appreciated.

 

[Theslowone]

I don't think it will be that simple, restoring it with the same hardware yes, but with all different mobo/cpu and all well thats a little different. Not saying you can't but it will be a little more complicated then that. I have heard that you can delete some reg and it will work out.

ON a side note, he might want to upgrade to win2k or xp if hes doing important work.

 

[corkyg]

That will be a daunting experience. Laptops are highly proprietary, and each one has a corps of special drivers. Most come with a Restore OS CD - - - basically an image restoration. Even moving a hard drive from one Desktop to another is often not an easy chore unless both machines are identical.

Laptops had special video drivers, sound drivers, modem drivers, etc., etc., not to mention controllers. If you attempt that operation, be sure to have all of those things handy. In my opinion, it would be faster to use the laptop's Restore CD and then simply install software and apps and synch some data files between the machines.

 

[randypj]

Aw.....corky-g......ye of little faith.

I did this with my Winbook about a 1-1/2 years ago, wasn't it Corky?

I made some posts on the Winbook forums, posting results and asking questions.

I made an image of my desktop with Drive Image, and restored to the laptop.

Yes.....I did delete the reg key.....can't remember if I did it before I did the image, or booted to safe mode after the image, then deleted it.

The key in W98SE is:

Hkey_Local_Machine.......delete the ENUM under this.

I had a save to disk small partition on the laptop that I deleted before I imaged. It seems like PM or DI had problems with that....but, it was do-able. I believe the new DI and PM's do not have those issues. And.....I even found a way to restore the STD part after. I never did restore it tho.

Now....laptop has crapped and needs a new mobo. Nothing to do with the image. It is the battery recharge circuitry on the mobo.

Oh, have any sort of specialized drivers ready that the lappy might want. I can't remember. Seems like I hadda use a special for the busmaster or something. Or....just have a pc available with internet connection so you can get the drivers.

Heck, worst thing is you give it up and have to do a restore from the laptop cd.

Let us know how it goes.

Sorry.....I never reinstall software. I always image to new pcs.
--Randy