Vista upgrade, how I copy everything to my new drive using vista tools.
Items needed:-
Vista dvd (32bit or 64 depending on your present system)
For laptop an external usb2 hdd (ide or sata) interface available from ebay for about £4.
For desktops you could use the internal sata or ide interface.
Vista can do this with the two programs diskpart and robocopy both are standard programs on the vista install dvd.
Remove the old hard drive.
Install your new hard disk in your laptop.
Using an external Usb2 interface connected to your old hard disk.
Boot your system with a Vista DVD allow Setup. You have to select a language and click "Next" on the first screen that appears. Then click "Install Now". When you're asked for your product key, there's no need to go any further. Instead press SHIFT-F10, Command Prompt.
Format and setup the new drive with diskpart.
Reboot the system from the vista dvd
Connect external Usb2 to sata interface to your old hard disk.
Make a note of the drive letters of both the new hdd and the external hdd.
Assuming c: is your new internal drive and e: is your external drive with system and data.
ROBOCOPY e:\ c:\ /e /efsraw /copyall /dcopy:t /r:0
Come back in about an hour or so.
When complete check both drives look the same.
Remove the external drive and reboot from the Vista dvd
And do a system repair.
After rebooting go to to system control panel and validate your windows
serial numbers.
For further information visit Lorin Thwaits blog
http://geekswithblogs.net/lorint/archive/2006/12/07/100596.aspx
