replace a hard drive

[beatlestarr]

if i replace an old hard drive witha new one and put the backed up files from the old one onto the new one would the buried files on the old hard drive be copied to the new hard drive or is it better to put the stuff fom a disc i received with the pc as my hard drive is playing up and thinking of replacing it before it finally gives up

[ChuckFickens]

Not are what you mean by "buried files"

but you can not just copy programs over to a new drive, everything like that needs to be installed again from the original CDs

[didappointed]

as the previous reply said - you can only copy "information" saved, not programs. They have to be re-installed with the original discs. I have just been through this problem. I had to find all my old discs to do this, but now I am back to normal. It was quite a lengthy job.

[VHG]

You can "clone" (or copy) the contents of one hard drive to another. This process makes a complete "mirror" copy (all files) of your hard drive.

You should then be able to take out the old hard drive, put the new one in, and it should work.

[AlBags]

A bit of grammar wouldn't go amiss, too! : )

[Woody23]

Oh. Here come the grammar police!!