Preserving data while installing XP over USB HDD

[lichung]

I am planning to install Mevi's XP over my USB HDD

It seems I will have to clone the image file to the disk, which means all data on my harddisk will be removed.
Is there a way to preserve the existing partition?

[Mevi]

Well it depends if it's an NTFS partition on the USB HDD. If you're happy to risk data loss, you can convert the existing partition on the HDD to Active Primary NTFS, before then moving the partition to make space for a 200MB primary FAT32 partition at the front. As long as those conditions are met, you should be able to copy all the files from the image to your USB HDD, maintaining the directory structure. You don't need to worry about having a boot sector with this EFI bootloader.

If you mount the VHD with the Windows 7 disk manager snap-in, you can simply drag and drop the files from disk to disk.

Definately do-able, but please be careful. If you value your data, practice with a spare HDD or memory stick before attempting anything permanent.

[lichung]

Well it depends if it's an NTFS partition on the USB HDD. If you're happy to risk data loss, you can convert the existing partition on the HDD to Active Primary NTFS, before then moving the partition to make space for a 200MB primary FAT32 partition at the front. As long as those conditions are met, you should be able to copy all the files from the image to your USB HDD, maintaining the directory structure. You don't need to worry about having a boot sector with this EFI bootloader.

If you mount the VHD with the Windows 7 disk manager snap-in, you can simply drag and drop the files from disk to disk.

Definately do-able, but please be careful. If you value your data, practice with a spare HDD or memory stick before attempting anything permanent.

Good to hear!
1. Does that mean I'll have to both my data and the XP system files are now on the same NTFS partition? What about having a 200MB primary FAT32 and a say 2GB primary active NTFS for the VHD image, and a whatever partition (fat/exfat/ntfs) to fill up the remaining space for my data? coz I don't wanna mess my data with the XP files

2. Can I use the same drag-n-drop trick for those GHO images over the hi-pda forum, AFAIK they've got 2 partitions very much similar to yours.

cheers

[Mevi]

I can't speak for the Chinese versions as there are so many of them, some use Grub from memory. I'm sure that would work with mine or Dan's build. The Active Primary NTFS partition needs to be the 2nd partition unless you edit the boot.ini file. If your HDD is FAT/FAT32, then you only need to add an NTFS partition to the end of the HDD for the OS. The EFI boot loader can go in the root of the data partition.

Gotta say again, be careful with your data!!

Another way would be swapping the internal WIFI for a memory stick with the EFI & XP and then your external drive on the external port untouched. Only 4 screws to undo, it's a piece of cake.

[lichung]

just to clarify, 1x Sony memory stick and a screw driver will do the job rite?

[Mevi]

yes, the screws are under the serial number sticker at the back and once they're off, run a thumbnail around the case to click it open. The wiki has a full disassembly guide with pictures detailing each step. There are also videos on YouTube.

For a couple of my Jogglers, I have left the screws out as the case clicks back together quite well. Get it booting on the external port before you pull it apart.

A USB stick won't be as fast as a HDD (and I don't know the speed of your Sony stick), but it's OK if you are using an external HDD as you can put the pagefile on that HDD and speed up the system a lot. Most USB sticks are not so quick with small file writes, so anything that reduces that will make a big improvement to your experience.

[lichung]

Well it depends if it's an NTFS partition on the USB HDD. If you're happy to risk data loss, you can convert the existing partition on the HDD to Active Primary NTFS, before then moving the partition to make space for a 200MB primary FAT32 partition at the front. As long as those conditions are met, you should be able to copy all the files from the image to your USB HDD, maintaining the directory structure. You don't need to worry about having a boot sector with this EFI bootloader.

If you mount the VHD with the Windows 7 disk manager snap-in, you can simply drag and drop the files from disk to disk.

Definately do-able, but please be careful. If you value your data, practice with a spare HDD or memory stick before attempting anything permanent.

I followed your steps and it works swiftly for both the IMG and GHO images. The only issue is that the ethernet adapter's not working. It's got a little exclamation mark over the adapter's icon in device manager. I've tried to boot into openpeak to set up a connection first then reboot into XP. The wired connection could not acquire IP (wireless is fine) however, and nothing changes when I reboot into XP.

[Mevi]

Late reply, sorry. The exclamation mark on the NIC is a known problem that affects some jogglers.... no fix as yet as some work and some don't and all have the same hardware (we think). Plus there's no way to boot into MSDOS to flash the NIC firmware if that is a possible fix - Realtek don't have a windows flash tool for this chip.

Sorry to bring you bad news - I had one just start working after a while, so yours might come to life one day.

[lichung]

There is actually a temporary solution to the NIC from hi-pda. All you have to do is to boot into openpeak, put on either the wireless/wired connection, plug in your usb loaded with xp and then reboot.

[Mevi]

Aah, right. I'd better flash mine to factory defaults then and give that a try. Half of mine were bought on ebay as faulty - they don't boot into the O2/Openpeak OS!