Two hard drives same XP

nicknick109

My main hard drive has Win xp home installed this has been verified by MS so no problems there. What I would like to do is install the same version on a spare 10gb hard drive just in case the other crashes and I at least have some means of getting on line. Drives are installed on slide trays so can just swap them over if needed.
What I am not sure about is if I will have to re-verify and how will this effect the XP system on the main hard drive or is there a way around this.
The XP is a shop bought from E-Buyer. Used once.
Thanks any help or ideas.
Nick nick

RussJK

How big is the system partition on the XP installation? If it is small enough to fit on a 10gb hard drive, then just use a clone tool like Clonezilla or Redo Backup to make a 1:1 image of it. When you run Windows on the backup, it shouldn't notice a problem.

If you want a means to get back online after a crash, then just make a Ubuntu liveCD or liveUSB. Everyone should have some bootable OS disks handy, as well as system recovery disks (UBCD, etc) and bootable antivirus disks (Avira, Dr Web, etc).

free4440273

another solution is imaging software/ voids the verification factor/ this is free :

http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp

free4440273

TrueImage is also v good/ not free though/ Ghost also does a fabulous job /

Trinitrotoluene

I wouldn't bother Nick, as suggested previously get an Ubuntu Live CD - this will get you online whenever you want.

bengalknights

Norton Ghost will create a reimage of the drive, otherwise if its just online access your after a linux boot cd will do the job although you may have some driver issues.

leanneloves

+1 Norton Ghost

thenudeone

No-one has answered the question directly.
A single change of hard disk will not require a re-validation. I have copied & replaced hard disks several times and never needed to re-activate XP.
I have even replaced a complete motherboard (dfferent make but with the same chipset) without needing to re-activate!

chunter

I think you should be ok. I believe the XP activation / verification uses a points system based on your hardware in your pc to judge whether it's the same computer.

I'd assume the points system won't be thrown askew just because it's a different hard drive.
Try it, it'll do no harm.

EDIT. Take out the original drive while your setting up the 10gb one

Browntoa

I've cloned one drive to another , the spare sits in the pc just in case but passes all WGA etc with no problems