I have a POS server that is getting very old. It's an AMD 266 running DOS 7.1. Note no Windows OS of any kind. I want to upgrade to a Duron 700 with more ram and bigger HHD.

Will XCopy work?
What about MBR?
Can any one give me a simply step by step?

Here We Go Again!

My apologies for being rude!

Thanks

Here We Go Again!

I think that actually qualifies as a "DOS" question - but thanks for being sensitive to the ongoing forum 'issues'

Might take a look at xxcopy - similar to xcopy, but a bit more versatile.

Drive cloning software should be available at the HDD manufacturer's site - although quite probably another manufacturer's would work equally well.

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Symantec Norton Ghost

Thanks jboy & flimflam,

I downloaded xxcopy.

I've had problems with Nortons Ghost in the past. It works great on two very healthy drives but if it detects the slightest error it will not ghost. I don't trust the old drive's integrity so I plan to avoid Ghost, if I can.

Here We Go Again!

Ok, well give that a shot then. Under certain circumstances, M$ xcopy will not copy long filenames consistently - that's it's chief drawback wrt to cloning, and in some cases works just fine. Further reading here (if you're curious)

Good luck, hope it does the job.

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The DOS version of XXCOPY will not copy LFNs either. The Win32 Console version (XXCOPY32) will not work in pure DOS mode.

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Long Live DOS!

.. I knew something was nagging me about this post.

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"Will XCopy work?
What about MBR?
Can any one give me a simply step by step?"

Since you plan to avoid Ghost, and XXCOPY will not work with LFNs in pure DOS, there are some maybe better ways for you.

Several file managers such as Norton Commander 5.5 or Volkov Commander 4.99 are able to copy all or only selected files (with LFN support) to the destination using menus rather than command parameters, plus there are good docs for these programs. This usually makes things simpler, specially for starters.

Volkov Commander 4.99 is available from:

http://www.egner-online.de/vc/en/downloads.shtml

MBR and boot sector could be written automatically by the DOS Setup, so usually you don't need to worry about them.

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Long Live DOS!

FYI: The COPY command from 4DOS 7.50 (a nice command shell for DOS) will work with long files names as well. Note that for copying files inside folders, the /S parameter for this COPY is needed. Its test version is downloadable from:

http://www.jpsoft.com/

You can try it if you prefer command-line based operations.

BTW: jboy, what did you mean in your post?

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Long Live DOS!

Pretty much what you addressed: LFN capabilities of xxcopy in DOS mode.

It occurred to me after posting that it might not perform as desired.

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norwaldail,

If the box has always been DOS, Are long filenames even a problem (Are there long file names)? if all files are 8.3 then xcopy or xxcopy will work fine-

if LFN is needed:
LCOPY from Odi's LFN Tools works rather well for an LFN enabled xcopy replacement-

It likes himem emm386 and ifshlp.sys loaded in config, as much lo mem as possible, and works way better if smartdrv is loaded (high). Sometimes has conflict with TSR LFN API drivers (DOSLFN, LFNDOS, etc), If so, stop the LFN API driver. Syntax is straight-forward, except use * instead of *.* . good /? and readme.

if going the "commander" route, DOSLFN seems to be the best LFN driver (TSR), and I'll throw in DOS Navigator (OSP) as another fine commander clone.

If a WIN box is around, perhaps hook current drive and new drive as slaves and use WIN to copy across. (New drive needs formatted and sys'd before copy). Or just hang the new drive in the Win box and use the network to copy across.

good luck
Bruce

Well, Odi's LFN Tools is sometimes okay, but it won't work with DBCS LFNs, and all its development had been long discontinued, so I didn't even want to mention it in my previous posts.

About the TSR LFN driver, of course it must be loaded at first in order for file managers to work with LFNs. LFN API support is already included in standalone version of MS-DOS 7.1, so I don't think you still need a seperate LFN driver. I do have the very latest version of DOSLFN (in May 2004), yet I have never found it has any kind of conflict with EMM386 or IFSHLP as mentioned by roamer. Perhaps roamer's version is too old or he didn't use it in the correct way.

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Long Live DOS!

Hello Dos Nuts,

Thanks for all the insight!

Roamer 1 is correct, this box has never had any OS other than MS-DOS. I've been away for the week-end and will not be able the check the status of possible LFN untill tommorrow. If non exist then I'll give xcopy a try. If it boots and POS works, YeeHa! If not I'll try one or more of your collective ideas.

I agee with the "long live Dos" tag. The POS vender requires a $10000 Soft and Hardware upgrade inorder to modernize to an XP pro solution for one till. Get this, there is no improvement in reporting, controlling nor tracking and I get the added Value of Windows stability!

Thank again
Nor

Good Morning,

I checked the drive this morning and found no LFN.
Nor

Here We Go Again!

"I checked the drive this morning and found no LFN"

Then the normal XCOPY or XXCOPY will be fine.

Good luck.

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Long Live DOS!